← Back to CalendarJuly 14
Late Diagnosis Awareness Day
A day raising awareness of the experience of being diagnosed autistic in adulthood. Many people diagnosed late, particularly women, gender-diverse people, and people from marginalized communities, were missed by diagnostic tools whose core descriptions were derived from samples of children who were predominantly White and male.
History
We mark July 14 as a day for people diagnosed autistic in adulthood. A 2017 meta-analysis found that girls who meet criteria for autism are at disproportionate risk of not receiving a clinical diagnosis. The late diagnosis experience, with its mix of relief, grief, anger, and clarity, has gained significant visibility through social media and first-person accounts.
How to Participate
- →Learn why late diagnosis happens and who is most likely to be missed
- →Support adults pursuing late diagnosis, it is valid and meaningful at any age
- →Read first-person accounts of late diagnosis experiences
- →Advocate for diagnostic services that recognize autism across genders, races, and ages
- →Connect with late-diagnosed autistic communities online
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