OuterBoroughGirl wrote:
I definitely have significant issues with inattention, and I was diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type in elementary school. I actually do fit pretty much every symptom for ADHD inattentive type.
However, since I determined that I almost definitely have AS, I've wondered how one determines which conditions are causing which issues, in the case of comorbids. I see plenty of potential for overlap, and plenty of overlap in terms of my own issues.
For instance, if an individual on the spectrum has a tendency to get so absorbed in thinking about his/ her special interest/s, he/ she sometimes has a hard time tuning in to the outside world, and the mundane tasks that are part of said outside world, he/ she may put things on inside out, leave keys in doors, put ice cream in the refrigerator, and apples in the freezer, not be able to recall where he/ she put an item down three seconds ago.
Additionally, when following instructions, a person on the spectrum may follow certain parts of the instructions, and overlook other parts of the instructions. This can be caused by the tendency to overfocus on details, and miss the big picture. The tendency toward "tunnel vision" in ASDs can lead to an individual on the spectrum to focus very intently on certain details of a task, and miss others completely.
A person on the spectrum may be so absorbed in his/ her interests/ inner world, that he/ she doesn't notice where he/ she is dropping things, or whether that empty wrapper is landing on the garbage, or on the floor. He/ she may be so absorbed in following the fascinating train of thought brought about by his/ her interests/ she she may completely forget to throw away that empty wrapper. This can lead to a disorganized living/ working space. If the individual on the spectrum has the tendency to get really absorbed in his/ her inner world, he she might not notice how messy things are getting until it's really bad, and by then, the thought of cleaning up can be too overwhelming to contemplate.
All these examples involve behaviors that look like ADHD-Inattentive type, but does that necessarily mean that ADHD is involved? Sometimes, I honestly wonder if my childhood diagnosis of ADHD- Inattentive Type was accurate. I could have been misdiagnosed.
That describes me very well. I have occasional glitches with CAPD but not enough to affect my daily life. It just happens if I'm very tired or very stressed. I can remember even as a very young child not knowing how to be around people. I retreated into a safe fantasy world. My social skills do not come naturally to me. They are learned, and relatively recently too. So I agree there are quite a few blurred areas between AS and ADD/ADHD. It seems like the inattention associated with AS may not be a part of the diagnostic criteria but neither is sensory sensitivity and I think both are frequently seen with AS.
21 Jul 2010, 1:21 pm
