Neurodiversity and Labels

This informal CPD article on Neurodiversity and Labels was provided by Toni Horn at Think Differently Coaching, who offer educational and neurodiversity workshops, training packages for organisations looking to understand the strength of neurodiversity and upskill their workforce.

Neurodiversity and Labels

I hear so much (I don’t want my child to have a label). My first question is why? Why are parents so concerned with their child being placed into a protected characteristic?

Here are some possible reasons:

• I don’t want my child to get lumped into a category.
• I need them to be “normal.” 
• We don’t want to believe it. 
• I don’t want to be perceived as a ‘bad’ parent.
• He/ her is not that bad. He’s just having a bad week/month/year.
• I didn’t plan this into my life.
• It’s just a phase, and he’ll grow out of it.
• Our doctor advised us to “wait to see.”
• The unknown is terrifying.

The real reason is due to past Decades of stigma and misinformation have left many confused about what it means to be neurodivergent in comparison to being neurotypical, which is an umbrella term for anyone whose brain is built and/or functions differently than what is considered average - or typical.

We worry about the kind of label our children will get when they’ve just received their neurodivergent diagnosis because we also have a way of labelling it. We hope that how we label it will be accepted by everyone else, but we know how some schools can be. Not everyone will see our children the same way we do, and that’s a scary thought, especially since now that diagnosis makes them even more differentiated from their peers.

Labelling can be positive or negative, but both shape how people perceive themselves and others. Negative labels can often build barriers between people who are actually very similar to each other by highlighting differences rather than similarities. Positive labels can help a group to bond and feel valued and included, such as a football team’s supporters whom all wear the team’s kit and colours to a match.

We all use stereotypes to make sense of the world. We create ‘shortcuts’ based on our past experiences in order to make day-to-day living a bit easier. If we had to evaluate each and every person, and each and every situation based on their unique characteristics, we would be evaluating each other all the time.

Stereotyping is part of an important process called generalisation. Just about everyone has this ability to generalise. It is an involuntary, subconscious process that learns from our experience in order to predict the future. However, our experience might be based on wrong information, incorrect judgements, ignorance or negative and unbalanced opinions, so we must be careful about how we process our perceptions. All neurodivergent individuals are different, and they can have a range of associated characteristics. These will vary from individual to individual. It is important not to stereotype and assume something about someone. For example, not all autistic people are maths geniuses, and it’s not true that all people with ADHD can’t sit still.

Why is diagnosis important?

Acknowledging that neurodiversity and disability coexist has other benefits, too: It makes it less likely that children will be overlooked or fall through the cracks in school. It makes it clear that everyone has challenges that deserve support. It encourages research funding. Also, gaining a diagnosis for conditions associated with neurodivergent traits can be a powerful way of understanding yourself and the reason for both strengths, challenges, and gaining support.

17-year-old Immie Swain realised she could have been helped sooner if her symptoms had been spotted earlier. This inspired Immie to collaborate with The National Autistic Society and the Autism Education Trust. They have produced a video titled “Immie’s Signs to Spot Autism”, which was shown on GMB ITV and used in over 24,000 schools in the UK as part of the teacher's toolkit. Early intervention can be vital to building someone's self-esteem and confidence.

As the neurodiversity awareness movement increases, we see a large population of adults diagnosed later in life, which I call (the light bulb moment). This also comes with some grieving as they ask themselves why, why was this never picked up? I could have had more understanding of myself all those years ago.

Prof Amanda Kirby recently did a poll regarding adulthood diagnosis, and to no surprise, 78% of adults diagnosed later in life said this had a positive impact on them. I asked over 20 adults who had been diagnosed as an adult how they felt after and this is what they said.

• For the first time, I didn’t feel alone, and I belonged after connecting with others who are like me.
• Receiving a diagnosis was the beginning of me being able to reflect on my past.
• It was the first time I felt like everything wasn’t my fault.
• It was the first time I realised I wasn’t just ‘stupid.’
• It was the first time I forgave myself a little bit for everything that had happened or not happened.
• Being diagnosed gave me the permission I needed to stop hurting myself for everything that went wrong.
• Being diagnosed was the start of my ability to move on with my life.
• Getting a diagnosis helped me to realise who I was.
• Getting a diagnosis gave me the courage to ask for the support I needed to make it a little bit easier.
• I can start understanding the person I am and appreciate my strengths.
• I wish I’d had my diagnosis as a child.

The Equality Act 2010 means that all people are now protected from discrimination, and organisations must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate staff, customers, and visitors with disabilities. Under the Act, these are called protected characteristics. These characteristics are protected in most circumstances, and organisations need to have sound operational reasons for discrimination.

Anyone can experience a disability or impairment at some point in their lives. Just think of the number of people who break a bone, have surgery, experience panic attacks or have debilitating cancer treatment. Nearly everyone has to deal with age-related impairments eventually. As a caring society, it is important to make allowances and provide assistance where possible – it may well be our turn one day.

Equal opportunity policies and practices of organisations and the public sector make sure that everyone is entitled to freedom from discrimination and that they all have equal access to opportunities – e.g. in education or employment. Workplace and education support is to help you harness the advantages of neurodiversity and make some of the challenges a little easier so you can concentrate on the strengths and use your THINK DIFFERENTLY MIND that makes you unique and great.

Your label describes you, but you design the identity that defines you! 

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