New RTÉ documentary explores late autism diagnosis in Ireland

A new documentary titled Neurodivergence: The Making of Me will be shown on RTÉ One tonight, focusing on people who received an autism diagnosis later in life.

The programme features 19‑year‑old Saraid from Co Kilkenny, who struggled socially at school and during the transition to university. She told Lunchtime Live that she and her family did not recognise her feelings and behaviours as autism symptoms until her mid‑teens.

Saraid described early difficulties making friends, understanding social cues and experiencing bullying. By fifth class she felt anxious about attending school, often returning home exhausted and feeling she was “acting the entire time”.

When she was 14 or 15, her mother read an article about a woman with autism whose description matched Saraid’s experience. After her mother’s observation, Saraid was placed on a waiting list and received a formal diagnosis about a year and a half later.

Following the diagnosis, Saraid said she has been kinder to herself and can now support herself rather than fighting her differences. She called for greater awareness and more diverse representation of autism in the media to foster compassion and better support.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Marshal Yung / Pexels.