Neurodiversity

Lathyrus3

It wasnt meant to be dismissive at all Grannygravy. Honestly.

I mean just like an umbrella term “cancer” wouldn’t be at all helpful to the individual patient in determining support and treatment, I don’t think ‘neuro-diverse’ is helpful to the individuals affected either.

I hope that’s clearer what I meant.

Do you think all umbrella terms are unhelpful?

Being diagnosed as neurodivergent is extremely helpful to children of school age.

In some, not all cases they get a statement which ensures (or should) that they get educated in an environment the child can navigate and understand.

When you are asked by a five year old, am I different or when reaching senior school the tormenting, bullying and physical assaults they endure on a daily basis. Then they struggle with puberty and a feeling of alienation from their peers and the outside world.

I am pleased that these children and adults are finally being recognised and getting the help and hopefully the understanding of others.

Basgetti

At 61, I suspect I have discalculia. Growing up, it was a source of great embarrassment. I had one fantastic teacher, Miss Hall, who arranged for me to take an arithmetic exam, which I just about scraped through, so I had some sort of numerical qualification. Other teachers clearly just decided I was thick.

That never made sense to me. I excelled at other subjects, English, History. Sciences were a no-no.

I was awarded national first place in the RSA stage III English category at college. Miss Hall came to the ceremony 😊

So have I. I’m 80 and I came across an article when I was in my 30s.
It’s a constant form of amusement in the family as they maths all maths geniuses.
It wasn’t always funny.
In my last year of juniors the teacher teaching maths got so angry at my inability to grasp maths he hit me so hard round the head my glasses went flying. Those were the days when they employed sadists.
Unbeknown to me my mother got to hear of the assault.
Afternoon session had started and in comes my mother.
Lots of verbal from her and then she grabbed his shirt and whacked him one round the head.
I was just grateful that it wasn’t my father. He would have killed him. I’m not exaggerating.
A couple of years later we heard that this sadist had assaulted a child so badly he was sent to prison.

It wasnt meant to be dismissive at all Grannygravy. Honestly.

I mean just like an umbrella term “cancer” wouldn’t be at all helpful to the individual patient in determining support and treatment, I don’t think ‘neuro-diverse’ is helpful to the individuals affected either.

I hope that’s clearer what I meant.

At 61, I suspect I have discalculia. Growing up, it was a source of great embarrassment. I had one fantastic teacher, Miss Hall, who arranged for me to take an arithmetic exam, which I just about scraped through, so I had some sort of numerical qualification. Other teachers clearly just decided I was thick.

That never made sense to me. I excelled at other subjects, English, History. Sciences were a no-no.

I was awarded national first place in the RSA stage III English category at college. Miss Hall came to the ceremony 😊

Neurodiverse is an umbrella term Lathyrus

Just like Orthopaedics, Obstetrics, Cardiology and even Cancer are umbrella terms.

We have a high function autistic GC, their everyday life struggles are enormous, we have a GC with dyspraxia they have different challenges, but they are still challenges.

We also have immediate family with ADHD, they also have hurdles (sometimes mountains) to climb each day.

I find the dismissive comments by yourself and others on this thread really hurtful.

Would you dismiss someone’s pain with a broken leg, appendicitis etc.?

I don’t think the all encompassing term of “neuro-diverse” is at all helpful actually.

Diverse is a judgement based on the idea of a norm. So going back to the original post, who makes the judgement that going from one interest to another in a short space of time is “diverse” and not normal.

Increasingly short attention span and multiple tasking is becoming the “norm” in work and social settings. Soon it will be an essential of functioning effectively in everyday life and the person that needs time to focus on one element will be the diverse one that is at a disadvantage.

I think diagnoses should focus on the specific eg dyslexia, dyspraxia not the meaningless term of neuro-diverse.

BlueBelle, do you have research based evidence to support your claim of over diagnosis? Im retired so not up to date but im relieved three of my grandchildren have been recognised as neurodiverse. It’s supporting school but also parents . My mantra working with children and families was ‘some children are easier to bring up than others ‘

I wish the parents if one forty year old family members had recognised adhd/dyslexia and more in their little boy. Their punitive approach didn’t help him or them

GrannyGravy13

Neurodivergence is not rubbish

No not at all. We have a GD diagnosed with autism, it isn’t just a fashion or trend she really struggles on a day to day basis and her diagnosis has made a big difference to her experiences at school, previously our DiL was thinking of home schooling. I my day when I was at school children with learning difficulties due to neurodivergence were labelled as backward or trouble makers, I think the labels we use today are far more positive.

Neurodivergence is not rubbish

Unfortunately there is a lot of over diagnosis The NHS has been so overwhelmed and they do strenuous testing over a period of time lasting weeks or more, hence the long waiting list This work is now outsourced to private companies through GPs ( still NHS) who do very limited tests probably 2 hours, some online even, and are being diagnosed as Neurodiverse We are all different and I m sure most of us could tick many boxes
I m not taking away from those who need the help just saying it is being over diagnosed in many who do not need a diagnosis

Gran22boys, diagnosing is not rubbish. We accept that physical health problems can be diagnosed and treated, why not mental health problems?

Gran22boys

I think it’s rubbish. Everyone is different. We just like to label people these days.

No, it isn't rubbish. Have you any experience of dyslexia?. ADHD was recognised and defined in the first decade of the 20th century, dyspraxia, and other problems were recognised in the 1970s. What does puzzle me is the way that neurodiversity has suddenly hit the headlines. It also concerns me.

I saw an article recently that said some parents actualy want one of their children to be diagnosed as neurodiverse, so that they can be one of the in-crowd. I do suspect now, and others better ualified and more knowledgable than me, have also said it, that there is now an element of over diagnosis occurring, especially of ADHD

Gran22boys, what is the difference between a label and a diagnosis? Would you refuse a diagnosis if you had cancer because you would be labelled by it?

I think Neurodiverse the new normal. Why does everyone have to have a label, we are all different.

I think it’s rubbish. Everyone is different. We just like to label people these days.

Iam64

I’m from a family with a number of neuro diverse individuals,
Its good to see adhd, ASD , dyslexia and more recognised,

I completely agree. I found having an explanation for my differences was such a relief. For example, to have an understanding of why my handwriting was so bad, despite my many and freuent efforts to improve it.

M0nica

dogsmother

I’d love to have been recognised when a child as ADHD. I was never particularly naughty or slow to learn in fact probably smart passing 11+. But impulsive, sidetracked easily in fact so many relative things. I’m aware that now it’s linked with being double jointed, migraine and so much more.
I don’t want meds now however but I do recognise I need help sometimes. But luckily have a wonderful partner who gets me.
It’s just that life could have been so much h easier.

Yes, I agree, I would be very reluctant to be medicated for ADHD or to have my choldren medicated, but over the years I have developed various strategies to cope with the problems ADHD can cause and I think far more effort should be put into helping children live with their diversity, sttrengthen their weaknesses and play to their strengths.

I'm content I wasn't medicated when I was young.

My much younger brother was medicated for some exams (far after University). He disliked the feelings caused by the tablets, but he persevered, did well on his exams.

I’m from a family with a number of neuro diverse individuals,
Its good to see adhd, ASD , dyslexia and more recognised,

winterwhite

But is there not in any case an increase in neurodiversity that deserves examination? I can't recall anyone being thought odder or weirder than anyone else when I was a child/at school.

You weren't at school with me, then!

GrannyGravy13

We have neurodiverse family members, diagnoses, in most situations help navigate their school years.

In our experience there are still senior school teachers who either have little knowledge, experience or emotional maturity when dealing with neurodivergent students.

I can relate to the teachers.
When my grandson was about 5 ( in 2011) we realised something was wrong. His reaction to extreme unexpected noise, smells which was very upsetting to witness.
At this time there was no information on uk sites only info from America where it had a name: sensory deprivation disorder.
We found a private clinic where he was diagnosed with the condition.
Then me and my daughter had to explain it to his teacher.
I’ll never forget her face: she actually rolled her eyes at us 😡

dogsmother

I’d love to have been recognised when a child as ADHD. I was never particularly naughty or slow to learn in fact probably smart passing 11+. But impulsive, sidetracked easily in fact so many relative things. I’m aware that now it’s linked with being double jointed, migraine and so much more.
I don’t want meds now however but I do recognise I need help sometimes. But luckily have a wonderful partner who gets me.
It’s just that life could have been so much h easier.

Yes, I agree, I would be very reluctant to be medicated for ADHD or to have my choldren medicated, but over the years I have developed various strategies to cope with the problems ADHD can cause and I think far more effort should be put into helping children live with their diversity, sttrengthen their weaknesses and play to their strengths.

I'm a happy soul, I assumed everyone else was odd.

Because, to me, they were.

All my siblings? Odd. Other girls at school? Odd.

Sorted.

I’d love to have been recognised when a child as ADHD. I was never particularly naughty or slow to learn in fact probably smart passing 11+. But impulsive, sidetracked easily in fact so many relative things. I’m aware that now it’s linked with being double jointed, migraine and so much more.
I don’t want meds now however but I do recognise I need help sometimes. But luckily have a wonderful partner who gets me.
It’s just that life could have been so much h easier.

winterwhite

But is there not in any case an increase in neurodiversity that deserves examination? I can't recall anyone being thought odder or weirder than anyone else when I was a child/at school.

Well.I certainly was considered 'odd' when I was at school. By teachers, by other girls, by family. One of my teachers once uoted Aristotle to me'Never genius without tincture of madness.

No I am certainly not a genius, but it was the 'tincture of madness', as it was seen, that separated me out from the others. I found other children confusing, I didn't understand how they thought or acted and I didn't understand why they did nto share my enthusiasms for various subjects. One of my mother's friends was really surprised when I got married, she saw me as 'odd', so obviously no one would want to marry me.

There were other 'odd' children at school, who did not fit in including at least one who I think had ADHD.

My concern is how you define someone as "normal" so you can use that as a base to decide what is not "normal".
Looking at my friends we are all very different in the things we are good at and how we cope with different situations and life in general. Perhaps only one is us is "normal" but which one?
Perhaps those who of you who have been diagnosed as neurodivergent are how all of us "should" be.

Lathyrus3

Honestly, I don’t understand why getting into something, pursuing it to the highest level you can and then moving on to something new is neuro-diverse.

That’s what Ive done all my life and I think I’m quite ordinary.

I'm starting a new group for people who are Undiverse.

Send me some nail clippings and £100 to find out if you qualify.