Autism & ADHD Should Be Assessed Together

Rethinking The Diagnostic Process

Autism and ADHD are two identifiers that are constantly mentioned in tandem. It would seem that you are more likely to find an AuDHD'er (a person who identifies as both Autistic and ADHD) than you are just an Autistic person or just an ADHD person. Despite this significant overlap, autism and ADHD are regularly treated as separate matters and those wishing to be diagnosed with both often need to go through two separate waiting lists and assessments. For those in countries without universal healthcare, diagnosis of both can costs thousands, making it unobtainable. It would seem as though the logical conclusion is to assess for both simultaneously.

I have previously written about the diagnostic overlap between autism and ADHD, quoted below.

ADHD occurs at an enormously higher rate in the Autistic population when compared to the overall global population. Rong et al (2021) put the figure at 40.2% of Autistic people, with some studies placing the figure even higher. Further meta-analysis however indicates that in the general population, only 2.58% of adults are diagnosed ADHD (Song et al, 2021), while another found that ADHD is diagnosed in 3-12 year olds and 12-18 years olds in 7.6% and 5.6% of individuals respectively (Salari et al, 2023).

I can quote statistics and research that support the need for recognition of this overlap and timely diagnosis, but that doesn't tell us anything of the human element. AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) people are human beings with lives and hopes for the future. The challenges with accessing good quality assessment and diagnosis have a real impact on real people.

Currently, if you want a diagnosis of both autism and ADHD, the chances are that you will be placed on two waiting lists and have two separate assessments. This can make diagnosis and long and costly process. Should we not just address the issue at hand and acknowledge that there is good reason to assess them simultaneously, through a single referral? We live in a world that demands formal diagnosis, so we shouldn't be making the process harder and more confusing.

It took almost ten years from my autism diagnosis to get my ADHD diagnosis. That was ten years where I could have had full access to my own identity and feel less like an imposter. Given that research suggests there may be more undiagnosed neyrodivergent people than diagnosed, it is clear that there is an accessibility crisis here.

That is why I am calling on the NHS here in the UK to solve this issue, and the first step is my petition. I ask that you all sign and share it to help it reach as many people as possible. Diagnosis can be a matter of life or death for us as a group more prone to trauma and suicidality. Signing and sharing this petition may help reduce some of the pressure we carry. Maybe not today, but for those to come in the future.