Is everyone, everywhere ND - I seriously am confused.

I was a child in the 80s and heard of many kids who used to torture cats, dogs, frogs... it wasn't seen as a big deal.
That's very violent in my opinion.

Of course. There's a thread on this on here atm.

No it does not if there are no support needs and no evidence of support needed.

There is plenty of robust evidence. I sent in a huge pack for my daughter( a massive EHCP, meeting notes, list of medication, list of admissions, list of therapies and support she has, an NHS letter from a professional in the field outlining her meeds….

My severely autistic son under tier 3 services was turned down because he’s waiting for said support and he was late diagnosed. Even though he has been hugely ill for 12 years and needs a huge amount of support our evidence wasn’t as robust. Many, many with autism and adhd are turned down.

So what do you want to happen to the ND kids? Back into asylums?

They’re not though. Classes and curriculum are very much geared to NT children.

I’m a late diagnosed autistic and I have done a lot of research on this issue from my own experience, and my friends who have had similar experiences and have a few theories on the issue.

It’s not that there are more autistic or adhd people, it’s that there is more awareness and the pressures within the school system are higher, putting neurodivergent people under pressure and then their differences become highlighted.

When I was at school in 90s I was the quiet, shy, unsociable girl. I was very anxious, skipped school a lot, ended up with an eating disorder. I went very much under the radar of anyway. Fast forward to now when my daughter is going through this, she has much more pressure at school, from SATS to GCSES and A levels. She’s academic, but is finding the pressure of knowing what she wants to do in the future too much. If she gets burnt out and needs time off school we are threatened with fines.

Then there is my husband- the typical ADHDER. He was the one who couldn’t sit still, argued with teacher, bunked off, couldn’t wait to leave and set up his own business, which he did and is doing fantastic. He went under the radar in the 90s. Now my son is the same, he’s getting behavioural marks and sent into isolation for not being able to focus or sit still, for forgetting his homework, losing equipment etc. it’s all part of the executive functioning issues that are part of his disability. However back in the 90s, my husband and most of his mates, scraped through school and left at 16 to do a manual job. Nowadays there is less of that, it’s all academic pressure and pressure to behave a certain way which neurodivergent kids can’t cope with. Hence the parents are having to push for a diagnosis and extra support.

They existed and it was a character trait. Now being ND seems to be an excuse for odd or bad behaviour. Without a doubt I, introverted, bookish, sometimes socially inept (tactless) and a definite outsider, would now be diagnosed as something (probably autistic spectrum) but to label someone is limiting. I am who I am. I'm me, an individual who puts their foot in it at times and sometimes voices uncomfortable truths at the wrong moment. Diagnosing me as something puts me - and the children diagnosed now - in a box it will be difficult to escape. Better not, really. We got on fine without half the class being designated special needs.
NB OP I hate it when people say the less academic were good at music or art. Both music and art are highly academic. Anyone 'good' at them is exceptional.

Edited for an Oxford comma

My ND son has never sworn. That’s because he can’t talk.
He’s much nicer than you though.

Of course! The form only took 5 mins, they didn't require any evidence so there was no time wasted printing that off. Said they had self diagnosed with adhd so need a mobility car and the next day a Bentley was dropped on their driveway and a full pip award was given. easy peasy!

unlike the rest of us who actually claim pip and know what utter hell it is. I've done two tribunals in 5 years for one of my family members.

Forced adoption in the sense that the lack of financial or housing support meant that many unmarried women had no real choice in practice. It may have been a choice in legal terms, but that s all.

In schools? No the gvt need to provide more specialist schools. One size does not fit all.

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I agree. Subjected to a kid in the cinema today who would not sit down and kept walking up and down the row. Also kept shouting 🙄

Don’t know if parents were saying anything as too loud to hear. A few years ago I would have said something or just shushed loudly but I don’t dare now as will probably get a mouthful and labelled as intolerant.

If you're lucky

Anyone would think that those of us who have actually been through the process know more about it than those who have just read goady articles in the Daily Mail 😏.

My son was diagnosed by a very senior NHS consultant. We had to provide a lot of evidence and submit various questionnaires by myself and him before she would consider assessing him. Assessments were in person and and your GP can only make a referral based on what you tell them, but they can't do the assessment and the assessment is subject to evidence.

Oh they know but are intent on whipping up a witch hunt against ND children. It’s vile.

As they should be. And that's why one size doesn't fit all and why we need more specialist schools.

I think the point is they didn't cause so much disription

Wow. So you're prejudiced against all people who are neurodivergent then. How lovely

I’ve had exactly the same with someone I have recently employed onto my team. As soon as it was apparent she was incapable of spelling, writing a coherent email, using correct grammar she disclosed that she thought she might be dyslexic. Then, when she was repeatedly turning up slightly late to work she felt that she may be neurodivergent, after all she was always tired, even after sleeping a solid 8 hours.
She is constantly half asleep, yawning all day which affects her concentration and her ability to understand written and spoken sentences.
I lost my cool a little last week and said ‘come on, wake up’ and she wailed that she was ‘sick’ when I asked what is the matter - she’s tired and doesn’t think straight. Her thoughts immediately turned to her being ND though, she’s not daft, she knows it’s protected.

Do you know how much specialist schools cost? And not all children belong in specialist schools. Many can manage and are better suited in mainstream.

I didn't take it as offensive at all, don't worry. But it's nice of you to reply that way.

I hereby diagnose you with rejection sensitivity dysphoria, to make the OP happy too.

I know!!! Just appalling.