The neurospicies are on the rise. I can’t help feeling that estimates that 15% of the population is neurodiverse is an underestimate. Heads and teaching staff I know put the number of kids presenting with strong neurodiverse traits, diagnoses, and needs recognised on the SEND register in their classrooms as being around a fifth to a quarter of their pupils. Healthcare and school systems are getting much better at noticing neurodiversity in childhood, if not actually providing suitable adaptations and meeting needs once children get diagnosed.
But for adults, many struggle through life having been missed in more ignorant eras. And as general awareness rises, so do the number of adults seeking later life confirmation of neurodiversity. Which leads me to the question – are we playing catch up with diagnoses? Are the population figures actually much, much higher across all age groups, but undiagnosed?
Which makes it incomprehensible that the North Yorkshire and York Health and Care Partnership is removing access to autism and ADHD assessment and diagnoses for adults.
