What are the Links Between Autism and ADHD?

A new study shows that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are up to 20 times more likely to carry autistic traits than those without the problem.

Study co-author Dr. joseph Biederman, director of the pediatric psychopharmacology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, notes that as many as one of every five children with ADHD exhibits signs of autism that include slow language development or problems with emotional control.

"These children are not having the full diagnosis of autism, but they have symptoms of autism," Biederman said, via a press release. "It may be important to screen children with ADHD for autistic traits because they may need more support, particularly in the educational and interpersonal domains."

Yet previous works have also found that children with autism have severe ADHD symptoms.

This study looked at 242 children aged 6 to 18 with ADHD as well as a 227-member control group of children without the developmental disorder. These children were drawn via an existing large-scale sample pool that excluded children who had not been diagnosed with autism.

The children and their parents were asked to fill out a series of questionnaires in order to determine how their conditions were affected by traits.

Results showed that 18 percent of kids with ADHD exhibited some behavioral problems similarily seen in autism, compared to 0.87 percent of those seen in the control group.

Children with ADHD and autistic traits tended to have more social problems than typical of those with just ADHD. This included displaying social problems with peers and siblings, according to the study.

"The genetic markers for ADHD have also been associated with autism," he said. "These autistic traits may be present in other conditions as well. I am quite convinced that these traits may be present in children with mood and anxiety disorders."

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found in the journal Pediatrics.