Can ADHD co-occur with PDD-NOS?

I'm 23 and I have ADHD and was just diagnosed with PDD-NOS a few days ago. I was diagnosed with ADHD and a comprehension learning disability back in 1992 or 1993 when i was 8 or 9. I had and still have poor gross and fine motor skills. I was also diagnosed with depression and GAD when I was 18 or 19. For a while now, I've been researching alot about AS and other neurological problems that can co-morbid with AS. I was for sure that I had AS, but a few days ago, i was diagnosed with PDD-NOS and not AS. How come it takes so long to diagnose PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome in girls? And can ADHD co-occur along with PDD-NOS, just like it can co-occur along with AS?

Yes. I was in spec ed as an assistant teacher for over 20 years. Ausperger's syndrome which as you know is part of the whole PDD umbrella, can occur separately or together w/any other disorder. I had students w/ADHD, psychosis, bi-polar disorder, ausperger's, etc. Any combination of these. Usually autism, auspergers syndrome, etc. occur w/higher frequency in males. When it does occur in females, unfortunately they are often disdiagnosed initially w/other illnesses. Also in females, believe it or not, the disorders are usually more life altering than in males. Perhaps this is due to the later diagnosis, the fact that females are usually more emotional than males due to our genetic makeup, etc. I think it is wonderful that you are able to do this research, are interested in seeing just what your disorder is, how to best work within any limitations it may have on you and that you ask questions to learn more. I wish you all the luck. Strive to do the best that you can, get help when needed and keep up the good work.

I agree with just me

The two dx overlap and many people are overdx, and don't do well on stimulants for ADHD because they are really just PDD.NOS

The thing with dx, its an opinion, things get really muddy when talking about the PDD family. I've been dx autistic and asperger's starting in 1975 for autism, and 1988 for asperger's, in the past 6 years since my oldest son was dx with PDD.NOS I have asked several professionals could I have PDD.NOS, so far for reasons unbeknownst to me I have always gotten no, you are not PDD.NOS but either asperger's or autistic depending on who dx me.

IDK if you've found this site but I like it and there is an AS test:
http://www.asplanet.info

don't know if you found the geocities one, but that one says it can't determine what I am

I have always had a co-morbidity of dyslexia, and dysgraphia, recently I was told by a dyslexia specialist that where I do have a reading disability its not specific to dyslexia and I am really just asperger's so idk

yes it can

any 2 conditions can co occure: cancer and arthritis, allergies and epilepsy...

but the thing is ADHD and PDD symptoms overlap---and teh majority of people disagnosed with PDD, than ADHD are overdiagnosed--menaing they only have PDD--and the attention, hyperactivity probelms are form teh PDD only--

the way you can tell is that if you give someone with PDD some ADHD meds--and tehy don't help---they probably don't have ADHD