When I was eight, I transferred from a predominantly Chinese American school to one where I was one of the handful of Asian students and the only Chinese student in my grade. Like most kids, I suffered from the first day of school jitters. However, unlike most of my peers, the discomfort didn’t fade as the year progressed.

The topic of my race would frequently come up when I interacted with people at school. I quickly learned that responding to “Where are you from?” with “I was born in New York” was not the answer my classmates were seeking. Peers commented on my distinct eyes. Typical household breakfast items like pork buns or egg custard were considered ‘weird’ once I was outside my home. I realised I wasn’t just being judged as the new girl in school. My self-consciousness towards my perceived differences led me to believe I needed to change. To that end, I pushed away my culture and became extremely shy. To me, the closest option to fitting in was being invisible.

In the middle of my first year there, my teacher referred me to the school’s English as a second language coordinator. For weeks, during my usual reading period, the two of us met in a small room where I would read aloud Junie B. Jones And The Stupid Smelly Bus and summarise the events of each chapter. At the end of our time together, the coordinator gave me the book with “You are a smart girl so let your teacher see how smart you are!” inscribed in it. It took me years to realise I was in that room because my teacher questioned my English language ability. After returning to regular class, I continued to struggle. Now I question if my ADHD was misread because I’m Chinese American. If I weren’t Asian, would I have been diagnosed earlier?

A recent study showed significant racial disparities in ADHD diagnosis with Asian American children the least likely to be diagnosed. In researching my diagnosis, I found few research studies examining the impact of ADHD on Asian Americans.

“As an Asian woman, I thought I didn’t fit the image of what someone with ADHD looks like”