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Have you heard of the term neurodiversity?
It was originally coined by an Australian sociologist in 1988. It may have gotten mixed with multiple things since then but, it essentially means one thing; no two brains or minds are the same. This is not a surprise, but neurodiversity has now found its way into the world of developmental complications, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder.
If you have a child that is neurodiverse, in this case autistic, you may be wondering how you can best help them to grow successfully. Here, this will be explored in a bit more depth so you can help you and others to connect with your child.
Table of Contents
What is Neurodiversity?
Put simply, neurodiversity is an umbrella term that means that no two people will think the same or experience things in the same way. This doesn’t mean that thinking about a problem or scenario differently is bad or wrong; it is simply different, and it showcases that no two people are alike. There are now so many ways that children who are neurodiverse can be helped, such as with the use of therapies, compassionate approaches, and even a downloadable autism app, but what can you do in daily life to help your child flourish?
How To Embrace Neurodiversity
For many parents, managing that their child is neurodiverse means accepting and including them. More importantly, for some parents, it may mean coming to terms with the fact that they may not need medications or treatments to help them improve.
It also involves acknowledging that children who are neurodivergent may simply do things differently and that certain tasks and activities may need to be adjusted so that they can participate. It is also worth noting that you may need to adjust everyday tasks to ensure that any neurodivergent children in your family will be able to complete them without becoming frustrated or distracted.
Managing Neurodiversity at Home
If you have multiple children and one of them is neurodiverse, then you may need to explore the most meaningful ways to include your neurodivergent child in activities that happen at home.
For example, if you’re throwing a birthday party for one of your children, you will need to accommodate the child who is neurodiverse. This may mean having fewer loud noises and fewer bright or over-stimulating colors. If your child is invited to a birthday party, it is worth telling the parents who are hosting it about your child’s neurodivergent needs so they can attend social activities when in school, helping to prevent them from being isolated.
Schooling
Every child needs to go to school; it’s the law!
If you have a child who is neurodivergent, this can be a very tricky area to navigate. So, it is worth making sure that your child’s school is aware that they are neurodivergent or autistic and, if necessary, that your child may need to have a learning support assistant with them to help them break down and manage their schoolwork.
If required, it may be worth exploring specialist schools that have multiple staff members on hand to help children with more extreme neurodivergent needs to learn. This may feel like you are being isolating with your child but, consider that they are more likely to learn in this environment than a standard school setting, so you are setting them up for success!
