Rethinking Neurodiversity
Why can’t we differentiate brain types like personality types?
Neurodiversity is becoming a more common word. It’s used to describe people whose brains work differently, like those with ADHD or autism.
Having a word to describe how people think, learn, and process information in unique ways felt like a lightbulb moment. It made me feel more comfortable with myself and helped me make sense of how I think and operate as a parent, friend, and daughter. Becoming educated about how people think differently has influenced my social relationships, my job, and has inspired me to help others understand their kids better.
Understanding neurodivergence helped me see myself more clearly, but even more, it helped me understand my son. He struggles because the world he’s expected to live, learn, and grow in isn’t built for the way his brain works.
Depending on the situation, he either needs extra time to process information (certain school subjects or learning a new skill), or he gets bored or frustrated easily because information moves too slowly for him. At home, he can show his frustration with me because he feels safe. Many times I’ll be talking about something and he’s already mentally at the end of my story (or lecture..). I’m met with the “get on with it, Mom” hand gestures. But in school or other settings, needing more time or becoming impatient or easily frustrated can be misinterpreted by adults, teachers or employers.
What Is Neurodiversity?
The idea of neurodiversity was introduced in the 1990s by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist. It suggests that neurological differences, like ADHD or autism, are just normal variations in how brains develop.
Some people think of these differences as “disorders” that need to be fixed. But the neurodiversity movement sees them as natural variations in what it means to be human. Psychology Today describes it well:
“Neurodiversity refers to the idea that neurological differences, such as those seen in autism or ADHD, reflect normal variations in brain development. Neurodiversity is often contrasted with the “medical model,” which views conditions like autism or ADHD as disorders to prevent, treat, or cure. There has been a push to move away from this idea of pathology and more toward a more nuanced perspective with variations of what is “normal.”
No two brains develop exactly the same way—and that’s how it should be! Imagine if everyone thought the same. The world wouldn’t work.
I love this quote by Harvey Blume from The Atlantic in 1998:
“Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general. Who can say what form of wiring will prove best at any given moment?”
How Common Is Neurodivergence?
Studies say 15-20% of people are neurodivergent, but I think the number is much higher. As people learn more about different ways of thinking, they’ll realize there are many variations in how brains work.
The Past and Future of Neurodivergence
Neurodivergent people have always had important roles in their communities. In ancient times, people with sharp observation skills might have protected their groups by spotting patterns in the weather or dangers others missed.
Or they provided food for their group like the hunters did over 10,000 years ago in the Paleolithic Era. Thom Hartmann is at the forefront of this theory. The hunters had different brain types and skill sets from the gatherers. However, as the world evolved into the gatherer/farmer model of living, the hunter brain types became underutilized and underappreciated.
Many great thinkers, entrepreneurs, and scientists show traits of ADHD or autism. For example, time and calendar keeping in ancient civilizations was very complex and sophisticated. This job required specialized skills and abilities. It is thought that these highly complex systems were developed by people who would now be described as autistic.
Rethinking How We Teach - Assessing for Neurotype
Why don’t we use assessments in school to identify how kids process information? If we could figure out each child’s processing strengths and weaknesses, and how they learn best, we could teach in a way that works for them. Many educators are trying, but their hands are tied in an education system that isn’t working for these different thinkers.
Our current system often labels and judges kids who think differently. They’re misunderstood and shamed, and we risk losing out on their unique talents and future contributions to the world. What if, instead, we embraced their differences and built a world that works for all kinds of thinkers?
If you are interested in learning more about the different ways people can process information, The Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast has a great three part series. Check out episodes #41-43. Dr. Erica Warren also has Processing Assessments for both kids and adults at Good Sensory Learning .