**AUTISM / ASPERGERS SUPPORT GROUP**

[doll*obsession]

A safe place for all members with friends or family with ASD

Come and have a cuppa, share your joys, and vent your problems with other people who understand.

[catsnknots]

Mr 13 had a major hair cut yesterday... we cut six inches off... he looks so nice and neat now... 😄

[bella_again]

Thank you Azure, I am listening now. Very informative.

[azureline**]

It was informative.....I enjoy listening to Tony Attwood..... and only wish his courses were more affordable.

[catsnknots]

I have been to one of his lectures

To get cheap tickets ($50 each) you had to be registered with the ASD QLD

It was backed by the QLD gov. I believe that they subsidised the visit...

Az, if your GD is not registered then go ahead and get the paperwork done asap. I thought it would be done automatically when you fill out the paperwork for the school and all that stuff but it is two different things.

[azureline**]

She is fine thanks, catmad, has accessed the services and booked for another course.:-x

I meant for me. This one looks really interesting.

http://www.mindsandhearts.net/index.php?option=com_content

[azureline**]

I was reading a new book someone loaned me, the ADHD Autism connection. Has anyone here explored that theory?

[catsnknots]

Yes.. and there is a strong connection... I have not experienced it in my son but have met with mothers that have... one lady had a child that was diagnosed ADHD for years and still had issues as drugs nit not really help so she went further into the diagnosis and they discoverd he was Aspie...

the help she gets now has improved things greatly. She manages to communicate with her son on a different level and understanding and things have improved.

I think you will find that Tony Attwood also says there is a connection.

OCD, Anxiety and Tourettes are jsut a few that I can remember.

[catsnknots]

Please ignore that "nit" in there.. I don't know where that came from... 😐

[krazy.kiwi]

Please ignore that "nit" in there.. I don't know where that came from... 😐

probably a primary school kid :^O

Sorry, bad joke I know. :8}

[islandretro]

there are certainly some overlaps in symptoms, but they are quite  different disorders. Some people like to characterise ADHD as being on the Autism spectrum - but it isn't, although it can be comorbid with ASD. Treatment that is successful for ADHD can be a disaster for a kid with Aspergers syndrome - for example, a trial on dexamphetamine made my son suicidal when he was 8.

I think the confusion comes about because the intensity of focus in ASD, and the problems with attention shifting, can be misinterpreted as inattention, the constant movement that sometimes accompanies ASD sensory issues can be misinterpreted as hyperactivity, when neither are the case.

This is an interesting thread on an ADHD forum discussing the issue

http://www.addforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-33307.html

If you put "Aspergers and ADHD - differences" into google you will get heaps of pages discussing the differences.