שוקולד כחול על הקשת ומעבר לה
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By Rebecca Camisa
Does it seem like everyone you know has ADHD or Autism lately? Well that might just mean you know a lot of Jews.
A recent study found that 18.4% of Israeli children meet criteria for ADHD, one of the highest reported rates in the world ([Nirel et al., Public Health, 2024](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033350624003810)). Other reports, including from the Ministry of Health, put the rate closer to 14%, but either way, it’s higher than in most countries ([Hadassah Magazine, 2025](https://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2025/03/05/israel-america-and-adhd/).
Alongside that, research shows a strong connection between ADHD and autism:
50–70% of autistic people also have ADHD ([Antshel & Russo, 2019](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8918663/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).
20–50% of people with ADHD also meet criteria for autism ([Verywell Mind, 2023](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-know-about-comorbid-autism-and-adhd-6944530
https://www.discoveryaba.com/aba-therapy/autism-and-adhd-comorbidity)
So if 18% of children have ADHD and half of those have autism (9% of children) as well, and those 9% of all children would be 60% of the autistic children, then we would expect that
6% of children have autism
9% of children have ADHD and
9% have AuDHD (autism and ADHD).
So roughly 1 in 4 children has either autism or ADHD in Israel. So it's not your imagination that many children you know are neurodivergent. This is about 4 times the rate of other populations.
Autism Is Not a Problem; It’s a Different kind of brain
Autism is a different type of brain, not a disease. It affects how a person communicates, processes information, and experiences the world. Many autistic people have unique strengths, such as deep focus on interests, honesty, pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving.
Recognizing autism early doesn’t mean “fixing” a child; it means understanding them better so they can thrive with the right supports in place. The Torah tells us you should teach every child "according to his way". Well, you have to know what his/her way is first. Otherwise it's like trying to use a screwdriver as a hammer. You can make it work, but it would be so much easier if you knew you had a screwdriver and not a hammer and used its full potential as a screwdriver
Why an Evaluation Can Help
Even if your child is doing “okay,” an evaluation can:
- Open access to resources such as educational accommodations, therapy, disability payments, or enrichment opportunities that become available with a formal diagnosis.
- Improve understanding: Teachers and family can adjust expectations and approaches to better match your child’s learning and communication style.
- Support the whole family. Autism and ADHD run in families ([Tick et al., 2016](https://www.nature.com/articles/mp201615)). If one child is autistic, there’s a higher chance that a sibling, cousin or parent may be too. Sometimes a child getting diagnosed opens the door to other relatives finding out why they are struggling.
- Having a diagnosis in place can be very helpful if your child starts struggling later, for example when they start a job or get married.
But what about a label?
Nobody can answer that for you; but generally autistic people are getting labeled no matter what. The question is will the label be something like "stubborn" "awkward" " fussy" "badly behaved" or "difficult"? Or will the label be "autism"? Which label will hurt more?
What are the statistics?
If a child is autistic, there's a 20-50% chance each of their parents is.
If a couple has an autistic child there is a 20% chance their sibling is. But if they do have a 2nd child with autism there is a 50% chance a 3rd child will have autism and if a couple has 3 autistic children the chances of recurrence are even higher. Some families are all neurodivergent.
3-6% of cousins of an autistic child will also be autistic.
ADHD is even more heritable. As many as 50% of children of an ADHD parent will have ADHD and as many as 70% of children of 2 ADHD parents. ADHD and autism are actually more heritable than height. This means that ADHD parents are more likely to have ADHD kids and autistic parents are more likely to have autistic kids than tall parents are to have tall kids.
What are some signs maybe you should get evaluated?
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Having ADHD.
If you have ADHD there's a good chance you also have autism. A 30-50% chance.
-
Social communication differences
You keep wondering why your interactions feel “off” compared to other people.
Example: At parties, Meital avoids the small talk at the tables and goes to stand by the bookcase instead, because she doesn't know what to say without sounding awkward.
-
Strong need for structure and predictability
You feel stressed or upset when routines change suddenly.
Example: Moshe always drives the same route to work, and if he has to take a different route he feels off.
Example: Zehava cooks the same foods every week or she feels stressed.
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Rigid behaviours
You have things you do the way you do them and it's very difficult for you to change that or be flexible.
Example: David goes to mincha every day. Even a week after his wife had a baby, when the house is flying. Being flexible about his routine is difficult. In fact, stress makes him more rigid.
Example: Sara gets stressed if she has to shower in the morning: she always showers at night.
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Difficulty with transitions
It's difficult for you to transition from one activity to another.
Example: Yael gets annoyed when she's in the middle of cooking and someone asks her for a cup from the cabinet next to her.
Example: David needs to sit in the car for a while before going into the house or before going into work.
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Deep, focused interests
You have one or two topics you research and talk about for years, often in great detail.
Example: Avi knows everything about recycling and what can be recycled, and brings it up even when others aren’t as interested.
Example: Yossi is an amazing computer coder and gets really into writing code but struggles to transition to other subjects like English or geography when class is done
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Sensory sensitivities
You’re unusually bothered or delighted by sounds, smells, textures, or lights.
Example: The hum of the fluorescent lights at a store distracts Nir so much he can’t concentrate enough to bring back everything on his list.
Example: Ravit can’t wear certain pants because the seams press in the wrong spots.
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Literal or direct communication style
People sometimes think you’re blunt or too honest.
Example: When you ask Itay "how are you?" He answers the question literally and may say "bad, my foot hurts" or "bored, I don't want to be here" instead of just saying 'fine, how are you?'
If you ask Sara how is dinner she will give detailed critiques to the host because she takes the question literally.
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Social exhaustion
Even if you can manage events, you’re drained after.
Example: After going to a wedding on Monday Almog is burned out and struggles to do anything social on Tuesday
Bottom Line
Israel’s high ADHD rate and the overlap with autism mean many Israeli/Jewish children and adults may be autistic without realizing it.
Autism isn't a problem; it's part of normal human variation, like red hair versus brown hair. If you had red hair and didn't know you had to wear sunscreen, you'd get burned. It would be important to know you have red hair. Autism is similar. It's not a disease, it's not a problem by itself. But you need to know you have it so you know how to deal with your brain effectively.
Ironically, autism is probably more common than red hair and, like red hair, is more common in some populations than others due to endogamy.
