Irish model Alannah Beirne has revealed that she was tormented at school because she has Auditory Processing Disorder.
The Kildare native is taking part in the new season of Britain’s Next Top Model, which is fronted by catwalk star Abbey Clancy.
“I have APD – Auditory Processing Disorder – so I was a bit slow to respond,” she said.
Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD, is a hearing problem that affects about 5% of school-aged children and they can’t process what they hear in the same way other kids do because their ears and brain don’t fully coordinate.
APD: Alannah revealed she was tormented in school because she has APD | VIPIRELAND.COM
Speaking about her time in school, the 22-year-old said she’ll have the last laugh against the girls who bullied her for.
“I will expect those girls to get in contact and you know what, I’m the kind of person that it’s in the past and I forgive and I forget,” she told the Irish Mirror.
“What happened to me when I was younger happens to a lot of kids.
“Now I’m older I’m like, ‘I’m over it’ but at that time, when you are that age, getting bullied and feeling those horrible feelings – you literally feel worthless.
“So if those girls do get in contact, it will be a case of, ‘Look at me now.'”
School: The model revealed that teachers weren’t understanding of her APD either | VIPIRELAND.COM
Alannah admitted that it wasn’t just girls the same age as her who gave her hassle but teachers in school as well.
“Even teachers didn’t make me feel better. They’d ask me a question and say, ‘Alannah, you’re taking so long to respond’ or ‘Hurry up, what’s the answer?’ “I would take a bit longer than the rest of the class and it would really upset me when even teachers, not only kids, were not really being nice.
“Teachers are supposed to support you and maybe give you that little extra bit of time.
“I was very insecure. It was difficult but now I’ve grown up and matured and I don’t take any crap now grown from anyone,” she added.
