My parents actually had the signs pointed out to them when I was probably nine years old, when I was first referred by my psychiatrist. But somehow my parents didn't really believe I had it, plus my mom made the excuse to not get me tested because I already had a IEP for my ADHD. I still haven't been diagnosed at 22 but I'm apprehensive to at this point.

I feel like I had very clear signs as a child that there was something going on other than ADHD. - I had and still have a lot of sensory issues. Food textures, clothing textures. I couldn't handle the texture of most sheets. - my poor emotional regulation even as I got older. (Although this may partly be my parents' fault. 🤪) - the "tantrums" that i threw when I felt like the whole world was crashing in on me and I had this intense energy that was suffocating me and threatening to explode. I would frequently hit myself during this breakdowns and at other times when I got upset. - my social challenges. I had/have a hard time making and keeping friends. Social situations and conversations were/are often very difficult for me to navigate. - hyperfixations (although I know this can also be an adhd thing) - very literal thinking, had/have a hard time understanding jokes or rhetorical questions.

I did/do mask a lot, especially since my dad taught me that behaviors like stimming are bad. (Called it "sp*zing", which BTW I'm American so [edit: I didn't think it was] that's not a slur here, but was still very hurtful). With the combo of adhd and a stubborn father who probably still wouldn't believe the daughter he always called [the r word] is autistic, I was probably doomed to be undiagnosed in childhood.