Diagnosed with ADHD as a child, but she didn’t find out until college (Atira’s story)

When Atira Roberson was in first grade, she was evaluated and diagnosed with ADHD, dyscalculia, and a specific learning disability. But she didn’t find out about those diagnoses until college — when she went through all of her old paperwork herself. 

Growing up, Atira knew she was different and was bullied because of it. Her mother was her biggest advocate, but her parents chose not to tell her about her diagnoses at the time. 

In this episode, Atira — now an English language arts teacher — shares how learning the truth changed the way she saw herself, and how it shaped her passion for teaching and education policy today.

For more on this topic: 

• Why Black girls with learning disabilities need more visibility, from the Opportunity Gap podcast
• To be Black in America with a learning disability, by Atira Roberson
• What are learning disabilities?

For a transcript and more resources, visit ADHD Aha! on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

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