Neurodiversity (Children and Young People)

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a term that means our brains work in different ways. It is often used when talking about autism and ADHD. Neurodiversity means that everyone’s brain is different. Some people call themselves neurodivergent, but usually, neurodiversity includes everyone.
Neurodivergent usually refers to people who think, behave, and learn differently from neurotypical people. Neurodivergent children may have one or more of these conditions:

• Autism, or Autism Spectrum Conditions
• ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder
• Asperger’s Syndrome (a type of autism)
• Dyscalculia (difficulty with math)
• Dyslexia (difficulty with reading)
• Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) (difficulty with movement and coordination)

What does this mean for my child?

The wide range of conditions and symptoms for children with neurodiversity means that each individual child and family has very unique experiences. Remember, differences aren’t always negative. Your child may:

• Think, learn, feel, and process information differently.
• Need extra help and support.
• Have inconsistent performance at school.
• Thrive in the right environment if their strengths are used.

What can I do to help my child?

• Discover and celebrate their strengths.
• Support your child to be happy and confident.
• Identify when they need extra support.
• Speak to your child’s nursery, teacher, health visitor, or school nurse.

What to do next

Support for children and young people should be coordinated across education, health, and care. Support needs will be different for each individual and their families. For some children and families, it may be necessary to seek further help through a neurodiversity assessment.

How might a diagnosis help my child?

You might have been told by healthcare (Nurse, GP, health visitor) or education professionals that your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get support. This is true; reasonable adjustments must be made to support your child by law, and your child doesn’t need to be on a waiting list or have a diagnosis to access this. Sometimes, it can be hard to understand your child’s needs fully until a professional assessment is done.

Not every family will want or choose to seek a diagnosis, and that’s okay. Each family should make the decision that best suits them. Here are some reasons other parents have sought a diagnosis for their children:

• To get help at school.
• To understand what is going on.
• Because their child is having a hard time and needs help.
• So their child is protected by law.
• To know they weren’t imagining things as a parent.
• To help their child understand themselves better.

By law, your child’s school must support any developmental differences regardless of whether your child is diagnosed with a condition or not.

Under the Equality Act 2010, educational settings like schools are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’. These are aimed to allow all pupils to join in with all activities and services provided. It’s also to help pupils have as much chance as their peers at being happy and successful in their education.

Support is available without an assessment or diagnosis, although it can be helpful for healthcare professionals to identify needs to help plan effective support.