Trouble paying attention to people.

Being constantly on the move.

Invading personal space, not
reading social cues well and
having meltdowns. These can all
be signs of
both ADHD and autism . And the
two conditions can occur
together .

The signs of autism, also

called autism spectrum disorder or
ASD, can range in severity. While
ADHD (also known as ADD) isn’t a
spectrum disorder, like autism it
can produce a range of
symptoms . And each symptom
can cause a range of difficulty from
one child to the next. So what’s the
difference between ADHD and
autism?

This table breaks down some of

the key differences between them.

  ADHD
What is it? A neurodevelopmental
condition  that makes it hard for
kids to concentrate, pay attention,
sit still, and curb impulsivity .
Signs you  Seems forgetful, easily
may notice, distracted or daydreamy
depending  Appears not to listen and
on your has trouble following
child directions
Autism
A range of neurodevelopmental
conditions that causes challenges with
social skills , communication , and
thinking. Repetitive behaviors are also
part of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
 Avoids eye contact and/or
physical contact
 Has delayed speech (or no
speech) or repeats phrases over
and over
  ADHD
 Is prone to tantrums and
meltdowns  due to frustration
or lack of impulse control
 Struggles with organization
and completing tasks
 Has trouble staying on task
unless an activity is very
enjoyable
 Struggles with social skills
 Struggles to sit still during
quiet activities, such as
mealtimes or during
independent work time at
school
 Has trouble waiting his turn
and being patient
 Is constantly “on the go” or
moving; fidgets and needs to
pick up and fiddle with
everything
 Interrupts people , blurts
things out inappropriately,
and may struggle
with nonverbal cues
 Acts without thinking and
may not understand the
consequences of his actions
 May overreact to sensory
input, like the way things
sound, smell, taste, look, or
feel
Autism
 Is prone to meltdowns due
to sensory processing issues,
anxiety, frustration, or
communication difficulties
 Gets upset by changes in routine
 Struggles with social skills
 Uses excessive body movements
to self-soothe (e.g., rocking,
flapping hands)
 Has obsessive interests and
experiences perseveration
 Is constantly “on the go” or
moving; fidgets and needs to pick
up and fiddle with everything
 Is very advanced verbally, but
struggles with nonverbal cues
 Has trouble showing
understanding of other people’s
feelings and his own
 Reacts strongly to the way things
sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
(sensory processing issues)
 Has trouble with safety and
danger awareness
  ADHD Autism
 Plays roughly and takes
physical risks

Possible Trouble following social rules can The main struggles of ASD involve
emotional make it hard to make and keep social understanding, communication
and social friends. Frequent negative feedback and repetitive routines or behaviors.
impact for acting out or not paying Many kids with ASD — even those
attention can impact self-esteem without significant cognitive challenges
and motivation, making a child feel — have trouble making friends,
he’s “bad” or “no good.” (Read understanding how to relate to other
more about ADHD and emotions .) people and making sense of social cues.
Professiona  Pediatricians,  Pediatricians, neurologists,
ls who can neurologists, developmenta developmental-behavior
help l-behavioral pediatricians , pediatricians, child
nurse practitioners, child psychiatrists, psychologists: Ide
psychiatrists: Diagnose ntify possible signs of autism and
ADHD and may diagnose. May also refer
prescribe medication . Can for early intervention services .
also look for other issues  Clinical child psychologists,
like anxiety . social workers: Provide therapy
 Clinical child or social skills training  to help
psychologists: Provide beha kids improve social interactions.
vior therapy  to teach kids to Provide cognitive behavioral
manage their actions and therapy to help with emotional
interactions. issues related to autism. Diagnose
Provide cognitive behavioral other issues that may co-occur
therapy  to help with with autism, including ADHD.
emotional issues related to May also evaluate for learning
their ADHD. Diagnose differences.
ADHD and mental health  Pediatric
issues that may co-occur, neuropsychologists: Diagnose
like anxiety. May also autism and common issues that
  ADHD
evaluate for learning
differences.
 Pediatric
neuropsychologists : Diagno
se ADHD and common
mental health issues that
may co-occur. May also
evaluate for learning
differences.
 Educational
therapists , organizational
coaches : Work on
organization and time
management skills.
What the A child might be eligible for
school may an IEP under the category of “other under the category of “autism.” Special
provide health
impairment.” Accommodations  can with accommodations. They are very
also be provided under a 504 plan. specific to each child, but examples can
Examples might include:
 A seat close to the teacher
and away from distractions
 A quieter work space to get
work completed without
distraction
 A signal, nonverbal cue, or
picture card to get the
child’s attention
 Help breaking long
Autism
may co-occur, such as anxiety
and ADHD. May also prescribe
medication as needed.
 Occupational therapists : Help
kids learn coping skills for
challenging situations.
Provide sensory integration
therapy  or a sensory diet  to help
kids respond to sensory input in
more appropriate ways.
 Speech therapists : Work on
speech-language and pragmatic
language skills to help kids
communicate and understand
others more easily.
A child might be eligible for an IEP
education may be provided along
include:
 A seat closer to the teacher and to
classroom materials
 A work space with limited
auditory and visual distractions
 Visual prompts and color
coding  to highlight and teach new
information
 A sensory diet and
activities  throughout the day
  ADHD
assignments into smaller
chunks
 Written or picture schedules
for daily activities
 Movement breaks
Autism
 Social stories to present new
ideas and situations
 Being provided with choices to
ease anxiety
 Being provided with “wait time ”

What you  Set clear rules and  Set clear expectations and create
can do at expectations for your child. daily routines.
home  Create daily routines to  Break directions into smaller
provide structure. chunks and use picture prompts.
 Break directions and tasks  Have a plan to manage
into smaller chunks. meltdowns .
 Teach your child to use  Use a visual timer or signal to
visual prompts like make it easier to transition from
checklists, picture schedules one thing to the next.
and sticky notes to help him  Role-play and teach scripts for
focus, stay organized and social situations.
get things done.
 Allow for flexibility during These are some common examples. But
homework time for brain because ASD looks so different in each

and movement breaks. child, the support provided at home

 Create an organized varies a lot from child to child. Parents

homework and study area . will often work with a psychologist or

 Give advance warning about other clinicians to create a support plan.

changes in the schedule and
explain what to expect in
new situations.
Symptoms of ADHD and autism
In the earliest stages, it’s not unusual for ADHD and ASD to be mistaken for the
other. Children with either condition may experience trouble communicating and
focusing. Although they have some similarities, they’re still two distinct conditions.

Here’s a comparison of the two conditions and their symptoms:

ADHD Autism
symptoms symptoms

being easily distracted ✓

frequently jumping from one task to another or quickly

✓
growing bored with tasks

unresponsive to common stimuli ✓

difficulty focusing, or concentrating and narrowing

✓
attention to one task

intense focus and concentration on a singular item ✓

talking nonstop or blurting things out ✓

hyperactivity ✓

trouble sitting still ✓

interrupting conversations or activities ✓

lack of concern or inability to react to other people’s

✓ ✓
emotions or feelings

repetitive movement, such as rocking or twisting ✓

avoiding eye contact ✓

withdrawn behaviors ✓

impaired social interaction ✓

delayed developmental milestones ✓