The Overlap Between Autism, ADHD, and Executive Functioning

In this webinar, Ericka Wodka, Ph.D., a pediatric neuropsychologist, discusses the challenges children with autism often have focusing, maintaining attention, and planning and organizing their environment. She also shares more about intervention strategies used to reduce their impact on daily functioning.

Follow SPARK on social media:

[emmetran]

The ratio between males and females with ASD and ADHD is so big because females get misdiagnosed, don’t get diagnosed, and present in symptoms differently.

[LeksiW]

I can assure you, asd/adhd are both 1:1 for boys and girls. We're just not diagnosing the girls.

[caitlinwhatthefrick]

It’s false that “more boys have autism”, just as many girls and women are on the spectrum but it presents slightly differently in girls like were typically more “shy” and better at masking. That’s why we get diagnosed so much later in life.

[ottolandin]

I have autism and I'm always scared to start a conversation because I'm worried about butting in, because I had a lot of complaints about it.

[no_peace]

It costs nothing to call them traits instead of symptoms

[Neilgs]

To be kind entirely misguided to address executive functioning in terms of organizing, planning and executing surface based (ie academic) tasks is profoundly ignorance with respect to autism and related spectrum related challenges. Furthermore, executive functioning is directly dependent upon the earlier Functional Emotional Developmental capacities, the subcortical LHPA (limbic hypothalamic pituitary adrenal) axis which connects into the autonomic nervous system (all through interpersonal relationships). Simply, from the child’s or older perspective, “Do I feel safe to engage with you and my surroundings or is my sympathetic-adrenal nervous system adaptive mobilized for defensive fight/flight behaviors or worse parasympathetic withdrawal/shutdown or dissociation?” Basically, it is about cultivating the conditions with the child or older for internal (interoceptive) feelings of safety. As our autonomic nervous system changes so then does the overall resiliency of executive functioning including social-pragmatic communication/language.

“Mood and emotions” do not “Get in the way of completing tasks”. they affectively and adaptively form, embed and guide at each moment. Hence, the fatal snd fundamental flaw of All behavioral based programmatic thinking. Disgusting.

[pixelmotte]

When I think about what would have helped me back in school, nothing of what came to mind came up in this presentation.
This is just trying to make kids funktion within the system instead of making some actually helpful changes.
One of the biggest helps would have been to have more autonomy, because I knew more about how I learn and also how other kids learn than my teachers.
Homework for example was just a waste of time for me, same as most of the time I had to spend sitting in school in general.
For me it would have been helpful, to just get a paper with goals, like know how to x until day y and then leave me alone, maybe make some suggestions, but not force me to do specific tasts, during specific times, at a specific place.

As I like to repeat, school lessons are usually 5-10 minutes worth of informations streched into 45 minutes and that's a waste of time regardless of your "neurotype".
This isn't even an exaggeration, I had multiple teachers confirm this, but this is just the lack of respect for childrens autonomy and lifetime, that most adults have.
I'm also not exaggerating, when I say, that this form of "education" was torture and I would even say it's one of the main reasons for drug consumption in teenagers.

[theWinterWalker]

This is what I've been searching for. I'm co-morbid and disabled by 38 from executive dysfunction. Twice exceptional late diagnosed female.

[aksprkl]

4 to 1 are DIAGNOSED, not existing in general.

[TheTracer]

If I understand correctly, your summary of the reaearch is that some unique combination of medication and behavior modifications for the ASD+ADHD individual is needed to help the Neuro Diverse adequately appear "normal" and fit in. To me this seems like institutionalized masking. It also stands in opposition to all the presentations -- mostly by actual ASD people -- which say masking is killing the Neuro Diverse, and what they really need is just enough room to be who they are.

[_MemesDays_]

when you have autism, executive functioning disorder, and ADD

[gregorybabbitt]

I sometimes wonder if ASD and ADHD type personality traits, which often co-occur in many people, might actually represent a much evolutionary older form of 'normal' in human behavior. If you think about it, in their higher functioning manifestations, these traits can be quite advantageous in the natural environment. The love of repetitive motion and routine (ASD) could have been harnessed for all sorts of adaptive technological things like spinning wool, grinding corn, gathering nuts and seeds, or making stone tools, whereas the ability to be hyperactive and notice changes in finer details of the environment (i.e. distractions with ADHD) could have been clearly an asset in tracking and hunting. Only once cities and civilizations were built upon the backs of these hard-working and talented people, would the neurotypical traits and social politics that evolved with them become more useful. Has anyone out there ever seen any academic study of this idea? I would love to see a video exploring this possibility.

[Domdeone]

How do you materialise your thoughts into creatively writing &/or the visual arts so not to be distracted? Was diagnosed at 42, at 53 still about to go on Elvance but mind racing is a, if not the obstacle. I know about prioritising in theory but putting into practice is another.

[shawnaaustin]

My husband can’t even be in the same room when me and my son are watching a movie together because we try to talk over the movie lines and over one another 🤣 We are both on the spectrum.

[CeCe-fhix]

My mother had autism. I have ADHD. I knew there was a connection! Thank you for the video

[heartsmyfaceforever]

Maybe all our brains aren’t MEANT to be the same.

[JL-ihws]

Great info but.. like, um... autistic children do actually evolve and become autistic adults so this is great for kids but what about the cornucopia of adults with autism? No one seems to care about autistic people when they become adults. Do you mind doing one for adults because autistic children do actually become adults (who have autism) and then all of these ideas for support are literally not effective. Autistic adults fall between the cracks at every opportunity. Why? Anyone?

[Rebelgs]

My mother s autistic my father has Adhd.
It was hell of a ride with a lot of pain and excitement.
As a result I have both disorders😂🎉😢
Finally my feet on the ground in my mid 40s.

[emilyeah]

Great presentation, lovely tone of voice and melody.

[kateparkhouse]

This fit’s me to a T but I’m an Adult Woman trying to get the acknowledgment about these issues “I don’t look like I have Mental Health issues” I’d be trilled if I could be a test subject how do I find those kinds of resources. I know I have dyslexia, I’ve got anxiety and depression, I have been told I have ADHD Hypo and through researching my special interests I have discovered I’m likely Autistic and not I’m trying to get help but most resources I’ve found are just for kids, I don’t feel like I’m not quite a complete adult. I’ve been through CBT and it’s helped a bit but I still feel like I’m constantly missing something in my life and maybe being Austic is the answer to me. But now I feel I’ve hit a wall finding the solution. How do you get an evaluation?