Do ADHD people struggle with transitions or autism?

Trouble with transitions, among other signs, is one of the hallmarks of autism and ADHD that often overlap. Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors include insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, so much so that autistic children may feel extreme distress with small changes in their routines and may struggle with transitions. Difficulty with transitions, which sometimes results in meltdowns and temper tantrums, is also a common challenge in ADHD. In ADHD, inattention, distractibility, and hyperfocus are common manifestations, and executive functioning challenges are also common across both conditions. Social challenges, impulsivity, distractibility, difficulty sustaining attention, excessive talking, and interrupting are often behind social challenges that many children with ADHD experience. Sensory processing differences, such as sensitivity to sounds, textures, smells, foods, lighting, and touch, are commonly seen across ADHD and autism, and this may also contribute to struggles with transitions. While both conditions share similar challenges, they are separate conditions or neurotypes, and ADHD is not part of the autism spectrum. Despite the overlap, it is essential to evaluate each condition separately to provide proper support and interventions. Telling apart symptoms of ADHD from autism can be tricky, as both neurotypes can share similar signs or traits.

Transitions are key points in the child or young person's life that may prove difficult or stressful and have an impact on ADHD. There are key points in the child or young person’s life that may prove difficult or stressful and have an impact on ADHD: moving from primary to secondary school family or home changes adolescence, puberty exams transitions to adult services driving leaving school employment prospects medication compliance managing their own medication attending appointments independently. Difficulty in managing changes may require an increase in support and closer liaison with family and school. At certain points there will be a need to review the impact of any changes on the young person.