What is AuDHD?

The term AuDHD is an unofficial but common term used to describe individuals who are both autistic and ADHD. An individual with AuDHDer means they have been self/formally diagnosed with autism and ADHD due to them having traits which are characteristic of both conditions.

Is AuDHD an official diagnosis?

No it is not. AuDHD is a colloquial term, it does not exist as an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5). An individual AuDHDer who has a formal diagnosis will have documents listing both conditions separately; it will likely state that they have ADHD and autism.

The diagram below shows some of the characteristics of individuals with autism, ADHD and then in the middle the general combined AuDHD traits.

Acknowledging the AuDHD experience separately from ADHD and autism is important?

AuDHD individuals may need different support needs. If these conditions are only looked at separately, we may be missing out on understanding AuDHDers lived experiences better and accessing supports that fit their diverse needs.