Anybody here diagnosed in childhood (under 16)?

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So many adults here seem to be undiagnosed, awaiting a diagnosis, just been diagnosed or were diagnosed in adulthood. It makes me feel like the only one who received a diagnosis in childhood. I was only 8 and a half when I got diagnosed, even though I am female and only have mild Asperger's, with no speech delays in early childhood.

Anybody else the same who got diagnosed as a child? How did it make you feel? Do you feel your social life would have been better if you didn't have a label?

I do think those that were diagnosed in adulthood outnumber those that were diagnosed in childhood, even in my age range. I'd like to talk to others who were diagnosed since childhood.

I wasn't diagnosed as a child, but it's been suspected since I was 4-6 and I've been assessed twice (once in 2006/2007 and once in 2017). I also went to special ed. for issues that were obviously more than just "ADHD" that included speech issues, motor skill issues, etc. I was told about the fact that my parents think I have Asperger's like my brother since around 11.

When I first found that out I didn't fully get what autism/Asperger's was, and after looking up stuff about it I was frustrated and didn't like being told I could have that, since I thought that it meant I had something wrong with me. I'm also not sure if I would have preferred to have been diagnosed when I was first assessed.

My social life suffered even without a label, and probably even more so since I didn't have a "reason" to seem so weird to other kids and adults. I noticed sometimes kids and adults were more lenient to kids with my issues that had an autism diagnosis, even though they weren't treated perfectly fine either.

I was diagnosed in 6th grade.

I thought that the "diagnosed in childhood" set were the majority here.

I was really young when I was diagnosed. I was in special education from the time I was 7 to the time I was 18.

I was diagnosed when I was about 3.

I'm.
Assessment started by age 10 and ended somewhere around age 14.

I already have all the signs long before age 5. I could've been diagnosed much earlier.

It's my parents -- they're too clueless about that. I could say the same around me at school and anywhere I had gone to.

It took a random visit from an observing trained professional, which is in 5th grade.


My social life is no different whether or not I have any label. I never turned asocial -- it's what I've always been.

I only truly suffered in puberty mostly emotionally than socially. I hate hormones and I don't like annoying and loud teenagers of my then same age.

And my pride is what suffered the most -- because I lack control over my emotions; something I've been struggling for as long as I could remember.
It just escalated in teenage years.


The only reason I ever hated the diagnosis was out of sheer ignorance.
It was at least then associated with mentally disabled children with no sense or ability of independence.

My pride wouldn't ever allow that! And it definitely doesn't resemble me inside AND outside.
Until I found what aspergers meant instead. Until I understood it's a spectrum.


And if I have no label???
Children already gave 'insane' or 'crazy' -- adults already gave 'moody' and 'angry' way, way before I got diagnosed.
Sure, like that's any better than autistic when I was 10.

Adults are at least more accurate about me and my reactions, but that's not the point of what I experience at all.
But my pride fancies 'special'...

I would've easily been one of those misdiagnosed with other conditions.


As for services? There is no strict services. Likely because we can't afford it.
There's no special schools. And special classes in schools I've been into are outdated enough, it's more of an advance class.

My parents could barely afford tutor sessions that were recommended and it didn't lasts long because they can't afford it.

Let alone therapy or meds or anything beyond that.
They imagine special rooms for noises -- and they never thought of earplugs?? They're that clueless.

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Me, me! I'm not sure of the exact age, but I was already in school, yet younger than 10. Probably 9. I think that one of the reasons I got mine so early was the fact that I kept going to the doctor's all the time anyway due to a physical problem, so my behavior during those various visits (and during the months I spent in the hospital) drew the attention of various professionals.

I'm not sure if it was a good thing or not. On one hand, I feel like if my parents hadn't known there was a real reason I was the way I was, they might've pushed me harder to be normal, and maybe I would have become more normal if I'd felt like I had to work harder for it. But it's also possible that the said pressure would've been too much and I would've had a major burn out at some point and grown up to be even less normal than now.

But well, there is one thing that I most likely wouldn't have to deal with if I didn't have a diagnosis, or if I had it but my family didn't know: my family wouldn't use it as an acceptable reason to consider my opinion to be worth less than theirs. I remember one time I was talking with my half sister, I don't even remember about what, and we had a different opinion on something, so she said that "it's because you have that illness." As in, since I'm on the spectrum, it automatically makes my opinion to have less value??? Her and my mom basically use it as an excuse to belittle my opinions. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but it's interesting that those two are the ones in the family who are medical professionals...

The fact that I got a diagnosis so early also makes me feel like an outsider sometimes in our local support group, especially since I'm one of the few women who got it at a young age.

Despite having a diagnosis, my mum still pushed me to have friends and freaked out when I didn't. I think it's because she had a traumatic childhood (an alcoholic father who was aggressive, unpredictable and neurotic), and she was afraid of what other people thought. I don't know.

Also adults would often tell everyone that I had Asperger's, and as a child I felt like it defined me and it was too much for me. It's like people would introduce me to someone like "this is Joe90, who by the way has Asperger's syndrome". And I had no control over it because I was just a child.
Now I do have control over who knows and who doesn't, and I completely sweep it under the carpet in my offline life, but I spend most of my life worrying that somehow it's going to be revealed beyond my control.

Mom also pushed me to have friends.
She doesn't freak out -- at worst she just gets protective. Though but more like simply concerned that I might be lonely or something.

... Didn't get the message that I'm not interested and do not get 'lonely'.

Until I was around 16, she just stops and at least told the school to leave me be. Best decision ever -- seriously.


She's one of those super social people who's far, far and very far from anything that a stereotypical awkward person could ever relate to.
I'm glad she's not obsessively normal. Still clueless though.



And adults also kept telling anyone about my diagnosis.
Or that I'm somewhat different -- hinting my traits here and there.

I had explicitly told my mom, over and over again to not to tell my diagnosis. She'd do it when I turn on my back. Adults knew -- but they will be quiet about it.
They don't listen that my hearing is good.

At least they all knew better.
"Yes, I like chocolates preferably dark and luxurious ones." "Yes, I'm moody and probably don't even reply or look at you 100% at the time." "Yes, I'm usually into tech and arts and I'll take 'em without further comment, thanks."

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