COGNITION, SPEECH & LANGUAGE
  • Home
  • Teletherapy
  • Home & Community Visits
  • Consultations & Contracts
  • About
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • CSL Shop
  • FAQ

CSL Blog

​

are we embracing a neurodiverse world?

8/14/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
Neurodiversity seems to be a buzzword these days. Neurodiversity in the workplace. Visibility of neurodivergent learners in schools. Awareness of neurodiverse needs in relationships. With the terminology being more commonplace, are we as a society emphasizing and embracing the role that neurodiversity has in our day to day lives?
Let’s back up a bit to make sure everyone is on the same page about what neurodiversity is. When you break down the term to its core, “neuro” relates to all things in the nervous system, whereas “diversity” is the practice of inclusion given various different backgrounds. When you add the terms together, you get neurodiversity…

“..the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population…” 


Individuals who are neurodivergent
span a wide spectrum of different conditions, needs, and strengths, including those with:

  • Autism
  • ADHD/ADD
  • Intellectual or Learning Differences
  • Tourette’s 
  • Dyspraxia
  • Anxiety
…and many others.

Furthermore, neurodiversity acknowledges and celebrates differences in functioning, as opposed to focusing on the stigma that can accompany terms like “deficits” and “impairments”.

So, clearly neurodivergent individuals are present - at work, in school, on college campuses, in grocery stores, at parks…everywhere! And they always have been. But, most neurodivergent individuals have likely encountered negativity about their skills/behaviors, which has led to societal stigma on what they can and cannot do.  

With greater recognition of neurodivergent conditions and emphasis placed on what individuals can bring to the table (instead of what they lack), are we doing enough to make society inclusive to neurodiversity? Let’s take a quick (and broad) look at what is being done at different levels to incorporate neurodivergent needs into day to day life:

  • Community Level: Shifting towards the notion of “community unity” rather than “uniformity”. This allows communities to challenge overarching mindsets and celebrate individual differences, rather than expect that everyone conforms to one way of being. Any barriers that the community faces can be addressed by pulling from individuals with different experiences, talents, and thought processes, which allows for the production of solutions from different angles. Creating safe spaces that are accessible, welcoming, and non-discriminatory helps empower everyone in the community in knowing that they can show up as themselves and for each other.
  • Professional Level: More companies are seeing the benefits of including and offering workplace support to employees who identify as neurodivergent. Some neurodivergent individuals possess heightened cognitive and creative skills, which bode well in professions such as engineering, technology, and the arts. By utilizing the unique mindset of neurodivergent individuals, companies are now able to shift and consider new ways of tackling real world issues that impact their functioning and bottom line in regards to sales or production. Although acceptance is more prevalent of neurodiversity, especially among big name employers, many other businesses continue to latch on to stereotypical deficits of neurodivergent individuals. There is also concern among neurodivergent individuals as to whether or not they should disclose their functional differences to employers, for fear of retaliation (e.g., lower pay, not considered for promotional opportunities, concern over how abilities will be perceived by co-workers/supervisors). Given the high cost of caring for individuals with neurodivergent individuals who identify as autistic ($5,000 annually for adults 18-25), and their historically low numbers in regards to employment (more than 66% of young autistic adults are unemployed), it would be a win-win for employers to incorporate more neurodivergent individuals into the workplace in addition to fostering more economic, social, and financial security for those who think, interact, and function differently.
  • Academic Level: General education teachers have an enormous load on their shoulders. Each year, they must teach a standardized curriculum to a classroom full of students, sometimes 30 or more to a room (per period). Not even accounting for the demands of meeting annual testing requirements, educators may simply lack the time, resources, and support to fully reach the needs of each individual student, neurodivergent or neurotypical. This also applies to case managers and related personnel (psychologists, speech-language pathologists, special educators, occupational and physical therapists) who also serve high caseloads of students with Individualized Education Plans. Once students leave or graduate from the secondary education system, employers and post-secondary educators are seeing young adults who have yet to discover their personal strengths, but have spent years focusing on their deficits. It is the former which helps any individual, but especially neurodivergent individuals, succeed in the world after high school. Possible remedies could include initiating transition planning earlier; considering a broader array of work environments (as opposed to just hospitality, service, and retail positions), and ensuring that neurodivergent students are given just access to variable course work while in the secondary setting that could open up doors to other academic and pre-professional experiences. Not to mention also adequately supporting the social-emotional needs that neurodivergent students may face in early childhood and adolescence, and also educating educators on how to shift their mindsets to have higher expectations of neurodivergent students.
This blog is certainly just scratching the surface of neurodiversity’s place and role in our societal framework. What are your thoughts? Is there more that we can do to be accepting of and foster neurodiversity in our communities, schools, and workplaces? Drop a comment!

References: 
  • Autism Society Resources: Employment
  • Contributing factors to healthcare costs in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review
  • Education Week: What Employers Can Teach Schools About Neurodiversity
  • Neurodiversity and Neurodivergent
  • Neurodiversity: Community Unity, Not Uniformity, and the Essence of Respect and Kindness.
  • Neurodiversity in the Workplace
  • What is an IEP? 
  • What is IEP transition planning? 
  • What is neurodiversity? ​

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Devon Brunson, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS

    Welcome to the CSL Blog - musings about treatment, education, care, and advocacy.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© 2020 - 2025 Cognition, Speech & Language 
​All Rights Reserved 
Photos from EpicTop10.com, wuestenigel, Chris Hunkeler, garryknight, focusonmore.com, wuestenigel, focusonmore.com (CC BY 2.0), Semtrio, Christof Timmermann, focusonmore.com
  • Home
  • Teletherapy
  • Home & Community Visits
  • Consultations & Contracts
  • About
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • CSL Shop
  • FAQ