What is neurodiversity?
Certain developmental conditions are normal variations in the brain – think difference, not deficit. Neurotypical is the term given to the way the majority of people see, feel and interact with the world. Neurodivergence is an umbrella term encompassing many conditions including but not limited to: Autism, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, dyslexia & dyscalculia. The goal at ND Matters is Neurodiversity – Embracing all neurotypes to live, work and support each other.
Language
Lots of people use the term ‘neurodiverse’ to describe themselves, or use ‘neurodiverse and ‘neurodivergent’ interchangeably. To many this is confusing. Here’s why:
A neurodivergent person is someone who is not neurotypical i.e. a person with ADHD, Tourette’s, dyslexia, autistic etc.
‘That person is neurodivergent’.
A neurodivergent group is a group of people with different neurodivergences but no neurotypicals.
‘That is a group of neurodivergent people’
Neurodiversity/neurodiverse – A group of people including neurotypical and neurodivergent people.
‘That is a neurodiverse group of people’.
Only a group of people can be neurodiverse not an individual
Spikey Profiles
Sometimes when people think about someone being autistic, they might imagine the autistic spectrum to be linear with “Not very autistic” and one end and “very autistic” at the other. This view is quite outdated and doesn’t regard a person’s strengths and needs. A more holistic way of viewing someone’s individual profile is by thinking about the autistic spectrum as a circle divided into segments. Each segment represents a different area of the diagnostic criteria. When the levels from each segment join up it creates a spikey profile like this.
It’s important to remember that no two autistic people are the same so just because you have worked with an autistic person in the past, that doesn’t mean you will know the next persons strengths and needs. It’s really important to ask.