ADHD

 

explaining ADHD to anyone is complicated, never mind a young child! For starters, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:

• is not actually a deficit in attention,

• does not always involve hyperactivity, and

• does not lead to disorder in every environment.

Phew!

ADHD may be better explained as a pattern of difficulties with self-regulation. These may include difficulties with regulating attention (as opposed to a lack of attention), emotions, and behaviour, which can cause significant challenges in certain environments—most notably, school.

However, we also know that kids with ADHD each have their own profile of strengths, and these strengths can become their “superpowers.” These may include hyper focus, creativity, experiential memory, passion, enthusiasm, and humour, to name a few.

 

ADHD is a pattern of strengths and challenges that make some environments easy to navigate and others much more challenging. In fact, sometimes, the same characteristic that leads to challenges in one setting can make kids shine in another.

Autism 

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Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways.

 

Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and weaknesses.

 (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.

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 some may have difficulties with interpreting both verbal and non-verbal language like gestures or tone of voice. Some autistic people are unable to speak or have limited speech while other autistic people have very good language skills but struggle to understand sarcasm or tone of voice.

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While there are common signs of autism, it’s a very varied condition. No two autistic people are the same. The word ‘spectrum’ refers to the range of characteristics shown by autistic people, and the variety of ways they experience the world.

Some autistic people might need more support than others to live the lives they want to lead. The way autism affects you can change as you grow and experience different environments.

 

anxiety 

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Anyone can experience anxiety. It is common to feel anxious when in a stressful or challenging situation. However, some autistic people may feel anxious in their day-to-day lives due to navigating social and sensory environments that might be difficult or challenging.

Research suggests autistic people are more prone to experiencing anxiety and estimates that up to half of all autistic people experience high levels of anxiety on a regular basis Even though it is not part of the autism diagnostic criteria, many autistic people experience high levels of anxiety. Research varies but the consensus suggests that it might be common for around 40-50% of autistic people to receive a clinical diagnosis of anxiety. 

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​Difficult social situations and sensory environments can increase stress and increase anxiety for autistic people.

Another significant cause of anxiety is a sense of being misunderstood and/or not accepted by non-autistic people. To ‘fit in’ and not be seen as different, autistic people might mask or camouflage. This can increase anxiety and have a negative effect on their mental health.

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meltdowns

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Many autistic people have meltdowns. The public often finds it hard to tell autism meltdowns and temper tantrums apart, but they are very different things. If your family member or the person you support has meltdowns, find out how to anticipate them, identify their causes and minimise their frequency.

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 meltdown is an intense response to an overwhelming situation. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses control of their behaviour. This loss of control can be expressed verbally (eg shouting, screaming, crying), physically (eg kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways. 

A meltdown is not the same as a temper tantrum. It is not bad or naughty behaviour. When a person is completely overwhelmed, and their condition means it is difficult to express that in another way, it is understandable that the result is a meltdown. 

Meltdowns are not the only way an autistic person may express feeling overwhelmed. They may also refuse to interact, withdrawing from situations they find challenging or avoiding them altogether.

demand avoidance

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Everyone experiences ‘demand avoidance’ (resistance to doing something that is requested or expected of you) sometimes. However, here we use demand avoidance to mean the characteristic of a persistent and marked resistance to 'the demands of everyday life’, which may include essential demands such as eating and sleeping as well as expected demands such as going to school or work.

Although demand avoidance is widely acknowledged as a characteristic experienced by and observed in some autistic people (and potentially other neurodivergent ) 

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The overwhelming anxiety of realising that a demand cannot be avoided, or that these forms of resistance have been exhausted, may result in meltdown or panic, potentially including aggression. These states are usually out of the person's control.

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Because everyone experiences demand avoidance sometimes, it can be difficult to understand what is meant by a marked and persistent resistance to demands. 

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hyper-fixation 

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A hyperfixation is an intense focus on an object, activity, or person that drives someone to ignore everything else in their daily lives.

People with ADHD or autism often experience hyperfixations, but it can happen to anyone.

Hyperfixation often helps people handle tough emotions by giving them a specific topic or activity to dive into, which can feel more manageable than dealing with what’s troubling them.

For example, someone might pour their energy into learning everything about a favorite band instead of focusing on a difficult personal relationship.

This intense focus can also make it difficult for them to switch attention from their area of hyperfixation to other tasks or responsibilities.

For instance, if someone is hyperfixated on a video game or a creative project, they might find it challenging to stop and start doing homework or household chores.

While it’s not an official medical term, the concept helps explain why some people can get deeply involved in things like projects, a particular TV show, or collecting specific items, to the point where it dominates all of their thoughts and activities.

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Sensory processing ​

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Processing everyday sensory information can be difficult for autistic people. Any of their senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times. These sensory differences can affect how they feel and act, and can have a profound effect on a person’s life.

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Whats is sensory processing?

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The ability to register, discriminate, adapt and respond appropriately, both physically and emotionally to sensory input from our bodies and the environment, these are 

Olfactory (Smell) – Gustatory (Taste) – Auditory (Sound) – Visual – Tactile – Proprioceptive (Body Position) – Vestibular (Movement) – Interoceptive (Internal)

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Sensory integration develops naturally during ordinary childhood activities, however is some it doesn't develop the same way as others and can affect activities of daily living, academic achievement, behaviour or social participation. These challenges are often seen in individuals with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

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