On September 13, 1982, in a town called Rugby located in Warwickshire, England, Sue Prince gave birth to her third child. Right from the start, Sue knew her daughter Gemma was different. With her first two kids, Nikki and Neil, they were like most children, eager to push boundaries and establish their independence.
For Gemma, however, she was a little more clingy. She also seemed to struggle to process things, like personal hygiene habits and social cues. It was the daily battle between Sue and her daughter to get her to complete tasks that many of us see as simple.
Things like brushing your teeth, showering regularly, and even brushing your hair. These were monumental tasks for Gemma to do. As Gemma continued to grow and develop, Sue also noticed some differences in her physical appearance as well.
Whenever Sue consulted medical professionals, none of them could agree on Gemma's diagnosis. As a child, some speculated she was on the autism spectrum, others said she had Down's syndrome.
At 18, Gemma was diagnosed with autism. Later, she tested again and doctors concluded that she didn't have autism, instead, they diagnosed her with conduct disorder, which is a behavioral disorder characterized by a disregard for basic social standards and norms.
