A Link Between Autism and ADHD

A new study claims that about one-third of children with Autism also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and that the combination of the disorders cause symptoms to be more severe. The study found that children affected by both disorders were more likely to have significant cognitive delays and more difficulties with social abilities and adaptive functioning. These findings come from a long-term study of 162 children who were tracked from infancy. Between the ages of 4 and 8, researchers discovered that 63 had autism and of those with the disorder, 18 (29 percent), also had ADHD. The study done by the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute was published in the international journal Autism. Researchers hope their discoveries will help them understand how the disorders relate to each other and aid in designing specialized interventions. NARIC also offers several works on trends in Autism and ADHD diagnoses, as well as information on how to care for a child with a disability and how the special needs brain learns.