Difference between ADHD and Autism Part 1: Explained simply in under 4 minutes (short video)

IMPORTANT: This video only focusses on key differences. Watch part 2 of this video as well.

Both ADHD and autism are common neurodevelopmental disorders with onset in early childhood. Both appear around the same time in the child's development, are commonly identified in boys and has similar presentations. This is a short video trying to simplify the basic differences between the common presentations of ADHD and autism which presents as a spectrum. The video does not go into detail about the differences between the various subtypes of ADHD and their subtle differences with other neurodevelopmental disorders.

[ththrtjhy]

There are some serious issues with this. As someone with both ADHD and Autism, here's my input.
First off it's completely wrong to say that they are conditions "affecting children". They don't go away as you grow. It's how your brain is wired and you'll have the same symptoms all life. It's also not correct that they affect men more than women, but more likely that woman tend to adapting or hide it more due to how we are taught to behave and therefore go undiagnosed or get misdiagnosed with for example depression, anxiety, Borderline or Bipolar Disorder. There are also two "types" of ADHD - hyperactive or inattentive. With inattentive your hyperactivity is not shown much outwards but still affect you majorly. So the difference might be that with hyperactive type you see a person who can't sit still, start projects constantly but never finish them and may have a terrible temper. With inattentive the person experience complete chaos within; constantly racing thoughts, can't focus, can't get started with things, can't figure out where to start or what to do. You'll see a tired person who appears to be doing nothing most the time but on the inside they are struggling and trying and trying. It might be that women then to have the inattentive type more and that might contribute to them going unnoticed as the symptoms don't show in a way that demands attention the way that a boy who can't sit still and throws fits will.
The key difference between Autism and ADHD is that Autism is a disorder in communication while ADHD is a a difference in how your brain handles dopamine. This inability to affectively handle dopamine leads to executive dysfunction: Poor working memory, difficulty initiating and keeping with chores and projects, bad decision making, poor focus, emotional dysregulation and much more. It's terrible to live with.
You have to have social problems to have Autism. This could be not understanding social cues, facial expressions, differences in language varying from speaking in tones not appropriate to the situation to mutism, not understanding social norms/traditions, not knowing how you are supposed to behave in social situations, poor eye contact.. The list goes on and on. Now, with Autism you might also have executive dysfunction and show all the signs of ADHD - or have the traits described in this video: Special interests, likes routine and such. But Autism is a spectrum and the symptoms apart from the social issues may vary greatly, which is why to identify Autism, you look for the social struggles. With ADHD you don't have any difficulties socially apart from what might happen because of your ADHD - so for example it's hard to keep friends when you forget to talk to them, or they get mad that you forget birthdays and get-togethers. They complain that you are "flakey" and accuse you of not caring because you don't call often enough and forget things they think you won't forget if you cared. But it's not that you don't care, it's your ADHD making you forget and these social struggles are really hard to deal with, but I hope you can see how they are different from the struggles you might face with Autism.
It's also quite common to have both and it's important to mention that with either you're at an increased risk to develop depression, anxiety and stress disorders, so watch out for those symptoms as well.

[giackywacky]

They are only more common in boys because the diagnostic criteria was found through research where it was mainly boys and autism and ADHD present differently in both boys and girls

[thishumaniscalledsarah]

This isn’t completely accurate. This video focuses more on the hyperactive subtype of ADHD. More inattentive types can struggle communicating more and be quiet. ADHD also has something called hyper focus which means we can focus well — even too well — on something that interests us, so it’s not that we’re always distracted and can’t pay attention, we may just pay attention to the wrong things.

[theJtheQ]

I would make a few corrections on this video. For example, ADHD does NOT always mean a person presents as hyper physically. Most of the time it is their mind that is ‘hyper’. The neurons in the mind of an ADHD person are rapidly firing. I have adhd and I get distracted very easily and when talking can rapidly jump from topic to topic to topic. (Although in my mind it’s all connected).
Also, people with ADHD can also hyper focus on things they love. (Although hyper focus on the wrong things at the wrong times).
People with autism can have a hard time keeping friends for reasons such as their ‘logical thought process’. For example, sometimes when you have a friend you do activities with them that they enjoy, but you may find boring for the sake of being a friend and spending time together. Someone with autism may not see the logic in wasting time doing something they don’t like. Also, they tend to be very routined and like to plan ahead. It may be hard for them to accept last minute invites etc.

[Pindolene]

It's not that they're more common in boys, it's actually a case of under-diagnosis in girls and AFAB people. Apparently this gradually happened because studies on both disorders were almost always, if not always, carried out with male participants/patients. This then lead to a lesser recognition of symptoms in female patients, as they tend to manifest in different ways!

[ravenonthewindow]

I need to make a correction at 1:05, because adhd isn’t just losing focus on every single thing. I can focus on things but I cannot choose or manage the length of attention span for what to focus on; that’s why hyperfocus is a very distinctive behavior in adhd as well. We tend to lose track of time and fail at meeting our basic needs, we may not realize we are hungry because we were focusing on something else.

[Mr.Robinson.TV.]

I have both, and i was just curious on what both actually do thank u👍

[MEOWalina]

***both are not more common in boys; they are just more commonly diagnosed in boys. they are both underdiagnosed in girls and women because of masking and differences in presentation.

[StarWorld]

As a person who is #autistic #adhder people assume that I don't look autistic and once they come to terms with it they would think that I would be high functioning or have it "mild". In reality, it's my ADHD that often masks my autistic traits.

[ChrisDragon]

These are stereotypical traits, more often seen in boys. Although there are girls who present with some of these traits, both conditions actually appear slightly differently in girls, which is another reason why girls are often underdiagnosed. I'm a female person and I was diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD when I was 14. Recently, I have had a doctor say that I show signs of ASD as well.

[emmaoelius]

Sorry but there is a lot, A LOT, of incorrect information in this video. First, all these things you've talked about are 'symptoms' in the way that neurotypical people can recognize them. It is NOT what autism is, neither adhd. 'struggles to communicate' no. Correct is: "Has a different way of communicating, a way that neurotypical people don't understand. Therefore, autistic people get shamed for their way of communicating and they need to find another way of fitting into expectations, which make them observant and insecure in speech."
Then, most of the information you've given is false. 'Mostly boys' are neurodivergent is very, very false information. Correct is: "due to old beliefs, many boys got diagnosed while girls were misdiagnosed, recieving lables like 'overly sensitive', 'ocd', 'bipolair', and others, while they actually need an autism or ADHD diagnosis. While we are far more informed in these current years and way more women finally get the correct diagnosis, due to different societal expectations and sometimes phycologists who refuse the new and correct information, many women and girls still get misdiagnosed. Which is why and ahdh and autism diagnosis is still more occurring in men."

These are two examples, but I've only seen incorrect information so far.

I had to stop watching and almost clicked away. I thought this video was 10 years old. But when I saw it's just a year old, I had to clear things up in the comments.
Please, the info you give, the way you give this information, is keeping wrong stereotypes and beliefs going, while they are harmful for people with ADHD and autism in a way you can't imagine and I can't fully explain. Please make sure you read more recent scientific research about autism.

[whitewave]

Incredibly helpful. All the research I've done kept making the two seem the same (particularly inattentive type ADHD and ASD), this really makes the major differences clear. Thank you

[marwanalaloosi]

My son symptoms are all compatible with the ADHD's symptoms, but the only the is he doesn't speak or follow orders appropriately, for that reason he was diagnosed with Autism.

[BroonParker]

Beautifully, even lavishly animated but over simplified, e.g., regarding hyperactivity and hyper focus in ADHD. Neuorodiversity is not so black and white.

And the MUSIC...!

The most useful thing here is presented in some of the comments below.

[brickbuddy]

I have a best friend who has autism and I have adhd and ironically we really get along with each other

[andrwwaugh]

This seemed inaccurate in places.

Eg. Hyperfocus on activities that interest people with Adhd.

It's not a total lack of attention, it's a lack of control over attention!

Also, you have such high quality animation, at least loop your stock music properly! That CD skip sound when it loops is so annoying!

[myperfectlyimperfectgarden]

I get frustrated because I don't have ADHD I have ADD. I think ADD is more common than ADHD, in girls and women, but we are ignored because we don't demand attention. It is easier teachers and parents to pass it off as laziness rather than a neurodevelopmental disorder. I think Girls who have ADD are more underactive than their peers.

[CathTVl]

Why my niece rotating his eyes that he cannot control ? He repeat words.again and again.he is already 9yrs old.

[ifelttheburn]

I only talk a lot when I’m feeling comfortable

[ParentingHacksApp]

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