if you’re an adult that works with kids of any age do me two quick favors:
- learn the symptoms of adhd and autism and their presentation in all genders. you dont have to be an expert, just know a bit about it beyond popular knowledge.
- learn to recognize signs a kid is being abused in any way. beyond bruises and black eyes. learn to recognize the fearful apologies and hesitation. do some research.
do me these two favors and save tens of lives.
that’s no exageration either. after teaching my mom basics about mental disorders, she started spotting neurodivergent kids in her classrooms and helped them get help. almost every child she’s helped has been diagnosed with the disorder she predicted and none of them would have been diagnosed at a young age without her help. knowing this stuff matters.
learn. save lives. don’t make kids grow up in fear of their symptoms and family.
it would have literally changed my life (and possibly saved my childhood) if any of my teachers had had this training.
i cannot overstate the importance of this.