They Were Always Here: Why Awareness Isn’t the Same as Over-Diagnosis
Every few months, a new headline appears:
“Record rise in ADHD and autism diagnoses.”
“Are too many children being labelled?”
“Is this the age of over-diagnosis?”
The conversation always sounds the same, a mix of alarm, scepticism, and misunderstanding. It’s presented as if neurodivergence is a sudden modern phenomenon, a wave of labels washing over a generation.
But here’s the truth:
✨ Neurodivergence isn’t new. Awareness is.
These children, these adults, they’ve always been here. We just didn’t have the language, the knowledge, or the will to see them.
The Telescope Analogy
Think of it like this:
Stars don’t suddenly appear when you buy a telescope.
You just finally see what was always there.
For decades, our systems; education, healthcare, and even society, didn’t have that telescope.
The “quiet daydreamers” in the back of the class were called lazy.
The “disruptive” children were punished instead of supported.
The anxious, overwhelmed pupils were told to try harder or stop being dramatic.
We didn’t see neurodivergence because we weren’t looking for it.
Now, we have the tools, the awareness, and the courage to notice differencenot, as a problem, but as part of the human spectrum.
That’s not an epidemic. That’s progress.
What’s Really Behind the “Rise” in Diagnoses
When statistics show more children and adults being identified with ADHD or autism, it’s not because there are suddenly more neurodivergent people in the world. It’s because:
We’re finally noticing what we missed.
Particularly in girls, women, and ethnic minorities, groups historically under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed.Assessment criteria and awareness have improved.
Schools and GPs are better equipped to recognise subtle presentations and masking behaviours.Stigma is (slowly) reducing.
Families feel safer seeking assessments without fear of blame or judgement.Mental health and neurodevelopment are being better understood.
What once got dismissed as “bad behaviour” or “poor parenting” is now recognised as unmet need.
So yes, numbers are going up, but that’s not over-diagnosis. That’s decades of under-diagnosis catching up.
The Real Problem: Overlooking People
When people complain about “too many labels,” what they often mean is that they’re uncomfortable with difference.
But those labels aren’t limiting, they’re liberating.
For a child who finally understands why school feels overwhelming.
For a teenager who realises they’re not broken, just wired differently.
For a parent who can finally explain their child’s needs without being dismissed.
It’s not the label that causes harm; it’s the lack of support that comes after it.
Every missed diagnosis represents a child who went without help, a family who felt unheard, or an adult who grew up believing they were failing at life.
That’s the real crisis.
Awareness Brings Accountability
Awareness isn’t a trend. It’s a form of accountability.
It forces schools, professionals, and policymakers to face what was once hidden, and that can be uncomfortable. Because seeing the true scale of need means confronting how little support currently exists.
When one in five children in a classroom has additional needs, it’s not an anomaly. It’s a signal that education must evolve.
And that’s what many people resist. Not because they don’t care, but because acknowledging neurodiversity means admitting that our systems were built for a narrow definition of “normal”, one that never really existed.
Our View at edvocat
At edvocat, we don’t see the rise in diagnoses as a problem to fix. We see it as a long-overdue correction on,e that’s giving children and families the validation, understanding, and support they’ve always deserved.
Awareness means:
Fewer children punished for behaviours they can’t control.
More adults finding peace in understanding themselves.
Schools rethinking what inclusion really means.
And yet, awareness alone isn’t enough.
It has to lead to action:
Proper funding for assessment and support.
Training for teachers who want to help but lack resources.
Systems that meet children where they are, not where they’re expected to be.
Because recognising difference is only the beginning. Valuing it, that’s where real change happens.
Final Thoughts
When we look up at the night sky, we don’t question whether the stars suddenly appeared. We understand they’ve always been there, waiting for us to see them.
The same is true of neurodivergence. These children, these families, these adults, they’re not new. They’ve simply stepped out of the shadows of misunderstanding.
Awareness isn’t the cause of a problem. It’s the beginning of a solution.
💙 They were always here.
Now, we see them.
