Neurodiversity

[cymruambyth26]

Simply...What do people in the forum know about neurodiversity?

It's a new research area for me and has drawn my attention more recently in light of my own changing personal circumstances.

[Mr. Nobody]

I wasn't 100% sure, so looked it up,

Neurodivergent is a nonmedical term that describes people whose brain develops or works differently for some reason. This means the person has different strengths and struggles from people whose brains develop or work more typically. While some people who are neurodivergent have medical conditions, it also happens to people where a medical condition or diagnosis hasn’t been identified.

The term “neurodivergent” describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. That means they have different strengths and challenges from people whose brains don’t have those differences. The possible differences include medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions. The possible strengths include better memory, being able to mentally picture three-dimensional (3D) objects easily, the ability to solve complex mathematical calculations in their head, and many more.

Neurodivergent isn’t a medical term. Instead, it’s a way to describe people using words other than “normal” and “abnormal.” That’s important because there’s no single definition of “normal” for how the human brain works.

The word for people who aren’t neurodivergent is “neurotypical.” That means their strengths and challenges aren't affected by any kind of difference that changes how their brains work.

[Dougella]

Which conditions come under the umbrella of neurodiversity? Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia......are there more?

[cymruambyth26]

Originally Posted by Dougella

Which conditions come under the umbrella of neurodiversity? Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia......are there more?

I've just attended this afternoon a neurodiversity forum that my university organised.

They also illustrated (using an umbrella funnily enough) mental health conditions/dyscalculia/synaesthesia (that's a new one), ADD, Dysgraphia, Tourette's.

It is a very broad umbrella. It was nice to be in the forum with other neurodivergent people.

[Dougella]

^ Oh interesting! What is Dysgraphia?

[biscuits]

Dysgraphia is being unable to control a pencil e.g. to form letters and numbers. It's difficult to learn how to remember how to move the pencil to form letters.

Neurodiversity is interesting but also confusing how it combines the social and medical models. I find some of it difficult to understand.

[Amara 94]

^^
Is he into music?

[cymruambyth26]

Originally Posted by Nanuq

My son has synesthesia, it's really interesting.

I have never heard of that one before in my life ever. They did explain it but I have to say that I still wasn't able to fully grasp what it meant.

[Dougella]

^ Yes, i've often heard it described as a person's brain being wired differently.

[cymruambyth26]

Neurodiversity is a term where an individual is likely to filter and process information differently.

This is what I was told in the forum yesterday. I realise though that it's a complex term and there are very nuanced definitions of the term.