Trenna Sutcliffe, M.D.

So they should be receiving services.

So they should be receiving services.

I'm going to start off by saying we diagnose anxiety in kids, and there's that bucket. And there's many kids who just clearly fall in the anxiety bucket and meet criteria, and it's really clear to see that. There are kids who have ADHD and clearly meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD and fall in that bucket. And then there are kids who clearly fall into the autism bucket.

I'm going to start off by saying we diagnose anxiety in kids, and there's that bucket. And there's many kids who just clearly fall in the anxiety bucket and meet criteria, and it's really clear to see that. There are kids who have ADHD and clearly meet diagnostic criteria for ADHD and fall in that bucket. And then there are kids who clearly fall into the autism bucket.

I'm going to focus on the autism bucket first. So we say that about half of kids with autism also have a diagnosis of ADHD. If you look at the numbers, you can find reports for anywhere from like 40% to 70% of kids, but we say about half of kids with autism actually do have a diagnosis of autism.

I'm going to focus on the autism bucket first. So we say that about half of kids with autism also have a diagnosis of ADHD. If you look at the numbers, you can find reports for anywhere from like 40% to 70% of kids, but we say about half of kids with autism actually do have a diagnosis of autism.

Interestingly, before the DSM-5, before 2013, we were not allowed to give both those diagnoses together. So they were mutually exclusive. If a child had autism, we did not give a diagnosis of ADHD. So starting in 2013, we did, and we give it a lot. So a lot of children with autism have ADHD symptoms as well, and we give that diagnosis. And about 40% of kids with autism also have anxiety.

Interestingly, before the DSM-5, before 2013, we were not allowed to give both those diagnoses together. So they were mutually exclusive. If a child had autism, we did not give a diagnosis of ADHD. So starting in 2013, we did, and we give it a lot. So a lot of children with autism have ADHD symptoms as well, and we give that diagnosis. And about 40% of kids with autism also have anxiety.

This makes sense when you think about the parts of the brain involved. When you think about ADHD, we're thinking about executive functioning skills. We're thinking about prefrontal lobes. When you're thinking about anxiety, you're thinking about the amygdala.

This makes sense when you think about the parts of the brain involved. When you think about ADHD, we're thinking about executive functioning skills. We're thinking about prefrontal lobes. When you're thinking about anxiety, you're thinking about the amygdala.

And then when people have done neuroimaging studies in kids with autism, we find there's many areas of the brain involved, but in particular, frontal lobes, the amygdala, as well as the cerebellum, temporal lobes, there's many, many areas of the brain involved. But kids with autism do have challenges with executive functioning and anxiety, although those are not part of the diagnostic criteria.

And then when people have done neuroimaging studies in kids with autism, we find there's many areas of the brain involved, but in particular, frontal lobes, the amygdala, as well as the cerebellum, temporal lobes, there's many, many areas of the brain involved. But kids with autism do have challenges with executive functioning and anxiety, although those are not part of the diagnostic criteria.

So those are associated symptoms, associated traits, associated diagnoses. So they're comorbidities, not part of the core diagnostic criteria, but there's a lot of overlap.

So those are associated symptoms, associated traits, associated diagnoses. So they're comorbidities, not part of the core diagnostic criteria, but there's a lot of overlap.

Yeah. A lot of them have all three. I don't know the exact number for that one.

Yeah. A lot of them have all three. I don't know the exact number for that one.

This is the thing. These kids, they present with the core features of autism along with the executive functioning challenges and are anxious.

This is the thing. These kids, they present with the core features of autism along with the executive functioning challenges and are anxious.

Kids who have ADHD and anxiety, their numbers towards autism are not as high. So there are a lot more kids with ADHD who are not diagnosed with autism. But there's a lot of overlap between ADHD and anxiety. So ADHD frequently has a partner, is what I tell families. If you have ADHD, you often have either anxiety or some other mood challenges. Or you have learning differences.

Kids who have ADHD and anxiety, their numbers towards autism are not as high. So there are a lot more kids with ADHD who are not diagnosed with autism. But there's a lot of overlap between ADHD and anxiety. So ADHD frequently has a partner, is what I tell families. If you have ADHD, you often have either anxiety or some other mood challenges. Or you have learning differences.