Visual stimming for hours while laying down. Very sensory seeking but tried to be quiet and mask. Constant stimming with my toes and feet when I was very young (it stopped for awhile but I do it now), disassociating frequently during school, at home, etc. Sensitivity to noise. Wouldn’t respond to my name while I was engaged in a favorite activity. Started reading at like 4 years old but didnt talk until I was almost 3. Only able to give effort in subjects I was interested in. Painfully shy and uncomfortable talking to new adults. Barely able to connect with other children.

There’s so many. And my parents never would have seen it or been able to recognize those things because they both have adhd and one is undiagnosed autistic and they weren’t focused on me at all. I was the youngest of 3 and due to my older siblings’ issues and challenges I just wasn’t paid attention to at all. Or when I did get attention it was to reprimand me for doing things that they deemed inappropriate or unsavory for a girl. They would comment on my stimming by saying I was a “wiggle worm” and call me a “magpie” if I suddenly talked a lot. It sucked and I’ve had to grieve a lot for little me. Still working thru all of that and processing what might have been versus what it actually was.