Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

"My desire to work with children with autism comes from a deep respect for their unique strengths and the challenges they face. I’ve learned to appreciate the individuality and resilience of these children. My training and personal experience as a parent have inspired me to support them and their families with understanding and care." ~Tessa Fultz, LICSW

Core Characteristics

• Neurodevelopmental condition affecting communication, social interaction, and behavior.
• Symptoms typically appear in early childhood but persist into adulthood.
• Spectrum nature means individuals vary widely in abilities and challenges.

Diagnostic Features

• Social communication & interaction deficits: Difficulty with eye contact, understanding social cues, and forming relationships.
• Restricted and repetitive behaviors: Routines, intense interests, sensory sensitivities.
• Cognitive profile: May include strengths in pattern recognition, memory, and detail-oriented tasks 
• Hypo or Hypersensitivity:  To sound, smell, touch, lights

Professional Insights

• Employment challenges: Over 80% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed despite qualifications.
• Misdiagnosis risks: Autism can be confused with anxiety, ADHD, OCD, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, or personality disorders.
• Gender differences: Autism in women is underdiagnosed due to subtler symptoms and societal pressure to talk more or be involved more in social settings.
• Support strategies:
  • Tailored workplace accommodations.
  • Therapy focused on executive functioning and emotional regulation.
  • Acceptance-based approaches that value neurodiversity.

 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Chronic neurodevelopmental disorder marked by higher-than-average inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
• Often persists into adulthood, though symptoms may evolve or get better with interventions and coping strategies implemented.

 Diagnostic Subtypes

• Inattentive type: Difficulty sustaining attention, forgetfulness, disorganization.
• Hyperactive-impulsive type: Fidgeting, restlessness, impulsive decisions.
• Combined type: Features of both.

 Professional Insights

• Emotional regulation: Deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR) is a central but often overlooked aspect.
• Comorbidities: ADHD frequently coexists with anxiety, autism, depression, trauma, and learning disabilities.
• Gender differences: ADHD in women is underdiagnosed due to subtler symptoms.
• Adult diagnosis: Many adults are diagnosed late, often after a child’s diagnosis prompts self-reflection.

Support & Resources

• ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) offers webinars, support groups, and professional directories for adults with ADHD.
• APSARD (American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders) promotes evidence-based research and guidelines for adult ADHD care.

 Autism & ADHD Overlap Sometimes

• Many individuals meet criteria for both disorders.
• Shared traits include executive dysfunction, sensory sensitivities, and social challenges.
• Treatment must be nuanced, addressing both conditions without conflating them.