Sometimes I think like you do and that I might have dodged a bullet. I have both an ADHD and an autism diagnosis but I grew up in the 90s when autism was something completely different than it was now and ADHD was new. I was obviously struggling in grade school beyond just the coursework and my 6th grade teacher knew this, and requested they put me in special education. My parents took it to the school board and got them to put me back into standard classes. They just wanted me to be a "normal" child even tho they knew I was also struggling with the gender I was assigned. I lay awake at night and think what would have happened if I ended up in those classes instead of standard ones. Like could it have saved me from being thrown into a half way house at 17 by a judge that saw I had no human training, and was basically an animal? Who knows really. I dont think there is a real answer.
Sometimes I think like you do and that I might have dodged a bullet. I have both an ADHD and an autism diagnosis but I grew up in the 90s when autism was something completely different than it was now and ADHD was new. I was obviously struggling in grade school beyond just the coursework and my 6th grade teacher knew this, and requested they put me in special education. My parents took it to the school board and got them to put me back into standard classes. They just wanted me to be a "normal" child even tho they knew I was also struggling with the gender I was assigned. I lay awake at night and think what would have happened if I ended up in those classes instead of standard ones. Like could it have saved me from being thrown into a half way house at 17 by a judge that saw I had no human training, and was basically an animal? Who knows really. I dont think there is a real answer.