Why ADHD medication doesn't make you autistic

ADHD and autism are two separate conditions, although it is common for an autistic person to also have ADHD and vice versa.

When a person is prescribed ADHD medication, it is to help control some of the ADHD symptoms, making daily life easier and improve focus.

Whilst ADHD medication does not increase "autisitic behaviours" what it does do is reduce some of the ADHD behaviours. Hyperactivity may reduce and the child may be able to choose what they want to focus on.

If you have a child with ADHD who is always on the go and physically running around, you may not notice their autistic behaviours. If their hyperactivity is better controlled then some of their autistic traits and behaviours may be more obvious. Perhaps they become a quieter child, happy to sit and read. Perhaps they stim more as they're not as driven to climb furniture and run around.

Whilst this may appear that the ADHD medication is causing an increase in your child's autistic presentation, it is in fact reducing some of the intensity of their ADHD presentation which often covers up the full extent of a person's autistic profile.