Glossary
What is neurodivergent?
Also called: neurodivergence, neurodiversity, neurodiverse, ND, neurotypical
Definition
Neurodivergent describes a person whose brain works in ways that differ from what is considered typical, for example someone who is autistic, has ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or Tourette's.
What it means
“Neurodiversity” was coined by the sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s to describe the natural variety of human brains. “Neurodivergent” describes an individual whose brain differs from the majority. “Neurotypical” describes someone whose brain works in the expected way. Strictly speaking, a group of people can be neurodiverse, while one person is neurodivergent, though people often use the words loosely.
Neurodivergent is not a medical diagnosis. It is an identity term, and an umbrella over conditions that are diagnosed separately. Some people also include mental health conditions under it, and usage varies. The idea behind it is that these are differences with both strengths and difficulties, and that many of the difficulties come from a world built for the majority.
What it can look like for your child
Your child might process information in an unusual way, have intense interests, struggle with handwriting or organisation, find social rules confusing, need more movement or experience senses more strongly than other children. Many neurodivergent children have more than one condition. Some families use the word before any formal diagnosis, and that is fine.
How counselling can help
We work with many neurodivergent children, and we don’t treat their differences as things to fix. Counselling focuses on what is causing distress, such as anxiety, burnout, low self-esteem, friendship difficulties or the strain of masking, and on helping a child understand and like how they work. We adapt sessions to suit sensory needs, attention and communication style, and we help parents and schools make the same kind of adjustments.