Can a child have both autism and ADHD?

Yes. The two commonly co-occur, and many children carry both diagnoses. A thorough evaluation looks at the whole picture rather than forcing a single label.

Who can diagnose autism or ADHD?

Qualified professionals — developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, child psychologists, or psychiatrists — make these diagnoses. Therapists support skills and development but do not, on their own, provide the medical diagnosis.

Does my child need a diagnosis to start therapy?

No — speech-language and occupational therapy can begin supporting your child's communication, attention, and daily skills without a diagnosis in hand. A referral from your child's primary care provider is required.

Autism vs. ADHD: How to Tell the Difference

Autism and ADHD both involve attention, behavior, and how a child relates to the world — so it's no surprise parents (and sometimes professionals) find them hard to tell apart in young children. They're distinct, they overlap, and a child can have both. Here's a plain-language way to understand the difference.

What each one is

Autism (autism spectrum disorder) is a developmental difference that primarily affects social communication and includes restricted or repetitive interests and behaviors. ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) primarily affects attention, impulse control, and activity level. Different cores — but the surface behaviors can look similar.

Where they overlap

Both can involve trouble focusing, difficulty with transitions, big emotional reactions, fidgeting, and challenges in group settings. A child who isn't responding to instructions might be inattentive (ADHD), might be deeply absorbed in their own interest (autism), or both at once. That overlap is exactly why careful evaluation matters.

Key differences to notice

Social communication: Marked difficulties with eye contact, back-and-forth interaction, and reading social cues strongly favor autism, as these specific skill deficits are central to autism but less so to ADHD.
Repetitive behaviors and routines: lining things up, intense specific interests, and a strong need for sameness lean autism.
Attention: ADHD attention difficulties are broad; in autism, a child may hyper-focus on preferred interests but tune out everything else.
Impulsivity and activity level: constant motion and acting before thinking are more characteristic of ADHD.

These are general patterns, not a checklist for diagnosis. Autism and ADHD frequently co-occur, and only a qualified professional — such as a developmental pediatrician, psychologist, or psychiatrist — can diagnose either one.

Whatever the label, our speech, OT, and ABA teams can help with communication, attention, behavior, and daily skills now.

Request an evaluation

What to do if you're unsure

Start with your child's pediatrician and ask about developmental screening and, if needed, a referral for a full evaluation. Importantly, you don't need a finished diagnosis to start helping your child — therapy can begin supporting communication, regulation, and daily skills right away.

How therapy helps

Speech-language therapy supports communication and social interaction; occupational therapy supports attention, regulation, and daily skills; and applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a well-researched approach for building skills and increasing independence, especially for children with autism. At Midsouth Therapy Group, our speech and occupational therapy teams are accepting new families, and our ABA program is accepting a limited number of preschool-aged children in select area preschools.