AS/ADD

[NobbyNobbs]

i have a diagnosis of AS. it has also been commented (by teachers usually) that i behave like i have ADD. i wanted to know where you draw the line between behaviour because of AS, and behaviour that is above and beyond that (or improved by it). my query behaviours are

i procratinate very badly

i cannot focus on one thing. right now i am writing this, listening to music, watching tv (with subtitles) and working on a paper for university. i cannot stay with any one thing for more than a couple of minutes. this obviously has a big impact on my work. i've been told by lecturers at university that my papers make them laugh, cos it seems like i was drunk when i wrote it!

i dont sit still. because of the AS i find it hard to choose activities in the day so i spend a lot of time wandering or following other people round the house talking what i am told is complete nonsense, or even just singing/making noises. i also run/jump/dance because i get very excited about the idea of telling someone whatever is in my head. no matter what i am doing i go and tell them, a 23 year old dancing round the garden to tell their mother that they just read a page of a book

i dont sleep more than a couple of hours. i cannot switch my brain off. i have to listen to audiobooks when i am in bed or i get up and start doing something else.

i am very good at putting things in order, but then beyond that i am completely disorganised. my room is always a mess, i cannot clean my room because i get distracted by what i'm cleaning up.

i dont follow conversation. i get very frustrated when people take a long time to tell me something and either stop listening, or tell them to hurry up (which never goes down well)

 

i know all of these are AS type behaviours, so i wanted to know if they were in the normal range for that, or if i should be asking about ADD (i have CAMHS coming on thursday so now is a good time)

[Mad cat lady]

Both me and one of my sons have AS and ADD and you have just described us both (except he sleeps at night). The 2 so often go hand in hand, it is probably difficult to tell what is AS and what is ADD. No harm in asking about it though

[JsMum]

i procratinate very badly

 

This could be an aviodance thing, if people are putting down your efforts it cant be nice and maybe effect your selfesteem a bit, a lot of adults who later get diagnosed with ADD have procratination.

 

 

i cannot focus on one thing. right now i am writing this, listening to music, watching tv (with subtitles) and working on a paper for university.

if there is too many different sensory imput J cant concentrate and may give a presentation that would appear he hasnt concentrated.

 

i cannot stay with any one thing for more than a couple of minutes. this obviously has a big impact on my work.

this is a very big symptom of inattention or distractability, and if it effects your daily functiong then its a problem.

 

i dont sit still

because of the AS i find it hard to choose activities in the day so i spend a lot of time wandering or following other people round the house talking what i am told is complete nonsense, or even just singing/making noises. i also run/jump/dance because i get very excited about the idea of telling someone whatever is in my head. no matter what i am doing i go and tell them, a 23 year old dancing round the garden to tell their mother that they just read a page of a book (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whistle.gif)

relates to both AS but more the ADHD here.

 

i dont sleep more than a couple of hours. i cannot switch my brain off. i have to listen to audiobooks when i am in bed or i get up and start doing something else.

sleep deprivation can give a lot of symptoms that are similair to ADHD so I would also look at improving the amount of sleep you get, but if your so wound up it could be that you could have Undiagnosed, Untreated ADHD which is causing additional disorders, such as insomnia.

 

i am very good at putting things in order,

give examples, this could be good for helping you deal with the disorganisation, do you like systems, formation ect....

 

but then beyond that i am completely disorganised. my room is always a mess, i cannot clean my room because i get distracted by what i'm cleaning up.

if your disorganised then you are likely to misplace letters, reports, information and when you start to clean up you begin to find them and start looking throw them, having a spersific place with a pictured visual lable may help you locate things more easily, and less of a risk of having a tidy up, and then coming across things.

 

i dont follow conversation. i get very frustrated when people take a long time to tell me something and either stop listening, or tell them to hurry up (which never goes down well)

how is your memory and listening skills, this could be a mix again of inattention, communication and receptive difficulties.

 

In our ADHD group there is children having assessments or just recently dx with Aspergers or Autism, and in the Autistic Spectrum Group there is children having assessments for ADHD or they were DX first with ADHD and then later got DX with ASD, the most common is Aspergers Syndrome with ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, I personally feel that they are all really closely all interlinked and you have a mixed profile.

 

 

Whats important is that you identify it and then start to find ways to help you function and make progress, exceptance is the biggest part, then moving forward.

 

JsMum

 

 

 

 

 

[JsMum]

I found this about Undiagnosed ADD in Adults worth a read,

 

http://www.addandadhd.co.uk/adhd-adults.html

 

http://www.addandadhd.co.uk/adhd-aspergers-syndrome.html

 

 

JsMum

 

Edited February 22, 2009 by JsMum

[Natbasher]

Yeah this also sounds like my son in many ways although no-one's ever mentioned ADD in relation to him. The doing loads of things at once sounds particularly familiar - the other day I was reading him a story when he decided to put Top Gear on without the sound and stare intently at that whilst also tracing the shape of a toy in his hands over and over. Being a typical NT parent I told him to stop gawping at the telly and pay attention or I wouldn't read any more (like der!! ) at which he proceeded to tell me exactly where we were up to in the story (which he'd never heard before) as well as informing me that we couldn't turn Top Gear off as the next bit's really funny (obviously an episode he had seen before!). When will I ever learn? !

I have wondered if ADD is a factor in my boy's behaviour as he is also really manic when not absorbed in a special activity or TV and is constantly yapping at high speed and volume about something or other that is often unintelligible, but when I mentioned it to the paediatrician he didn't seem to think so.

 

I'm afraid I can't help to shed any light on where the lines are drawn behaviour-wise between ASD, ADD or anything else, but it may be worth bearing in mind that some of these features at least may just have been part of your personality even if you hadn't had AS (I am OBSCENELY disorganised and so is my NT daughter!) and and some might be symptomatic or cummulative as a result of what's going on in your life at the moment - the stress of studying and university life in general is not to be taken lightly. I know there's the odd smart-###### who just seems to breeze through it but for many students it's a struggle, and to go through uni with AS must be doubly hard. I don't know what support is available to you while you're at uni, but I'm sure there should be some sort of extra support to help with things like organisational skills etc. Sorry I'm not much help, but I do hope you find the answers you're looking for and good luck with the CAMHS!

 

 

[Natbasher]

Hah - I can't believe "a - r - s - e" is deemed too rude to print! I'm such a sweary mary

[NobbyNobbs]

procrastination- i always did well in school, until the mental health problems got in the way and i missed a lot (around yr 11). now i'm sitting at average in my degree. i dont get particularly bad grades, but my work is poorly structured because i write whatever pops into my head, and i get so interested in what i'm writing i go on about one thing and miss lots of other bits which i know, but forget to put down.

 

order - i like to put things like books into their series order. my bookshelf is the only thing in my room that is tidy. everything is grouped by author, then series order. i even have books that i dont read on there, just because they are a series that i can put into order so they look neat. everything else is chaos. i'm struggling with having a very small room and a lot of stuff and that seems to have made the mess a lot worse than it used to be! my mother offers to help me clean my room, but i dont really want her going through my stuff, and we fight because she can't see why i NEED to keep a certain thing in a certain place (certain books must be face-up on the bedside table or desk so i can look at the covers)

 

my distractability and lack of attention are the biggest issues. my mother was amazed when i first came home from university to study, and she saw me take a whole day to write a page of work. i actually sat at the dining table for the entire day, but i couldn't stick with the work for more than a minute and everytime she came in the room i was doing something i shouldn't have been. she says this is because i choose not to concentrate, because its more fun to do other things. but its really not, cos if you do stuff fast, its interesting, if you take all day to write a little bit of work you've lost a whole day when you could've done the work in an hour and done fun stuff for the rest of the time without feeling bad.

 

thanks for the link. i think i'll mention in in terms of the problems, rather than suggesting a reason. that way they can look at it how they like. i'm wary of suggesting a diagnosis because they might think i'm just trying to make excuses or its in my head (thats been suggested before. i wont ever go to the GP with invisible problems again. unless my leg is falling off, i'm not going to bother!)

 

the problems have been life-long, but were more acceptable when i was younger. my biggest problem with mentioning another issue is that one of my close relatives is a teacher who specialises in teaching the kids noone else will have in their class at mainstream school. because of this she knows a lot about special needs, and doesn't think i apply. when i was first looking into the AS diagnosis she told my parents there was no way i had it, because i wasn't anything like the boys in her class who did. i suspect it would be the same if i mentioned ADD. i'm very quiet and withdrawn, so of course i dont have much in common with someone who is loud and hyper!

 

a particular diagnosis doesn't really bother me, but i've learned from the AS that until you know what it is, its very hard to learn how to solve the problems - or to get the help to do so anyway!

 

EDIT - i have a tutor who helps me organise my university work. she helps me plan my papers, and write emails to the university. even following her plan i got a paper back that said it was disorganised, so perhaps the university think we should be super-human. i should be able to get good grades as i have a good IQ, but my ed.psych tests showed up lots of issues with processing that have obviously been causing trouble for me without me even knowing! at this point (5 years into a 3 year course) i'm happy with any grade i get, i just want to finish!

Edited February 22, 2009 by NobbyNobbs

[JsMum]

my close relatives is a teacher who specialises in teaching the kids noone else will have in their class at mainstream school. because of this she knows a lot about special needs, and doesn't think i apply. when i was first looking into the AS diagnosis she told my parents there was no way i had it, because i wasn't anything like the boys in her class who did.

 

What type of special school did it cater for, did it include Emotional and Behavioural Disorders, I looked a few special schools for J and one particular school that catered for a high proportion of Aspergers Syndrome was very critical of the boys there, they insinuated that Aspergers Boys dont like to wash and so thats why they smelt, a boy was on a high platform trying to get his own space outside and the HeadTeacher called him stupid, the place was all smashed up and he said its because the boys cant control their behaviour and so things get broken, we dont replace it however, its up to them, in a day special school for Moderate Learning Disabilites there was mainly Autism to high functioning autism children some of which where severe, but none of them presented with exact behaviours of each other, you can have ten aspergers children in a room and though there may be similairities they wont be exactly the same, the discription you gave of the kids been hyper and loud gives me the impression though this was a special needs enviroement they still have not met the needs of some of those boys, so though they may of got specialist staff, they still need to look at other factors of their behaviour.

 

11YRS would of been the age you transferred to high school, is this correct, much more complex tasks and enviroements to cope with.

 

Try also go back further into primary school, was there any other memories of difficulties to concentrate.

 

I agree with sharing the key difficulties rather than suggest you have ADHD, its how you impliment stratagies and coping mechinsms that matter, though if you have ADHD then its going to be still difficult if medication is required but there is many children with DX ADHD who dont take medication and they have to fall back on planning and organisation skills, so it can be done, ADHD Adult Diagnosis is actually good in our area, there is a team that go into YOI and Prisons as they are starting to realise a high proportion of children with undiagnosed ADHD children are expelled from school early and they become disengaged in education and are more vunrable to crime and disorder.

 

There is a lot on the internet on Adult ADHD so just google it, if you have Aspergers Syndrome then there is a highly likely you have a mixed profile giving you symptoms of other comorbidities.

 

Good Luck with the uni, J has a high IQ too and I cant believe he could one day end up in a univercity.

 

JsMum

 

[NobbyNobbs]

the school is a mainstream school. she used to run a class specially for the kids who were no longer allowed in the other classes, rather than them being stuck in isolation rooms. she taught them all day rather than just the hour, and they did vocational skills (car maintainance, gardening etc.) as well as some basic academic and life skills skills. she now splits her time between some kind of general vocation qualification with them, and regular teaching. shes very strongwilled and (as are the rest of my family) completely sure of her own view being correct! my aunt is actually exceptionally good with those kids, and they wind up with an education of sorts, rather than the nothing they'd probably get otherwise and often walk straight into a job she's prepared them for. but that doesn't get round the fact that she sees me as a happy normal little girl (i'm her favorite) and i'm not sure she even really accepts the AS.

 

as for AS and university. i know there are several of us on the beyond adolecence board at the moment. its undeniably hard, but there seem to be certain themes of what will work. all of us struggle to live away from home (i do distance learning now and its much better), and need support to manage the lecture room environment, but as long as you pick your course carefully, its fine work-wise. i have an exceptionally good support package, which was developed for this year because of my late diagnosis. i know the others don't have as much help as i do, but i did manage 4 years on my own (though i certainly wouldn't go back to that)

 

i think i'll talk to my mother at some point about what i want to ask. hopefully she'll trust me and let me say what i want. she thought i was nuts when i first said i was asking to be assessed for AS (i was living at uni at the time), but as soon as i gave her some information on it she agreed, and even goes on autism training courses now! hopefully she'll be okay with me adding in the other problems

[westie]

I will be interested to learn what the conclusion of your question is as I have posted another thread on here about my 10yr old and I am asking as to whether certain traits in him that fit ADHD inattentive diagnosis (in my opinion) are part of ASD/Pathological Demand Avoidance and its associated difficulties.

 

So I am wondering as (I think) are you that at what point does it become more than part of ASD and enough to diagnose ADHD as a co-morbid condtion (and would treatment/ advice given be different because of this?)

 

Your post about taking all day to do one page, and the comments about it not being more fun make me think about how hard it must be for you. This is very like my son who will spend 4 times as long trying to avoid doing something than it would to just get on and do it (I have put this down to his PDA diagnosis as "demand avoidance" is key part of condition)

 

You have done really well to last 4yrs without proper support and I hope with the help you receive now that you continue to do well in your course.

 

Regards,

D

[smiley1590]

i have AS but used to when younger display more ADHD by not being able to sit still for any length of time and concentration was rubbish at tasks accepted especially at school i also have dyspraxia and MH probs (depression anxiety etc ) and imsomia too such a pain as have no energy do anything!ahhh it get frustrated and annoyed with myself and these condtions i have within me! good luck in processes u decide to take whatever you do is up to you maje sure you do right reasons to get answers for you! assessments and diagnosis long battle and fight but worth it as you find you again abit more than did before! go for GP and asked for more information and to be reffered to pyshclogist and see where that leads you to diagnoses of any kind! you may have undiagnosed ADHD!

 

take care

love ya loadzx

KL

[smiley1590]

read books on ADHD and see wot u think whether that actually you the signs the behivour patterns and changes!

 

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