What is Neurodiversity?

'Neurodiversity' is a word that is used to describe the difference in the way the human brain processes information when compared to the 'typical' way of being.  This can be a different way of thinking, learning, behaving, communicating , experiencing and/or interacting with the world. 

Each person is different in some way and some differences can be as a result of upbringing or choice.  Neurodiversity is a neurological difference that is often present from birth. 

Some neurodivergent conditions include: 

Dyslexia (which affects how people read and spell)

Dyspraxia  (which impacts movement and co-ordination) (also called Developmental Coordination Disorder, or DCD)

Dyscalculia (which affects arithmetic skills and number sense)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (which affects how people behave)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (which affects how people communicate and interact with the world)

These conditions very often occur together and many symptoms overlap.

Some common traits of neurodivergence are:

difficulty keeping up with the time

hyper-focusing on one task or struggling to focus at all

high sensitivity to external stimuli such as sounds and smells

experiencing difficulties in learning settings, such as school or college

abilities to solve advanced problems

creativity

synesthesia or sensory crossing