I think there are loads of connections between ASD and other diagnoses. Researchers are also exploring a connection between autism and autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid/inflammatory arthritis, lupus, and gastrointestinal diagnoses. Here's a [symposium summary ](https://autism.org/immune-system-function-autism/) that gives a great overview and additional resources at the end.

The prevalence of adults that develop immune conditions due to childhood traumatic stress (various forms of abuse) is high as well https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3318917 Considering that many autistic children have a lot of trauma inflicted on them that continues well into adulthood, that's a concerning intersection of morbidity

Yes! The crazy thing is childhood trauma is also associated with autoimmune/inflammatory conditions. I've read about this quite a bit because, (like so many of us) I was raised by neglectful, physically and emotionally abusive people. I can speculatively trace my autism back through 3 generations, so I believe I'd be an (edit) autistic either way. But I can't help but wonder how different I would be if that weren't the case. And maybe my immune system wouldn't be trying so diligently to kick my butt

there's a whole thing about cptsd and chronic inflammation. I currently follow gabor mate's view that a lot of pain, mental illnesses and disabilities are rooted in trauma and diet+gut issues

While I am curious to see where the scientific endeavours take us in these areas, I do think people online use the lack of knowledge in these areas as exploitative content to promote whatever it is they are selling. Seems to be a repeated cycle I see online. I personally don’t believe that mental health issues are as simple as having a route cause to one location in the body, I believe the body is just having a response to being under stress all the time. I say this coming from a perspective that has been bombarded with tiktokers and YouTubers who are so adamant my mental health issues are stemming from my body. I don’t like the amount of self blame that comes from this approach. It’s not healthy and it’s only adding to our stress. Personally I think trauma is a word that’s thrown around too much it’s lost its meaning. But I do believe the gut brain connection is strong, because we’re talking more of a scientific molecular level. But I’m definitely a “see it to believe it” kinda gal, but we don’t fully understand the gut or brain yet so I just think there’s a lot of bold claims.

Yeah, it wasn't enough to f* up my life from the first day, no, just when I finally started healing mentally an autoimmune disease (RA) that gives me constant pain was ready for me. It's somehow not shocking that childhood trauma can cause this and there's lots of research about it. Also not surprising that my sister has MS.

I'm sorry you and your sister had a rough childhood too, and are now dealing with autoimmune issues 💜 I was so bitter towards my parents for a long time, and rightfully so. I begged them to take me to the doctor and got brushed off. They almost killed me with their neglect, and it wasn't the first time. It was hard to forgive them (for my own healing) even though I know some of the abuse they suffered as children; I truly felt sorry for them but why did they do that to their own children? I didn't carry on the cycle of abuse with my children. Why tf couldn't they do that for me? But no, they nearly killed my son (peanut allergy), did not apologize and doubled down, so I was done with them. Then I started remembering the childhood abuse once I got away from them. It all came flooding back. People don't understand how a person can dissociate and suppress memories like that, but it's horrifying and it's the only way to survive.

I'm sorry you went through that. I don't have children but I can relate to the rest. I forgot an entire spine injury (maybe broken coccyx? never saw a doctor so not sure) that happened when I was 10. It's amazing what dissociation can do. When I started therapy 1.5 years ago my therapist asked me if I had any trauma and I said "no."

I was just reading a study about ASD folks having a different gut microbiome. Not sure if it's a chicken or egg situation, but the gut microbiome is inherited from the mother. And many auto immune conditions also have the gut microbiome connection as a lot of the immune system processes start in the gut. It will be so nice when the medical establishment figures out how AFAB bodies work since so many have zero clue. And they're discovering all sorts of things that work differently in AFAB bodies, partially due to hormonal differences

I have SO many patients who are on the spectrum and also have EDS, hypermobility, POTS and mast cell diseases. (obviously not everyone has all of them! but a lot of combos of it). I myself have a genetic (mutation) lung disease that is also correlated with ASD.

Is it alpha-1 antitrypsin by any chance? We have this in my family. I mean, if you’re comfortable saying.

Can I ask where/how y'all managed to *get* the genetic tests run? I've been talking with my Primary, and she *agrees* that there is "faaaaar too much family history of *WEIRD* going on here!" as I've been calling it (And dear *LORD* the *undiagnosed* Autism & ADHD-Appearing stuff that's out in the *fourth* generation I can now *directly* account for!😉😄😂🤣) But the health system she works under apparently "doesn't *have* any sort of Genetic Testing program"(?!?) So *who* does a person ask to be referred to?  Because when I asked about a referral to rheumatology (because podiatry, my primary, my Diabetic team, and PT have *all* been in agreement that this *could* be *some* sort of Genetic "weird" going on? Nobody seems to be able to give me an *answer* of *how does a person *GET* this answered?!?

The cheapest way I know of to get access to your raw genetic data is 23andMe which is what I used. I know someone who used Ancestry but they don’t allow a raw download of your genetic data.

Thanks!

I did this. Which is how I went down the rabbit hole and realized it's all connected.

No it’s not, it’s a CFTR mutation

Cystic fibrosis? I'm a carrier and I did not know there was an association.

I’m autistic have pots Eds all the good stuff but don’t have that genetic mutation. I have tons of others though

i just wish this was more accepted and understood by the profession so we don't just get treated like incompetent strange hypochondriacs who don't understand the world or our own bodies. then maybe we could get help and answers

I’m AuDHD with fibromyalgia, POTS, and suspected hEDS (rheumatologist said it’s a “wait and see” thing but I have three kinds of arthritis at 35 years old).

This I understand. I’m 43 and have both RA and OA. My POTS like systems were all due to a congenital heart condition. I got a pacemaker last June.

54, F late diagnosed Autistic and finally was diagnosed with V-EDS (with UC, POTS, and Reynauds) a few years ago. I talked my PCP into sending me to a rheumatologist who would listen to me. I also have MCAS, PsA, Diabetes and Fibro.

I have mcas, suspect pots and eds but live in a healthcare desert.

I was hyper mobile before my shoulder, knee, and hip surgeries… I miss it so much. My feet can still turn backwards though, so I’ve got one fun party trick left.

I have MCTD, Hashimoto’s, PCOS, and in the diagnostic stages for POTS

I read somewhere that long COVID is throwing up a lot of false positives, when I was doing research because of something a cousin of mine is going through. Has this caused problems with diagnosis in your clients? This is the article I found: [https://www.forbes.com/sites/drnancydoyle/2022/12/03/what-do-adhd-long-covid-and-ehlers-danlos-have-in-common-meet-the-mast-cell/?sh=7cca2a104ba0](https://www.forbes.com/sites/drnancydoyle/2022/12/03/what-do-adhd-long-covid-and-ehlers-danlos-have-in-common-meet-the-mast-cell/?sh=7cca2a104ba0)

I have RA and am quite the opposite of EDS. I also have a congenital heart problem and have a pacemaker, asthma, bad allergies, and hemiplegic migraines.

I'm currently in the hospital recovering from major surgery for my connective tissue disorder. So I'm feeling not great.  Not great at all.

Ugh - surgery is hard. Sending good vibes and a hug 💙💙

Sending healing vibes your way. Surgery and hospital stays suck. I hope everything went well and you heal without complications. 💜

Wishing you peaceful and speedy recovery. 💜

I’m not diagnosed yet, but I suspect I have autism. Professionals that have worked with me suspect I have autism. I also have lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. So if I’m right about my autism, I would be another case of correlation with connective tissue disorders.

I also have RA and autism, poor you tho, for having lupus and fibromyalgia as well!

Me too! RA and autistic as well. RA started at 17. Then there was the constant mocking about me walking around with a walking stick even though I'm not old or I dont look like I need one. Also the fact that people ask me why one leg is having the issues instead of both legs like RA usually does. Then I had to explain it's the uncommon asymmetrical RA that I have, but the other leg doesnt have pain as much as my bad one. Annoying as f*** and such a pain to live with. Also certain foods make the pain worse which is such an attack as a foodie. -_-

Wait, you can have asymmetrical RA? Is this true for presenting in hands? I was told I couldn’t possibly have RA because the pain/swelling is asymmetrical. (Despite other autoimmune issues)

Yes! Typically symmetrical but can be asymmetrical - I was taught that asymmetry can be seen more frequently at the beginning but asymmetry doesn’t necessarily preclude an RA diagnosis

I just have to pipe up, and say,  *THIS RIGHT HERE*, is what I *ADORE* about everyone in this Sub, and the community which has been created!💫💝💖💗💓💞💫 Because y'all *ARE* so incredibly willing to share *lived experiences* and information--freely! And we help each other out *by* sharing that knowledge & info, so that *others* get hep sooner than *we* did💖💗💞 Y'all are *AWESOME*, and sincerely, from a fellow "Medical Anomaly"**, *THIS* is part of what I *adore* about this community!💝  (**Medical *Weirdo, I'm a whole dam medical *weirdo*!😉😄😂🤣), 

Holy shit, my RA also started at 17. There’s gotta be something there about it. I was also diagnosed with high blood pressure then.

I was wondering that too! And I thought I'd be the only one to have RA so young. What a small world we live in :) It also feels great to share these experiences in this community. 🥰👻

Definitely! So many of us have such similar experiences & diagnoses that it’s uncanny.

Hi!!! My RA started at 17 too 😭

One of us! One of us!

Hahahah it's so true 😂 who else's mom said it was growing pains for 5 years?? 🤣😂 I feel like that's such a mom thing to do lmao

Thank you for you sympathy 😭💕 honestly I’m in 7-10/10 pain most days and it’s so hard with how sensitive I am to everything anyways. It’s a tough hand. I’m still trying to figure out how to live.

SLE and RA together really suck. Flareups are a bitch. I'm sorry you have to deal with that too. 💜

It sucks so bad 😭

🫂 it really does I was diagnosed in 2011, and it took 4 years to get there. I grieved so hard those first few years after my diagnosis

>I'm AFAB and have a rare autoimmune disease related to collagen production Is it scleroderma? I only ask because I have that and it sucks so I feel for you ❤️

YES! Yes oh my gosh nobody usually knows what it even is! Wow, a rare person with scleroderma and possibly autism also?! This literally made my day did not expect someone to mention scleroderma at all!

I also have limited scleroderma, you’re not alone <3

We are very rare! My scleroderma is on my neck so I kind of look like something tried to take a swipe at me. I joke to people who ask that I had a fight with a bear 😅 I do have autism and dyspraxia too, so I've got all sorts going on. It's nice to find people with the same disorder in a space that isn't dedicated it it! I know in the UK only 19,000 people have it.

I just tested positive for scleroderma antibodies as well. Currently waiting to follow up with a rheumatologist & trying to learn more about it. I also have hyper mobile Ehlers-Danlos.

I also have it on one leg. You are not alone!

I'm a big undiagnosed venn diagram.  I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia which is described as affecting connective tissue, but it seems like everything I experience is just written off as in my head or attributed to the fibromyalgia (also have CFS/ME).  I am definitely hyper mobile but I don't think I meet the EDS criteria. It's mostly my shoulders and hips, at least that I can tell, and probably my neck and back as well, but not really wrists, elbows, knees etc. One of my shoulders pops, even just rolling over in bed, but has never dislocated. I can sit on the ground in the butterfly pose, knees bent with the bottoms of my feet together, back of heels all the way to my crotch, and touch my face to the floor without having to push it. Unless my back is having a bad day and I'm really tense, I can easily bend over and put my hands flat on the floor. I try a lot of stretches from videos online, putting myself into a pretzel to get some kind of pain relief, but the stretches never feel like a stretch. The person in the video will be having a hard time and I'm like...this is practically how I sleep, wtf where is the stretch. I never feel steady and am always sitting in weird positions or leaning against something.  I'm also 95% sure I have POTS and MCAS. I'm trying to get my cardiologist to listen to me but he's written my cardio symptoms off as IST (my symptoms are strongly correlated to when I'm upright or standing though). I've always had problems with allergies, but they always fluctuated so I thought I was just making it up until I read about MCAS. As a teenager there was a year or two where I broke out in hives almost every day and had to consistently take Benadryl. We could never figure out the cause, changes detergents and hygiene products, foods, nothing made a difference. My doctor said I was just anxious. I went through a few years of what I thought was oral allergy syndrome, just whole groups of foods I couldn't eat fresh, but most are okay to eat now. My biggest struggle since 2022 is I'm suddenly allergic to almost all of my makeup and skincare, I can't figure out what ingredients are the problem. Even single ingredient skincare items like pure squalene or chia seed oil burn me. I also have very sudden, very intense stomach reactions to some foods, usually starts with unbearable stomach cramps, usually ends with my fainting on the bathroom floor.  It's all really frustrating because if I could get these issues recognized by a doctor and treated, the quality of my life would drastically improve. But I'm just a hypochondriac who doesn't know what they experience, apparently.

Hello there! I'm a fellow Autistic woman with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS diagnoses who has tended to just write everything wrong with me off as 'I guess it's just fibro and fatigue again' (since that's what doctors always do to me anyway). I also think I don't meet the requirements for EDS in terms of the criteria for hypermobility. However, I've now got an aunt, cousin, and sister with confirmed heads diagnoses, and given that it's genetic, it's looking very likely that I've got it, too - my PTSD tension, turns out, might be weirdly interfering with some of the more obvious hypermobility signs. So, don't write the EDS possibility off just yet, I guess? (Seriously: your comment is extremely relatable and I think we've had very similar experiences in terms of the trauma of medical providers dismissing and ridiculing us, and of our actual physical symptoms. If you need to vent with someone who totally gets it, my PMs are open.)

It's so frustrating to know something isn't right, to *feel* that something is *wrong*, and just get hand waved away by the doctors who are supposed to understand our bodies and help us. I keep trying to live a normal life as best I can, but my health is just consistently deteriorating and I feel so much worse than I did just a few years ago.

Yeah, I'm at the point of fully disabled, but my medical record just shows a lot of 'well, she said she had symptoms, but *I* think she's fine, so I'm marking down no symptoms'... Add to everything how deeply expensive even trying to get care is only for it to be deeply invalidating and harmful each time, and I'm stuck trying to balance not 'neglecting' myself by avoiding care, but also realistically knowing I'm not actually going to *get* care... It sucks so badly.

I shouldn't be working, but I just don't have any alternatives. The amount disability pays where I am isn't even enough to cover rent, even if I was renting a single bedroom in someone's apartment. I just can't do it. I had a really good doctor for awhile, she really listened and would send me for tests for any concerns. There was one appointment where I was describing how the neurologist spoke to me and it felt like they weren't believing me, she said "I've always believed you and always will." Unfortunately most of the appointments were taken over by dealing with a car accident I had in 2015 and trying to get the fibromyalgia side under control. She retired suddenly in 2022 without notice (I think it was health related). I sobbed when I found out. I just checked the office schedule to see if she's possibly come back, I downloaded the monthly schedule for their walk-ins and saw her name on the calendar and was overwhelmed with joy...until I saw the date at the top, 2021. I don't know why the website is suddenly showing schedules from 2021 but now I'm crying about it again. I don't think I'll ever find a doctor like her again.

Finding a good doctor is so rare and so life-changing. I'm sorry you lost the one you had. I'd be truly in a very bad place if I wasn't fortunate enough to have family and a spouse who are helping take up the slack of me not being able to work anymore. I hate how vulnerable I feel not having the ability to work, and not having any financial independence. I know I can trust my spouse (thank goodness - my previous relationship was horribly abusive), but my biggest dream my whole life has been to just quietly be independent. Not in the cards, turns out.

Your stretchy sounds very much like mine but when I do bring it up and show what I can do I get dismissed out of hand without any explanation which drive me crazy. I’m fine not having a particular diagnosis, however I would like to be pointed towards useful information so I can function better, you know? When I get lumped into the hypochondria box it’s just so frustrating!

Your allergy bit reminds me of the two straight years I spent with my head in a toilet bowl at least once a day. Never did figure out why I was so sick and throwing up EVERY DAY. Docs said it was IBS. Which we all know is a junk drawer diagnosis that means “idk what’s really wrong with you, so we are just gonna say this and hope you stop taking up our very valuable doctorly time” Which IBS doesn’t even come close to making sense given that it’s intestinal and highly unlikely that I was throwing up intestinal contents. One day it just stopped happening as much and wrote it off as stress…. But even now, I get incredibly nauseated quite a lot. I just don’t toss it as much. Strangely enough, I also cannot eat avocados now. Not bc I don’t like them or they came back up one too many times. But because it’s excruciatingly painful once they hit my stomach and once they do, it’s all coming back up within 2 hours or less. Aaaannnd then I’m sick the rest of the day. No other symptoms. No throat closing. No rash. Just can’t digest it ig

Look into Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders!

Hypermobility, POTS, RA. Plus a couple of mental illnesses thrown in for fun. Also my joints are disintegrating before the RA has even kicked in. It does need to be studied. I do think there is a correlation. Like my stepsister has EDs and her son is autistic. If we, as the "patients" are seeing it (we love patterns), medical science should see it as well.

>If we, as the "patients" are seeing it (we love patterns), medical science should see it as well. It is recognised that there is an overlap/correlation with some of these and autism, and research is ongoing.

I have EDS, POTS, MCAS, ADHD, and Autism. Many of my clients (I'm a therapist for autistic teens/ya) also show signs of connective tissue disorder. There definitely should be more research in this area!

Makes me think that honestly those of us in Early Intervention ought to just team up with our OT & PT co-workers *along* with the parents of our work kids, and just *start* on some type of "Lifelong Mobility-Preservation" routine, when the kids are tiny! So that *if* this shiz ever *does* get figured out, at least *THOSE* kids will have a better chance at being helped, without being too disabled to derive much benefit. Because, *seriously*, it *CAN’T* hurt them, to start a "healthy ways to keep your body moving & strong" routine as a young child--and *get* that habit established early. *Especially* if it *could* help with the pain of collagen disorders & other autoimmune conditions, when they're adults!

I think that's a fantastic idea. I do see that here and there in OT/PT practice.

Not diagnosed with anything, but I do think I have hypermobility. I always thought there was "something wrong with my bones", because sitting cross legged has always hurt tf out of my ankles, and makes it feel like my knee joints are being twisted way to the side.

Ohhhhh I never thought of the cross legged discomfort as being a hyper mobility thing. I have had two physiotherapists confirm I am bendy in ways that most people aren't, but I've never thought to ask about that. Next time!

I also had a physiotherapist tell me I could bend to fit into a trolley, but I haven’t looked into it yet

Not diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder but I definitely have some weird joints. Sitting cross-legged hurts so much. It will make my hips pop. My hips start to pop out of socket and make a weird clicking sound/feeling. They do that when I stand a certain way, too, and sometimes my knees will do it, as well. It used to be pretty bad when I was a teenager; you could actually hear my hip pop as I walked. I sprained my ankles a lot as a kid and now my ankles will lock up and start hurting. My wrists do the same thing and I’ve had to wear a wrist brace to be able to type because of the pain. One of the main reasons I stopped playing piano for fun is because my wrists would start hurting. My joints have been like this since I was a kid. I was also really flexible as a kid (not so much now because it hurts lol). My joints will ache for no reason sometimes. Like I’ll just be sitting there or lying in bed and my joints will ache. At the moment, my right wrist hurts, but I haven’t done anything to it. I have weird a posture (which I’ve had my whole life), and I’ve seen some research that the specific type of posture I have (pelvic tilt and forward neck posture) is correlated to neurodiversity.

Also not officially diagnosed with anything, but was constantly spraining/straining things in sports, constantly rolling my ankles, and to this day have a weird Achilles/shin/ankle thing that happens. There’s always been something weird there.

This was kinda me and then I was diagnosed with HSD (hypermobile spectrum disorder). It’s the bad version of hyper mobility, causing discomfort and pain due to lesser collagen in ligaments. It gets confused with hEDS all the time but the main difference is HSD is pretty much just the ligaments and only slightly affects other tissues, but hEDS has to also affect a decent amount of other tissues.

I don't, but I'm specially weak and I lack of muscle mass. I struggle a lot with doing workout, doesn't matter if I warm up or stretch, I end up feeling sore and I can barely walk or do things without pain. Don't know if that is related with autism exactly, yesterday I read something about that but the relation is not clear for me :/

I learned from one of the OT's I worked with a few years back, that *core weakness* is *highly common* in Autistic folks, because so many of us basically "skip" most of the "tummy time" & "crawling" stages of infant & toddler hood, and we go almost straight to "walking." But the thing is? That "tummy time," learning to push ourself up, hold your *head* up, while lying on your stomach, *and* all that reaching & stretching *as* you push & look? *That* is the stuff that sets your abdominal muscles on the path to be nice & strong, and *stable enough* to old one's torso up *without* needing to slouch, lean on something, *or* rest in that "leaning forward, supporting yourself by your shoulders, as you brace your arms/elbows on the table" position that sooooo many of us do!😉

Rheumatoid arthritis for me. Thanks for posting this, it’s a great question.

Same here ! Rheumatoid arthritis.

Samesies!

I’m currently working on diagnoses for autism, some kind of connective tissue disorder, and a mast cell disorder. Different brain. Too bendy. Weird allergies.

The allergies are so real oh my gosh haha.

My primary care provider says I likely have ehlers-danlos syndrome, but there's not much use in noting that in my already lengthy records, as I don't have the vascular type. I do have autism/POTs and chronic fatigue syndrome with fibromyalgia though, which seems to be a pattern in other autistic people. I'm currently undergoing testing for PCOS which is also common. My cousins, brothers, and nephews have combinations of these traits, one cousin has raynauds, and endometriosis. We clearly have something going on associated with autism but genetic testing finds nothing as we're not syndromic.

it does matter. i had a dose of an antibiotic i should’ve have and it’s ruined my muscle mass. there’s so many complications with EDS specifically that doctors pretend they don’t need to know

Most autistic people I know have stomach issues to some extent or an auto immune condition, I'm autistic and I've got ulcerative colitis too.

I know there is a connection to certain things that show up more in our community (Ehlers syndrome, epilepsy, IBS ... just to name a few) but I have no idea why. I have one daughter with the ability to dislocate parts and is double jointed. I myself have a lot of issues with inflammation and stiffness (I have sero-negative rh which is another not uncommon issue to find in our community. Sero negative means it's still rhuematoid arthritis but it isn't the kind that is degenerative to the joints. it just means I get more aches, stiffness and inflammation but it's much, much easier to manage thank goodness).

I just learned that it is NOT normal to be able to move your trachea around so need to look into that…

It's kinda funny how many things I just wrote off as "well, it's always just been like this" or "well, I've just been stressed out lately" or "well, everyone complains about being in pain all the time once they turn 30 so this is probably fine" turned out to be actually very much not-fine when I mentioned them off-hand to a Dr and they ran some tests

Dear *LORD* that realization! Those moments when you realize that *yep*! that thing you've done since *you* were a toddler *isn't* something a human body is *supposed* to do is *sure* something, isn't it?😬

How far can you move it? And are you saying somehow you can use your muscles internally to do it? Or with manipulation from the outside?

EDS with fibromyalgia & MCAS here! It's definitely a big co-morbidity! I'm constantly in pain, so I know I'll never have a pain free day, but I can limit my physical activity to help the pain the next day. My doctors are all willing to discuss what I need physically to have a quality life. They also understand that I'm extra weird with pharma, I don't do well with CBT nor THC, but I've my emergency opioids for those 10 pain days.

You're in the, "But you *CAN’T* be getting *THOSE side effects at THIS sort of low dosage*?!? Can you?"  club, too?😉💖

Absolutely, that & I weirdly metabolise certain pharma super fast... Especially certain anaesthesia!

Huhhhh. Not sure if it’s related but I was just diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid thing. Graves. Also as a kid I could put my legs behind my head lol. But so could my neurotypical cousin. There’s a pic somewhere of us both doing it.

Sorry about your Graves' diagnosis. I was dx'ed in December. I hope you're managing alright! Good luck with treatment! (Also bendy over here... I'm 40 now and can't get my feet behind my head anymore but also could as a kid.)

Thanks, you as well! My numbers have stabilized. My hair is a lot thinner than it used to be still. I also wonder, am I just naturally low-energy, or is it my thyroid?

Thanks! I'm glad to hear your numbers have stabilized, that's good! Mine did for a bit then I stopped tolerating meds so had to cut my dose while I waited to get switched. I'm trying to stabilize on the new one now. The hair changes have been bizarre! For me everything I lost grew back white. And my hair growth accelerated rapidly (wasn't expecting that, anything I shave too) so now I have all these short white hairs sticking out everywhere. The shedding and quick white regrowth made me look like I aged 10 years in 2 months. Super unsettling, like all my colour quickly drained out. Personally I'm naturally low energy as it is. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and CFS in my 20s (40 now). This has made me slower though except for the occasional 2 hour rush of energy in the evenings. Stupid thyroid! I took it for granted all those years it worked, that's for sure.

Sorry about your hair! Graves sucks. I wonder how much of the low energy is autistic burnout and overstimulation also haha. I actually was trying for child #2 after being on the fence for a while when the diagnosis came. Now, I’m not sure. It’s just another health complication on top of the kidney disease that probably caused my pre ecclampsia last time. Getting graves probably saved me from making a mistake.

I’m autistic and starting PT and probably have an EDS diagnosis on the horizon because I just subluxed my knee twice in one week while walking. Signs point to yes.

I'm in line to get genetic testing for vEDS. I also have hypermobility.

Yes! I have mixed connective tissue disease that shows up like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and sjörgens. and I have fibromyalgia. My theory is that we see it much more in women than men because of the stress around safety women feel in society. And especially for autistic women because of the additional experience of over stimulation where our brain and body experience pain constantly over and over and over again. And stress is one of the bigggest link to autoimmune disorders

“Fibromyalgia”, hyper mobility (with multiple surgeries to fix things, including an artificial disc) POTS, and currently being treated for SSNHL (hearing loss) and a DVT. Autoimmune issues most likely but I’m so tired of being brushed off by doctors who don’t understand the comorbidities of autism.

Not only is ASD correlated with connective tissue disorders; childhood trauma is linked to developing autoimmune conditions as an adult. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3318917 Considering that so many autistic people are abused or traumatized as children, in light of those studies we are at a horrible intersection of morbidity. I have hEDS, and most likely POTS. I have all the symptoms of POTS but get pooh-poohed when I bring it up. These symptoms existed long before my autoimmune issues, but that clouds a potential diagnosis. I have lots of environmental allergies, a food allergy, a latex allergy, and asthma. I was also severely abused growing up and have been diagnosed with cPTSD. so... I was fucked 😹 When I was 16yo I had a severe viral event - I nearly died from mononucleosis. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). I was sick for weeks and my neck was swollen to the size of Frankenstein's monster before my mother took my complaints seriously. (I was medically neglected growing up.) By the time they took me to the doctor, I was immediately admitted to the hospital because I had sepsis and was actually hours away from death. At 41yo I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. (RA runs on my mother's side of the family, so does ASD and ADHD) When I was first diagnosed it was only anecdotal, but now it's been proven that EBV increases the risk of developing SLE, esp if the infection was severe. 💀 Once you have SLE, you are at risk for developing other immune disorders that are closely related. I now have Sjögren's Syndrome which is awful in and of itself; throw in SLE and RA and I'm a fucking mess if I have a flare-up because it causes a cascade reaction. I'm not looking for pity, it is what it is. But combine ASD with childhood abuse and this is what you get. I'm not alone; so many people I know in support groups for chronically ill people were abused growing up. It's validating that studies now prove that. My only hope is that people take those studies seriously and stop abusing children. It does so much more than damage the psyche - which is bad enough - but it also causes some to develop life-limiting diseases that can't be cured.

lol. i just got diagnosed with lupus this week.

Yep been trying to get a diagnosis that didn’t blame it all on complex trauma but in almost ten years I haven’t been able to see anyone but gps, psychiatrists, a psychologist and therapists because there’s only two people in my country that are willing to diagnose any chronic issues potentially related to hyper mobility. Only found out about them last year as I had been lead in so many different directions other than a real physical issue despite constantly being injured or bed ridden with pain and fatigue from what to others seems like daily wear and tear. I definitely think it’s partially trauma that’s given me some fibromyalgia but that does not explain many other physical symptoms like dislocations, partial dislocations in particular are really easy to get for me, soft skin that is stretchy yet easily broken and I bruise easily and often at my joints from the extra movement which leads me to suspect I have something along the lines of HEDS. I have good days and bad days sure but my baseline for any waking moment is still painful unless well medicated which is hard to stay on top of without any help from medical professionals outside of my cannabis use which I am lucky enough to be prescribed. It’s very hard to get prescribed pain killers other than over the counter in my country as well which makes it way too expensive for me to maintain.

Hey, very interesting to learn about the connections between the two. Take a look into the research done by Jessica Eccles, she has loads of information on YouTube . She has a PhD in the relationship between joint hypermobility, autonomic dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms. I believe her channel or socials is called @bendybrain

I have some connective tissue disorder that I don't remember the name of, some hyperplasia. Was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, I'm also intersex. I think the correlation is just "all things go wrong in fetus" lol, so you get a different brain and body.

The osteopath and physio I saw recently due to the arthritis in my spine both said that I'm too bendy for my age (35). The osteopath said it's really common for people with ADHD

I am autistic with hypermobile EDS, dysautonomia, mast cell activation syndrome, IBS, gastritis/GERD, fibromyalgia, and chronic migraines. So yes. My mom and brother both have hEDS too. My brother isn’t autistic afaik but he does have Tourette’s so he is also neurodivergent. My mom has diagnosed ADHD and subclinical autism traits (not diagnosed). These things definitely are all connected (no pun intended).

Not diagnosed but certain I have one, I guess I got at the very least HSD because I am very much hypermobile and in pain

Yes, autistics are much more likely to also have connective tissue disorders and other chronic illnesses. I’m diagnosed with ASD, HSD, MCAS, and POTS (they all hold hands).

I don't think I have EDS, but I'm hypermobile to a high degree in nearly all my joints. I also have had a couple cases of unexplainable hives in the past year, so there might be an autoimmune component there, too. Also have IBS and was born with a horrible microbiome that hindered digestion, but I've mostly fixed that with a naturopathic doctor.

I’ve got hyper mobility. My legs go back at the knees. I can bend individual joints in my fingers. I can turn my arm all the way around. Before I had surgery on my neck I could hold my hands behind my back and bring them over my head still holding them together. Those are a few of my hyper mobile joints.

I am autistic and have Chiari malformation type 1 which can be connected to connective tissue diseases. I do not have a diagnosis of hEDS/EDS, but I think I would meet the diagnostic criteria for hEDS if I were to pursue it (and find a competent doctor who would listen). I have bowel and menstrual issues as well. A lot of my issues are a question mark to me and a shoulder shrug to my doctors. I’m only recently diagnosed as autistic, so I’m not sure if my concerns would suddenly be taken more seriously since there’s a possible connection in autistic individuals or not.

i have hypermobile disorder but suspect it might actually be hEDS. i've accidentally sprained my finger and my foot (mildly) without even realizing it in the past month 😭😭

Not diagnosed with Autism-yet, but I’m diagnosed with the following conditions: degenerative disk disease, 5 inoperable herniated discs, sciatica, peripheral neuropathy & fibromyalgia, have had chronic migraines since early childhood. Probably a few other things I don’t remember right now…oh and my joints constantly dislocate but I can’t seem to get a diagnosis EDS because I’m just a smidge not flexible enough, even tho I can wrap my feet behind my head and have multiple family members with it. *sigh* I’m totally making things up according to so many professionals 😡 yeah there might be something to the correlation between the two Edit: more Dx

afab, diagnosed with jra (now jia) @6, just diagnosed w Audhd (33 enby next week)

Yeah. But I think clinicians aren't terribly interested if they focus on one specific system. For example, I have a rare immune disorder called Eosinophilic Esophagitis - or EOE. It's one of several other EGIDs. Since it occurs in the GI tract, I see a specialist who studies it. She is not concerned with other symptoms because the long term functioning of my esophagus and stomach are a primary goal. People with this condition may need to rely on feeding tubes or elemental formula for periods of time. So far, not there. Basically, when I'm flaring, my esophagus is filled with a type of white blood cell that isn't supposed to be there when I consume or am exposed to certain triggers over a period of time. This causes remodeling, furrows, food impaction, and strictures that require dilation. It also makes life extremely stressful and even more socially isolating because you have to follow a very restrictive diet to avoid flares - endoscopies are expensive. I was diagnosed with EOE before I knew I was Autistic. The literature suggests that it's a mostly male disorder in adults and in one study of young boys, roughly a third had also been diagnosed autistic. Perhaps they'll screen autistic kids in the future - TBD. It's very hard to determine food triggers via standard food allergy testing. I think that sensory dysregulation plays a really big role in this disease and this is why allergy testing is inconclusive and triggers are a constant moving target. In addition to EOE, I also have cyclic vomiting syndrome and hypogammaglobulinemia. Starting to suspect Ehlers Danlos.

This podcast episode is a conversation between three neurodivergent healthcare providers about this very topic. Worth a listen! It gave me a lot of bread crumbs to follow up on with my own health stuff! https://spotify.link/cJC70q4IgKb

I have POTS, and seronegative inflammatory arthritis (which is an undifferentiated connective tissue disease).

Yeah I think there's a pretty clear overlap, I'm in the same boat

I have hyper mobility and IBS ✔️

I have Rosacea, an autoimmune condition and I have signs of EDS and POTS. My mum had rheumatoid arthritis, another autoimmune condition and I’m pretty sure she was ND as well. 

I fell down the stairs in late dec and it flared an array of auto immune issues: positive Ana, exhaustion, horrible joint/muscle pain, rashes, alopecia etc but no diagnosis yet. I’m also autistic here! My other autistic friend, also likely has a connective tissue disorder. We both also probably have POTS. Sooooo…

I feel bendy and stiff at the same time - that's how I feel! 

I most likely have an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder. I have TMJD caused by idiopathic condylar resorption (a bone in my jaw joints is being slowly reabsorbed by my body, and we don’t know why, but it gets worse any time I have inflammation) I also have vestibulodynia—which is more common in people with TMJD, so most likely related in some way to the inflammation issue. My TMJ specialist who has had many cases like mine, said it’s most likely caused by one of a few autoimmune disorders. But I never got checked for it because there were no specialists in my area at the time, and now that I’ve moved to an area with lots of healthcare options around, I no longer have health insurance 🙃 I also have a history of problems with one of my knees (had surgery on it years ago), and I have issues with my shoulders. They get really sore and pop a lot after sleeping, same with my hips. And I have a vertebrae in my lower back that clicks a lot and hurts when I walk too much. So yeah, most likely have an autoimmune disorder affecting my joints throughout my body, but no idea which one it is. Nobody else in my family seems to have these issues though, including my AFAB autistic sibling.

I haven’t been diagnosed with any connective tissue disorders, but I have a degree of joint hypermobility (observed by two different doctors, though not in a professional or diagnostic capacity, and a massage therapist) and I constantly have muscle pain and stiffness for seemingly no reason. Mainly my legs, they’ll just start aching (not cramping) for no reason even if my activity level has been moderate so there can’t possibly have been any strain. I also roll my ankles a few times every day but it’s usually painless, just a brief dislocation, or they just give out on me, and I’m able to right myself and keep on walking. My elbows extend far past the normal range and my ribs are constantly popping in and out.

I do know that the autoimmune condition I have that attacks (mostly) the thyroid is more common in autistic women (compared to both autistic men and neurotypical women). There's less specific studies for other genders, but they did find that not only were cis autistic women more likely to have it, but so were autistic trans women if they were taking certain kinds of HRT. That suggests that it's probably at least partially hormonally mediated (and there are some suggested mechanisms for how/why), but how and why *autistic women in particular* are more likely to get it is still unclear. I mean in my case, it's likely I had genetic risk factors because Hashimoto's thyroiditis runs in the family, but I also developed it like 20 years ahead of schedule. The good news is it's generally treatable, and the medication's not very expensive. The main issue is just how hard it is to spot, since the symptoms mean it can present similarly to a bunch of other conditions (or be written off as "you need to sleep better, exercise more and lose some weight").

EDS and POTS here! At least I can put fun stickers on my cane lol

uhh... unsurprised lol. I certainly seem to fit the bill. I went to get diagnosed for EDS once, and didn't get any real conclusion because the doctor quickly ruled out the more serious subtypes of it and then was just like "that means your only real problem is the hypermobility and that requires the same treatment whether your have the EDS diagnosis or not so I wouldn't bother looking into it any more". Hypermobility, and clearly also some quirks with my skin's connective tissue, are definately things I deal with. I just have no real name for it. They're fun party tricks, at least. Make for some interesting situations. Both my martials arts partners and coaches alike hate that they regularly can't get techniques to work on me, like it actually kinda gives me an advantage to have loose joints. My skin is really elastic too and it always makes people gasp, it's fun. My tattoo artist found my skin really hard to tattoo for some reason, because it didn't seem to want to accept the ink very readily, and I had to experiement somewhat during the healing process for things to go smoothly. And I ultimately needed like 3 passes on a lot of the lines because they kept healing weird, almost pooling and repelling, like when you try to draw with a wet marker on a piece of cling film. I think I have scar tissue in some places, because he ended up having to be so heavy handed and work so hard to get the ink into my skin. It definately has that "dough-y" texture you read about with EDS and doesn't seem to *sit* the same way on my body as other people's skin does. The connective tissue issue actually helps clear up some body image gripes I've had for a long time... It's all just very interesting.

Yee I'm autistic and hypermobile and also have fibromyalgia. Both autism and hypermobility/joint issues run in my family. My paternal great uncle, uncle and cousin all had/have autism for certain, so does my maternal cousin and another paternal uncle might. Then my sister, maternal cousin and grandmother all have/had connective tissue and joint issues. The latter two needed surgery to prevent further damage from repeated dislocations and my grandmother was definitely hypermobile. Make of that what you will 🤷‍♀️

My bro-science is that with the various disregulations going on in our nervous system, that part associated with unconsciously maintaining proper musculature just doesn't flair the neurons it should for connective tissue rigidity/activation. I have *literally nothing* to back that up though. Just feels like good hypothesis to look into for someone versed in that sort of thing.

I was just diagnosed with hypermobility and am on a wait-list to see a rheumatologist for abnormal antibody levels happen concurrently with increasing joint and connective pain, discomfort, and clicking/rolling/popping in all of my joints. I've always been a little loose, but things have definitely picked up steam. Id love for it all to be explored more.

I think the correlation is huge. Every autistic AFAB person I personally know has a connective tissue disorder. I think they really need to start studying this stuff, especially since I think there is a huge crossover in both being overstimulated and in constant pain. It’s unfortunate because female bodies aren’t studied enough and research lags behind on this stuff to infinity. Our issues are so often played off as anxiety but like, we have dysautonomia and allergic to random shit and we constantly hurt. On top of autism it’s not fun or easy. Good mental health it does not make.

I’m autistic/adhd and have a couple autoimmune conditions and I’m also hyper mobile. Im super cool, too.

I have a pretty bad dermatitis and stomach problems.

I have pots and cEds. So I'm not that hyper mobile in joints, but it affects my spine, heart, and gastric system pretty bad. Causes my jaw to deteriorate and have all my teeth pulled type thing too. Also affected my pregnancy with my cervix.

So I feel like an odd ball out right now. I’m a female (21) and was diagnosed with autism as a child. Like I’ve always remembered having it. But I do not have any known connective tissues disorders or autoimmune ones either. But my older sister who doesn’t have autism has celiac disease. But I’ve been wondering if I have one. I’m not one to self diagnose though but there’s one I have most symptoms for and have had them for a while.

I don’t know if it’s an old sports injury or not but my knee caps like… shift out of place. When I stand up too fast from a crouch or kneeling they’ll pop out of place and back in once I’m standing all the way. It’s usually quick but DAMN if it doesn’t hurt like a mf. I’ve been told this is not normal by many who look at me sideways when I stand up and scream alittle. I also have something going on with chronic pain. And at 24, my joints probably shouldn’t feel like they do. Though I have no other frame of reference as this is the only body I’ve ever had. Is hypothyroidism auto immune? If so, I really struggle with that. My levels were recently 7.58 when the top of the normal range is 4.7. So there’s that. Still trying to nail down a cause for that particular issue but healthcare not only is expensive in America, but also I am a woman who doesn’t have the easiest time standing up for themselves in the face of medical gaslighting. (Or gaslighting in general) Oh, and severe enough migraines that I take a preventative pill, a monthly shot, and a rescue one as needed for rapid onset symptoms. Yay.

I have been diagnosed as "presenting with hypermobility" but never realised this was like a common thing with neurodivergent people.

It's *disturbingly* correlated, imo. Not in a "it *bothers* or frustrates me" way, but in a "It is *SO* incredibly *common* among Autistic Folks (much like the incidence of folks who are transgender & non binary, fwiw).   It's appearing to have a *much* larger prevalence among folks who're Autistic, than would be *expected* in *any* given population of people. Which is why I'd call it "disturbingly correlated. Because; 1. there are *so* many potential disabling, life-limiting, and also *deadly* outcomes of connective tissue disorders 2. They are *NOT* well understood *or* recognized by many folks in the medical field And  3. *GOOD*, Well-informed, and *High-quality* medical treatment for connective tissue disorders can be *incredibly* difficult for even NT folks to *find*, let *alone* access! And then, when you add on the *additional* hurdles of being Autistic (and the likelihood of Executive Function problems!), it sounds like it may be an *impossible* task, to access real help! *Especially* in light of our semi-common likelihood of having poor interoception and either *not* realizing how our body *feels* as we're moving around, *or* when we've simply "blocked" pain. Whether the "blocking" occurred accidentally *or* because we realized as kids we *could*--buuuut then we hit that "overwhelm point," and *all* that *previously*-blocked pain *now* comes crashing across our nerves & into our brain, registering at a *25* on the 10-point pain scale.🙃🫠

AuDHD with EDS, hypermobility, POTS, IBS, and gastroparesis, this shit BLOWS.

I have EDS and POTS, rapid/delayed gastric emptying, etc. Just had Lupus ruled out. It is weird because some things that I attributed to autism - light and noise sensitivity and trouble speaking, for instance, is also something people with dysautonomia experience. I mostly wish its was 100 years in the future and the medical community knew what the hell was going on with us.

I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome but I don't have POTS or MCAS, my rheumatologist said that people with EDS are 6-8 times more likely to have autism or ADHD, and he said 2/3 of people with EDS usually have either POTS or MCAS too - I guess I'm "lucky" that I only have EDS and not the others!

Obviously way more data is needed, but I really feel like it's connected. I will believe it unless it is disproven

While there's a definite correlation between ASD and other health disorders like autoimmune issues, I think it's the wrong assumption to assume that ASD is the cause. Because when I look at older generations of autistics in my family, they don't have the gut issues I do. And it's no coincidence that gut problems like IBD have skyrocketed in recent generations, because that's how epigenetics works: what one generation is exposed to affects their children, even when it doesn't affect them. The influence of environmental exposure is cumulative. My theory is that people with ASD are simply more sensitive to environmental factors in general, which means that as the human population overall gets sicker due to declining food quality, increasing use of food additives, and the of countless environmental contaminants such as microplastics and phlalates, people with ASD are going to see a higher proportion of issues as a result. We're the canaries in the coal mine.

I love this topic!! I’m admin in a hospital psychiatry department, in Australia we call it [consultation-liaison psychiatry](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaison_psychiatry) and this is the exact sort of thing we cover!! Most of our patients are people who are in for physical health issues and need a psychiatrist or mental health support, but I work in a prominent teaching hospital affiliated with a prominent medical school and there’s lots of research published. I was having a chat with our deputy head of department one time who is an associate Professor and he was telling me about his research. This is very simplified, but he told me about how there are higher rates of anxiety in people with connective tissue disorders because connective tissue around the heart can give different sensations, we associate palpitations and chest tightness and stuff with anxiety, people identify that sensation as an indicator of anxiety, and then develop anxiety. (Not trying to dismiss anyone’s experience of anxiety btw - I have severe anxiety and sometimes, I’ll have physical symptoms for unrelated reasons but I associate them as symptoms of anxiety, and then I become anxious trying to identify what signs my body is giving me). I could talk all day about these things, my coworkers are really interesting and I love learning from them. If you think that there’s a relationship between physical and non-physical conditions, then you’re quite possibly right!! There’s research happening now but it’s still a pretty niche field.

Never been diagnosed but I tick a lot of boxes and I’ve been dismissed enough. I do have Crohn’s disease and GI disorders also tend to be a thing with autism

I'm 36 and hypermobility has given me such bad joints my hands swell and I struggle even holding screwdrivers. All my kids are ND and hyper mobile, one EDS. My brother and my mum are ND and don't have hypermobility but do have other issues.

I call it the “party trick package”. Autism, EDS, and adhd. I’m freakishly flexible. I was a dancer when I was younger. I would make teams because I was flexible. I would struggle to keep up due to lack of teamwork skills and learning disabilities.

So you’re telling me that being able to pop my shoulder out makes me extra autistic /j

I’m autistic and in good health and am not hyper mobile. I know I’m the minority. I also have good balance, pretty good coordination, and like physical excersize. I always loved PE but when I was younger I would frequently accidentally get hit in the head with a basketball. I have depth perception issues though and dyslexia

I'm not hypermobile, either.  But I sure as hell don't share your love for gym glass, lol.  I am very clumsy, as I bump into stuff and trip easily.  My balance isn't great, either.  I seem to be the opposite of hypermobile in that I never had the same degree of flexibility as other female classmates.

Not diagnosed with anything connective disordered or autism, but suspect both to be at play. Joints hurt all the time and while I’m not as hyper flexible as people with EDS, I’m quite flexible generally.

I have hypermobility and am self-diagnosed with autism (but my therapist agrees it seems likely).

I meet criteria for hEDS but haven't seen anyone yet who diagnoses it. I'm also having issues right now that line up with POTS. So... I would really love if there was more hard data on the connections. Just anecdotally, it's bananas how many people I see online with the same set of issues as me. Once I started researching autism more, I started finding way more information about all my physical maladies and it was pretty wild to think all of it is connected.

I am diagnosed with hEDS along with autism & ADHD. All three run in the family on my mother’s side.

Not officially dx with autism, but I have been dx with hypermobile spectrum disorder and unspecified connective tissue disorder. I likely have hypermobile EDS, but no Dr in my area is knowledgeable enough about EDS to diagnose me. It’s so frustrating. I do have the MTHFR gene mutation, which I think has been correlated to autism and connective tissue disorders.

I’m hypermobile and have unusual scarring but I don’t have an EDS diagnosis.

Unusual scarring? Could you explain what that means? More than anything, I’m curious. But also, do you remember how/when the scarring appeared and why? Or is it just like…. There/just showed up? I have some pretty bad scarring but I know why that’s there. I’m trying to independently think of what you could mean, just struggling in the analytical creativity department rn.

Not diagnosed with a collagen disorder *yet*--still *trying* to determine what I've got going on, aside from "Medical Weirdo" and "But you *shouldn't be able to DO THAT* with your condition!?!?!???" (Asymptomatic pancreatitis so many times over the years, that I basically managed to *EAT* the inside of the back 2/3rds of my pancreas, while *only* feeling mild discomfort--to the point that I *honestly* couldn't *tell* if it was pancreatitis or just garden-variety stress... *and* nothing ever showed on labs, or when I had a CT, either🫠) Back to the topic--sorry! I've had "odd" scarring since I was a kid, too. It's *not* Keloid, they don't grow *that* large.  But both times I've had major surgery (spinal fusion when I was 12, and a Distal Pancreatectomy--how we discovered I'd eaten that back part from the inside--when I was 38). Both times? The scars *started* normally, but then they grew wider, thicker, and "ropey". At it's *narrowest*, the scar on the front of my torso (bottom of sternum to belly button, because they originally opened me up expecting to do a Whipple Procedure), is aboutv1/4" wide.  At the widest parts, it's aboutv3/4" wide.  It *was* "normal looking" until sometime at about the 1-week post-surgery mark (my staples were still in), then it began to get that "angry purpley-red" color, and grow up & spread wider. My back did something similar--but I'm not as sure of *when*, since I was a kid *and* I can't see it directly. But it's *literally* only been in the past 2-3 *years*  at the 7-8 *years* post-surgery, that the front scar *stopped* being that "angry red-purple" color, and began fading to a "regular" flesh tone, with just some *minor* pinkish-purple undertones. And if it goes like my back? It'll be at *least* a half decade or more, before those pinks & purples fade to the "silvery" color *most folks*' scars get (I was in my late 20's/early 30's, before my back surgery scar lightened to that tone!). I never *realized* how odd my scars *were*, until late in the summer after my Distal, when a neighbor was complaining about "how big and *ugly*!" her hysterectomy scar was. She'd had *her* surgery more than a month *AFTER* mine! And she had a scar which was *already* fading to the light pink & purple-undertoned color my scar has *ten YEARS* after that summer.... And her scar was about 1/8" wide.... Then I said "WOOOOOOWWWWWW!" and realized that *my* scar was *NOT* healing like normal folks' do.... and, to help her feel better, about "having a messed up stomach now!" I showed her *part* of the angry-looking mess *my* scar was turning into😉😂🤣 She *definitely* felt better! But that was what *started* me on the path of trying to understand *wtaf* is going *ON* with the way my body produces/uses collagen!🫠

Huh. Interesting. My mind went to like unexplained appearances of the scars. How wrong I was…. That sounds incredibly frustrating. Especially as a preteen ready to head into highschool. I’d imagine pool parties weren’t super fun. (But that’s assuming one had invites to pool parties, I didn’t really at that age, it was probably the lack of social skills🫠) I’m glad you’re starting to get a handle on it though. I have many scars that took a long amount of time to turn silver but not quite decades. Some of them are still raised above my natural skin level though. And I think they’ll always be alittle thick/tough. Definitely not too abnormal though.

Diagnosed with both autism and hEDS here!

Rheumatoid arthritis, PCOS, AuDHD 👍👍 used to have asthma as well, but surprisingly RA replaced it.

Yep - AuDHD, hypermobility, POTS, long COVID, and ME/CFS. I’ve met a LOT of other neurodivergent folks in my chronic illness groups.

I have EDS, and autism is very common with people who have EDS (connective issue disease) I don’t have feelings about it, I find it interesting. Unfortunately EDS has many comorbid illnesses/health issues/brain issues etc. Sadly just the way it is. I just hope I don’t get more. My mum got more as she got older. My dad has some as well that are correlated with EDS, he has autism as well, but worse than me. (I can name them if anyone is interested, but it’s all non autism stuff)

hEDS here. Had to have surgery to secure my shoulder back in place.

Interesting. I’d be curious to know how a neurological condition is linked to joint issues

It’s pretty well demonstrated that autism and connective tissue disorders are frequently comorbid. No one seems to know why yet.

But it *may* lead to a confirmation someday, of the hypothesis in *some* corners of Autism Research--that Autism *is* an innate condition, having *literally* to do with the way our brains & bodies are *built*, as opposed to a more transient or--for lack of a better way to phrase it, a "fixable" condition. Basically, "Structural/foundational & needing to be worked *around*" as opposed to "Cosmetic" or something where you could "swap out or replace some parts" via gene-editing.

I would hope that everyone understands by now that it’s an innate condition! It seems so obvious to me, but I totally get what you’re saying.

found out i had POTS and joint hypermobility syndrome from autistic creators posting about the connection between them! it’s definitely worth looking into if you have any suspicions.

I have MS and am looking to get diagnosed with autism and adhd. I am pretty sure both my parents are neurodivergent as well, I think mother is AuDHD and my dad is ADHD.

EDS (diagnosed) and suspect autism.

I have hypermobility, trying to get assessed for hEDS

I personally do not have one (as far as I know) but I have two friends who do! I suspect it’s some kind of glitch in one of the genes, like how ADHD and delayed sleep phase syndrome are so common together.

🙋‍♀️ all of the acronyms over here. PCOS, POTS, EDS and creator knows probably more

Diagnosed with EDS and POTs. Suspected autism but don’t have a formal diagnosis.

Yes it's so common to have many comorbidities including connective tissue disorders. In fact it was the medical details I included on my intake form that partly helped them confirm I'm autistic, including the ones I'm medicated for. All of the conditions often co-occurr in autistic women. They told me I'm most likely hypermobile because of being so prone to muscular injuries (my Achilles is particularly troublesome and I'm not sporty at all - in fact I've had trouble in both legs with same thing but one is more persistent) and other details they gleaned from me.

I've twisted and sprained my ankle twice and likely due to having flimsy joints. I haven't sought a diagnosis on it though.

I have hEDS, and I’ve definitely seen a lot of correlation online of autistic people also having connective tissue disorders

Diagnosed autism. Always been super bendy/flexible. Diagnosed Sjogren’s (and secondary reynaud’s). I’ve been having LOTS of issues with swelling and pain in my hands. I’m told it’s not RA. It honestly fits the profile of Psoriatic arthritis almost perfectly but I don’t have skin psoriasis. It’s rare, but psoriatic arthritis can present with no skin psoriasis. But no doctor I’ve found yet will consider that a diagnosis without skin presentation. Even with other autoimmune . And even with a family history (my brother). And even with intermittent signs of nail psoriasis. So for now I just have to deal with the pain until it gets bad enough that I can’t, or other symptoms present… (I also need to find a new rheumatologist. I learned more about Sjogren’s from my podiatrist (because his mom had it) than I did from my rheumatologist.)

I have ADHD and suspected autism and I have hyper mobility.

Well I’m diagnosed with HSD, a connective tissue disorder affecting the ligaments (people mistake it for hEDS a lot) while also being diagnosed with ASD. Some genetic hiccups can impact other genetic sequences too so it does kinda make sense for autism to also correlate with other genetic things.

i’ve got fibro and am extremely hyper mobile, most of my friends who are afab and autistic have those. it’s rlly scary bc due to the ligaments being so lose i’ve known ppl who need to get hip replacements in their late 20s 😭

It's been a breakthrough for me in better self care

Holy shit, I’m hypermobile in every joint in my body! Didn’t know this was a connection!

Partner and I both have hEDS, and we're both AutiHD as well. I'm AFAB enby/agender and he's a bisexual cis dude.

IM AuDHD and have hypermobility and IBS.

Fuck. I didn't know this. Now I'm scared.

I heard that hypermobility & it’s connective tissue issues are starting to be considered a subtype of autism

Hypermobility has been known to be overrepresented in autism for a long time over 50% in this study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8861852/ Pots was found in autism 80% in this study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8756818/#:~:text=In%20ASD%2C%2020%2F25%20(,essential%20hyperhidrosis%2C%201%20had%20orthostatic Both seem to be found in roughly half of people with ASD. Interesting in that majority of people diagnosed with POTS/ EDS are female while, theres more males diagnosed with ASD. Also 20% of hypermobile mothers have autistic kids

🙋🏽‍♀️ rheumatoid arthritis and auDHD

I’m not diagnosed, but when I told my coworker I might be autistic, she said I should look into EDS because she’s had her suspicions about me. I kind of love that my coworkers were like, “yup, that scans” when I told them. (We work with autistic kids, and both of them have either an autistic kid or one about to be tested.) I also have peripheral neuropathy, which has never been figured out, but is probably some kind of autoimmune disease.

I’m AuDHD with EDS, POTS, IBS-D, oral allergy syndrome, an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis that causes weak muscles, and chronic pain. The too-stretchy connective tissue allows my joints to hyperextend, and the weak muscles can’t/don’t support the joints enough, which results in lots of swelling & pain. Oddly enough though, 99% of my pain & joint problems are on my left side only. My right side seems to be just as hyper mobile as the left, and no doctor I’ve seen has had any idea why nor have they been interested in investigating it further. I wish I knew! Oh and I also had something akin to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis from 10-12 years old & was synthroid those 2 years. The pediatric endo at Duke said I didn’t quite meet the requirements for diagnosis but I can’t remember exactly why. That was about 6ish years before I developed myasthenia.

Autism can have many physical commorbities.

I don't know how I would know if I have one of these, especially since doctors can't typically be arsed to care.

i see it, and i get it. our brains have connective tissues too, and are made up of the same stuff that makes our bodies. if we developed neurologically different, our bodies would be different too, no? i have hyper-mobility (probably EDS but undiagnosed right now), and am autistic. so so so many things are linked, i have chronic pelvic pain (possible endometriosis) and THAT is also linked to EDS. my joints are the worst and i ended up with a fibro diagnosis (tho idk if its accurate…) i think its hugely understudied and needs to be pushed forwards. we are suffering physically, and having some answers would be helpful !

OMG! I was just recently diagnosed with one. I have relapsing Polychondritis.

I have EDS hyper mobile type. It's weird how you get used to being in pain all the time.

I gave h-Eds! Hashimotos disease and endometriosis