The ADHD-Autism Connection: A Step Toward More Accurate Diagnoses and Effective Treatment

by Diane M. Kennedy, Temple Grandin (Foreword), Rebecca S. Banks (Contributor)

At last, long-awaited answers to the questions you’ve been asking. Help for frustrated ADHD patients and their families. (As well as those with autism, PDD, Asperger’s syndrome, and other related conditions.)

Attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is one of the most rapidly growing diagnoses of our generation. Often the diagnosis fails to provide real help, leaving patients, doctors, and families at a loss to know what to do next. But for the first time ever, new insights into the overwhelming number of similarities between Autism and ADHD are giving those with ADHD genuine hope.

For years, the label of Autism has carried a negative connotation. Parents were afraid to admit the diagnosis and banished the term from discussion. Finally, The ADHD-Autism Connection gives parents, educators, and doctors a reason to embrace autism with a renewed sense of hope and understanding. This book will show how these understandings can minimize the frustration, misdiagnoses, and misunderstandings ADHD sufferers and their families face.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Adhd, Psychology, Mental Health, Nonfiction, Health

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2002

About the author

Diane, author of the groundbreaking book, The ADHD‐Autism Connection (2002) is a longtime advocate for individuals with Asperger’s syndrome. She is a national speaker and trainer for parents and professionals on Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and giftedness.
She is the proud mother of three twice ‐ exceptional sons.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty fascinating to me. I wish I could stockpile copies to give out to physicians, parents, teachers--anyone dealing with children! We really need to increase awareness and UNDERSTANDING of autism spectrum disorders, and I think the connection between autism and ADHD is definitely worth further research as the author suggests.

Also, as a Christian myself, I appreciated the author's interjection of scripture. Her references from Corinthians and Romans about people being "one body" struck me. Travis Nay cites Romans 12:4-8: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." This rings so true to me! Our differences--autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, or otherwise--are important because of what they allow us to do and how they enable us to help each other. We all need each other, disabled and non-disabled alike, and increased understanding can only benefit us all.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book skipped around a bit, but was still informative. I had read so many books on Autism at this point that there was no new information for me to absorb. I sped through this one.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was older than I thought it was, which made the info somewhat outdated. I didn't learn much new info, but still made some interesting points about the connections between ADHD and ASD.

[Amida Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

La información no es muy actualizada pues se publicó en el 2002 y ya hoy en día se habla de un Espectro Autista y no de afectaciones diferenciadas. Sin embargo, las luchas diagnósticas siguen presentes y la importancia de compender la relación tan cercana, incluso, por decirlo de algún modo, simultánea entre el déficit de atención y el autismo, al grado de incluso considerar verlos como una afectación única y no dos situaciones separadas, me parece, es la adecuada. Sobre todo cuando buscamos alternativas de apoyo y desarrollo.

[Amanda Byzak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically, the author is saying that ADHD is a continuum of the spectrum. Then she gave some basic info about treatment and meds that could be read from a brochure. No need to read it beyond that. I do agree with her, though... Also, there is some doom and gloom about the future of these kids. Scary to read about that while I'm raising a child with Aspergers and ADHD.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to put this down. It's an entire book of things I already knew. Don't waste your time.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

My quest to define the strain of autism-spectrum disorder peculiar to my father's family has gained some ground.

[Aneta Jackowska-Musiol · Rating 3 out of 5]

It adds a lot to understanding of Autism/ADHD.

[Linda D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting and educational read. I don't have children with ADHD or Autism but I do care for several. It has helped with my understanding and interactions with the children.

[Deann Eckdahl]

I read this twice.