Expert: Trey McGowan - 4/9/2008

Question
My son age 7 was just told he has ADD with a slight chance of Asperger's. the more i read i think he may be asperger's. he is in 1st grade and very high functional but has problems with paying attention at school. He really doesn't have any friends. My questions are he does have a habit, when he gets nervous or goes to new places he hold his ears. I ask him all the time why does he do that, he never gives me an answer. He also still has a problem wetting the bed. He can't seem to get up at night. i was just wondering if you heard of any similar problem with Asperger like mine.
thanks,
Sherry


Answer
Hi there, Sherry!

My apologies for the amount of time it took to answer the question, but I didn't receive the alert that I had it the first time around!

The things you're describing are, and aren't, a typical expression of Asperger's. Why so wishy-washy? Because as I have mentioned in the past, Aspergers (and indeed all ASD) are not just a few symptoms, but a collection of them adding up to one big problem. So by simply saying 'He has these two problems' doesn't mean that he is expressing Asperger's.

The thing with ADHD and Asperger's is that they express themselves in a very similar manner. Indeed, there have been independent studies that suggest there could be a link between the two. However, ADHD is a much higher-functioning level, and has several different 'tells'. Something like, if you'll pardon my switch to something physical, trying to compare a cold with the flu; they both cause similar problems, but one has more of them and more severe.

So in short, yes. Asperger's can show the expression of these two things, but so can other difficulties. I can't say whether there is an issue with Asperger's rather than ADHD because I'm not a doctor, and I haven't the medical training. Nor have I observed your young man to be able to see the other issues that go along with these two symptoms. However, if you are definitely uncomfortable with it, the best thing you can do is to talk to his doctor, or to another one, and try to get an answer as to what's going on. This is just one of those places where the *real* experts have to come into it, over those who sit at the keys a hundred miles away, unfortunately.

I wish you all the best in getting the diagnosis and in settling your own mind to rest! As always, questions, comments, feedback, follow-ups, are welcome!

Trey