I've been teaching a long time, and over that time have seen an explosion in the diagnosis of nd children. In that respect, I've found it easier to deal with ds, even though he doesn't yet have a dx. However, it also meant that I possibly waited too long to get the ball rolling, because after ever send course, I tend to come home and diagnose my family, so i ignored the glaring signs. Except, in this case, the more I've learned about asd and adhd and add, the more I started to think ds did actually hit them.
If it's any comfort, most kids with a dx are usually pretty accepting of it. There will some who refuse any modifications or extra attention, but the vast majority are relieved that they don't have to struggle as much, although obviously, they present in a whole range of ways.
I have thought about my own childhood and hpw it took me a while to work out how to interact in a 'normal' way and various other things. I also discovered (on another course!), that what my mum called 'pulling those faces' is actually a tic. I had only ever thought of verbal tics, but I have physical one (my face kind of quirks up or I need to open my eyes really wide for a second) and an aspirated one, where I have to do a sort of breathing pattern. As an adult, I can control them around people, but then tic like mad when I'm alone.
Thinking about the tic and the release it brings me has made me more empathetic to when ds has, yet again, done something unfathomable and doesn't know why. I try and try to help him to understand, but ultimately, I'm just a teacher with some knowledge (and his mum), so I think he'll listen more to a professional.