Helping Children Understand Neurodiversity

There’s no point trying to help children understand neurodiversity, if as adults we’re still grappling with it. It’s complex, granted, and diverse, but that’s sort of the point isn’t it? We’re not all the same, in fact we’re all very unique with different life experience and different methods of processing experiences and surroundings. But, it’s not a case of “normal” and “other”, because that implies one way of being is right and the other isn’t. It’s about trying to really recognise and understand different perspectives.

Using literature can be a really useful way to explore different characteristics and personality types in a non-confrontational, non-overt way. Of course there’s an option to open this up to personal experience – but it’s not essential, and there’s much value from having a more abstract discussion to raise awareness of neurodiversity and facilitate open and honest dialogue. Exploring different characters, how they think, the challenges they face and the ways they manage these is really worthwhile in terms of helping children understand themselves and each other. It’s an opportunity to expose children to a range of personality types they may encounter in the classroom and prepare them for what they’ll meet beyond the school community. Why does this character want to be alone? What do you think is making it hard for this character to communicate? Why does so-and-so not want to go to school? What’s making this boy feel so anxious? With every question, there’s a conversation to be had around how these feelings and experiences might be to the individual, in what ways they might present and what strategies we can offer to support and help. There are countless examples from children’s books that could be used, in fact almost any book will provide interesting, diverse characters who can be explored to develop understanding.

The range of neurodivergence is so broad – ranging from dyslexia and dyscalculia to ADHD and autism – that the term ‘neurodiversity’ in itself feels insufficient. It’s not just a question of finding and fitting one of the many neurodivergent diagnoses to an individual, but understanding where they sit on that diagnoses spectrum. There is so much nuance in terms of extremity, but also type, presentation and affect that in many ways we’re all neurodivergent in some way, to some capacity. If we agree that our neurological pathways are all unique, it makes the concept of neurodiversity harder to qualify. So perhaps during this year’s Neurodiversity Celebration, we should be moving away from the use of labels and embracing the idea of individualism in order to develop genuine inclusivity and tolerance.

It’s much less common today (hopefully) to set individuals apart either because of how they process information or how they behave in certain contexts, and there’s more and more space (again, hopefully) for everyone in the classroom. Perhaps the next step is to reframe the conversation around neurodiversity – to talk more about individual qualities, challenges and experiences in order to properly acknowledge each other and ensure that everyone feels seen and understood. So, to end where I began, it seems fitting to finish with a sage message from Libby Walden on compassion and tolerance: