As a parent or caregiver of a child with autism and ADHD, this most likely isn’t a journey you expected to take. When we are having a baby, we are optimistic and have a certain vision of the way their and our lives will be. Then, a few or several years later, we received these diagnoses that completely change their and our lives. Yet, it is not all doom and gloom. Both have positive qualities to them. So what are the positive sides of autism and ADHD behaviors that you should consider?
Good qualities of autism
Autism characteristics usually include communication difficulties, social awkwardness, inflexibility and others. Yet, many autistic individuals show good qualities too in their behaviors.
1. They see the awe in everyday things that many times we miss.
We go through life many times on autopilot and miss small but significant details. I love how my son J takes a few minutes to really marvel at a sunset that I completely miss until he says something. Then I notice it. When he was younger, he would get so excited about things. My brother once told me that he wished he got excited about things half as much as J did. He truly loved that about J.
2. Those with autism bring fresh perspectives.
Because autistic individuals think differently, they bring fresh ideas and perspectives to problems and solutions. They see things that we may miss and can help us look at situations differently and see new possibilities.
3. You receive an honest answer to your question.
In most cases, if you ask someone with autism, you will receive an honest (okay, sometimes blunt) answer from them that usually isn’t sugarcoated or meant to be only what you want to hear. (One caveat to this is for our kids who have both autism and ADHD. Unfortunately, some children and teens with ADHD have a higher tendency to lie for various reasons, so I wanted to acknowledge this for parents who deal with that.)
4. Autistic individuals tend to absorb certain facts and figures.
My son J can remember almost anything with numbers and facts about weather and other events like no one else I know. Many autistic individuals are the same way. They have a tendency to absorb certain information and can talk about it depth. Many times, it is related to their special interests but not always.
5. They observe big and little things that change.
If we make a change in a room at home, even if it’s small, J sees it right away. I’ve noticed this about many of the autistic kids and adults who I interact with in various situations. They can be highly observant of situations.
6. Autistic individuals are more accepting of others’ differences.
Because they are different themselves, they are okay with others being different and accept them for who they are. Acceptance seems to come much more naturally to those who have autism.
Positive qualities of ADHD
People with ADHD can be characterized by hyperactivity, lack of focus, distractibility and impulsivity. Yet, again, there are many positive qualities of having ADHD.
Those can include:
1. People with ADHD tend to have higher levels of energy.
Many who have ADHD report having higher levels of energy and, in a study, said they enjoyed having that level of energy.
2. Those with ADHD can be very creative.
A lot of people with ADHD tend to be very creative and inventive when it comes to activities and their approach to problem solving.
3. They can hyperfocus on activities that they love.
This is a trait of both autism and ADHD. When something is their focused interest or they are really enjoying an activity, people with autism and ADHD can completely lose track of time and what’s going on around them to focus on that activity. I’ve seen my son J do this many times throughout his years when he has been doing something related to his focused interest.
4. People with ADHD tend to be more spontaneous.
Due to their impulsivity, people with ADHD tend to be more spontaneous. When you have a child or teen with both autism and ADHD, their need for routine can stifle this sometimes. Yet, I’ve seen our son J like the spontaneity of doing certain things – even if it interfered with his routine. Sometimes, spontaneity can win in the end, and that can be good at times 😊
For those with autism and ADHD, these are just some of the positive sides of those conditions. There can be many others! Leave a comment below to share others you see in your child!
