“My name is Dakota. I’m 9 years old, I’ve been waiting to be assessed for ADHD and autism for almost two years. I love school but I feel stupid because I can’t do what my teachers expect me to do. I don’t fit in the box that I’m expected to fit in.”
That’s what Swansea schoolgirl Dakota Mitchell said when asked about how she’s finding school. In class, Dakota often gets distracted and finds herself fidgeting and moving around the classroom - which her teachers and parents believe is her way of regulating her emotions. She loves her after-school activities, especially dancing, but often feels anxious and like she can hear 40 different voices speaking all at once – all at “volume 100”.
The bright and talented year four pupil has been exhibiting signs of ADHD and autism for more than two years, but is still waiting for an official assessment. An assessment would likely give her a diagnosis, which would mean Dakota would be able to be prescribed medication to help her manage her ADHD and would make it much easier for her to acquire provisions for school and home that can help her manage her autism.
