Neurodiversity

Sar53 my daughter doesn’t need these types of things. She did need a very simple reasonable adjustment, which I had to fight tooth and nail for and a uniform adaptation that I eventually found someone willing to make.

She needed a particular type of therapy that isn’t available on the NHS in our area. She has managed to muddle her way through though without it. I will be glad when she’s finished secondary.

The same for our granddaughter Sar53 it did and is a really practical help.

PaperMonster2, my daughter and SIL didn't want my DGD 'labelled' but by getting a diagnosis she did get a lot of help at school when doing her GCSE's. Extra time, rest breaks and a small room to do the exams in.
She passed them all which she would not have done had she not had a diagnosis.
Her school have a very good SEN department and are very nurturing to those that are 'different'.
She is now at college and will have the same provisions when she does her final exams.
I understand that not every school, college make the same provision for their pupils.

GrannyGravy13 - we pursued a diagnosis of autism for my daughter on the advice of school as they suggested that would be the way to get help for her. There is no help. It was a waste of time. We’ve muddled through on our own and as the diagnosis is meaningless for her really, she doesn’t want it to be disclosed.

petra 👍🏻 our GC is a computer wiz

M0nica

If you argue with neurodiverse what about cancer? This word is generic to a huge range of illnesses, with a wide range of causes (or none) many different forms and prognosese and can be trivial or fatal. Yet I have yet to meet anyone who complained that the one term covered too big and variable a disease group.

Indeed.

Neurodiverse also seems to be generic to a wide range of conditions. I don't know people with many of the conditions (or not aware), however I think we need as much knowledge as possible.

I believe that in the world we have coming down the line these children will come into their own.
If you take my daughter as an example ( she tests the programs that web developers build,
99% of the people in her team are neurodiverse.
I’m very involved in the life of my young friends son. He is autistic, he attends a specialist school. He is scarily good at busting into computers without a password ( age 10)

If you argue with neurodiverse what about cancer? This word is generic to a huge range of illnesses, with a wide range of causes (or none) many different forms and prognosese and can be trivial or fatal. Yet I have yet to meet anyone who complained that the one term covered too big and variable a disease group.

Norah

GrannyGravy13

Oops posted to soon,

Lathyrus the diagnosis is not your child is neurodiverse it will be your child is autistic, has dyspraxia, ADHD…

Correct.

I have ADD, my brother also. We are neurodiverse, just a word.

We're all different in many ways, some accomodations may be needed for some of us. I believe it's wonderful people can be helped.

My family has a number of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, adhd, dyslexia, dispraxia and more.

One ten year old, diagnosed dyslexic, feeling sad and anxious at their inability to keep up at school. The Senco spent time, named three teachers at the school and several celebs the child would know, as dyslexic. Result, child feels heard and supported. More importantly heard the message that they aren’t “thick” , their brain is exceptional at some things but finds some things more of a challenge

GrannyGravy13

Oops posted to soon,

Lathyrus the diagnosis is not your child is neurodiverse it will be your child is autistic, has dyspraxia, ADHD…

Correct.

I have ADD, my brother also. We are neurodiverse, just a word.

We're all different in many ways, some accomodations may be needed for some of us. I believe it's wonderful people can be helped.

According to the FA coaching guides 1 in 5 are neurodiverse. I think this is useful to know how being neurodiverse is not unique and how we can help in communicating with each other.

The word neurodiverse is used to describe a wide range of problems because the symptoms and associated behaviours and traits are the result of a person’s brain developing differently during the key stages of development before they were born or as a very young child.

These very different problems are united by a common cause.

Oops posted to soon,

Lathyrus the diagnosis is not your child is neurodiverse it will be your child is autistic, has dyspraxia, ADHD…

Lathyrus3

I’m afraid I still see neuro-diverse” as too wide a term to actually be meaningful in terms of the needs of the individual.

Perhaps we are talking at cross purposes but I think you you said something similar when you referred to your grandchildren, one with dyspraxia, one with autism and the very different challenges they face.

That is my point really. They need their individual diagnoses that pinpoints the problems and the struggles.

When neuro diverse can mean their conditions and a host of other conditions
as well, what meaning does it actually hold, in practice.

I’m open to an explanation that will show how a such a wide umbrella diagnostic term is more effective than a specific diagnosis, but I can’t see it at the moment.

Personally I am glad that my child received support specific to his condition rather than just being labelled diverse.

Lathyrus currently any child once diagnosed as being neurodiverse get help according to their needs.

These needs vary from child to child and whether they are on the autism spectrum have ADHD, ADD or dyspraxia etc.

This is no different to seeing any other specialist you would not expect an orthopaedic surgeon to treat a broken leg when in fact it’s the arm which is broken. You wouldn’t expect gynaecologists to remove one’s ovaries when the problem is in your uterus.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Five out of my six grandchildren have labels. The waiting lists for help are so long that one will have left school before she gets any help.
When the first grandchild was diagnosed with autism her mother said she’d clearly inherited it from me. At sixty I realised there was a reason for my oddities, which caused so many problems when I was young.
My family is riddled with neurodivergence and divergence explains why we are all different.

I’m afraid I still see neuro-diverse” as too wide a term to actually be meaningful in terms of the needs of the individual.

Perhaps we are talking at cross purposes but I think you you said something similar when you referred to your grandchildren, one with dyspraxia, one with autism and the very different challenges they face.

That is my point really. They need their individual diagnoses that pinpoints the problems and the struggles.

When neuro diverse can mean their conditions and a host of other conditions
as well, what meaning does it actually hold, in practice.

I’m open to an explanation that will show how a such a wide umbrella diagnostic term is more effective than a specific diagnosis, but I can’t see it at the moment.

Personally I am glad that my child received support specific to his condition rather than just being labelled diverse.

Gran22boys

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

NO. Neurodiversity is not rubbish.

Yes, everyone is different. It's important to recognize diversity.

Yes, ADHD may be over diagnosed. Awareness is good.

My husband has a difficulty with numbers. Not dyscalculia. He's clever, understands his work, transposes the numbers. I review all numbers, make all bids. We can't afford to have him submit wrong bids.

I'm fortunate, ADD hasn't impacted me much. I can lose focus and waste time (GN when I should be cleaning) but I usually cope quite well.

Many people have conditions disrupting their life, diagnosis may be useful in managing and understanding their neurodiversity.

GrannyGravy13

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.?

Thanks for expressing this so clearly.

My family have been and are going through a hellish time with a struggling child, yet to be ‘labelled’ thanks.

No way would any of us chosen this situation.

Iam64

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

jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2778451

bjgp.org/content/73/733/358

GrannyGravy13

DancingDuck who and where are these parents who want to saddle their children with an unnecessary label?

There are plenty around otherwise there would not be so many diagnoses since it takes years to get assessed. If parents did not want the diagnosis then they would not put their children forward. There are several in my own extended family, who want a diagnosis so they can attribute their childs behaviors to a condition and also get the extra benefits associated.

GrannyGravy13

DancingDuck who and where are these parents who want to saddle their children with an unnecessary label?

There have been several reports about parents wanting children classified as neurally diverse, for benefits but also for the eclat it gives the parents able to hold pole position in their peer group because of this. You have only to read stories of the other things parents will do to their children to make them musical or maathematical geniuses to know that some parents are uite capable of 'saddling' a child with a neural diversity. Whether there is any truth in these reports, I do not know.

I am of the opposite persuasion, I think that while neurally diverse children may need some help in learning to live with their neural diversity, having them classified as being SEND, does not help, except in extreme cases.

Neural diversity is or has been present in at least 4 generations of my family. Two generations had to live with finding our own salvation. 2 have had some measure of recognition, but the problems have been dealt with without any special classification. and minimal adjustments by the school.

GG13 I agree with everything you say.

We have one DGD with a diagnosis of Autism and because of that diagnosis she was given immense help at senior school.
We have watched her struggles with isolation, lack of friendships and bullying.

We believe her younger sister has ADHD. She too is struggling but in a totally different way.

No one wants their child labelled but it does get them the help they need to navigate the world they live in.

DancingDuck who and where are these parents who want to saddle their children with an unnecessary label?

Everyone is neuro-diverse to some extent as no two people process things the same (I have a background in scientific research).
The difference is that now more complex conditions, such as ADHD, ASD etc are recognised and diagnosed.
There is no doubt these conditions did exist in times gone by/when we were of school age, but were not understood in the way they are today, they were sadly just dismissed as a bit 'slow' or 'naughty'.
That said, it seems most parents seem to want their child to have some kind of neurodiversity since it can lead to EHCP's, help at school and extra benefits if they claim.
I do wonder if less diagnoses will be made when the changes to EHCP's etc are only given to those with the most severe cases as is the current plan?