Neurodiversity

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity describes the natural differences between human brains.

People do not all:

think, learn, communicate, concentrate, remember, move, process information or experience the world in exactly the same way.

Just as people have different personalities and bodies, our brains are different too.

The term neurodiversity recognises that there is not one single “correct” way for a brain to work.

Importantly, neurodiversity includes everybody — both neurotypical and neurodivergent people. UK government and NHS sources describe neurodiversity as the natural variation or diversity of human brains.

What does neurodivergent mean?

Neurodivergent describes someone whose brain develops, processes information or functions differently from what society considers typical.

A neurodivergent person might experience differences involving:

communication

attention

learning

memory

sensory processing

movement and coordination

executive functioning

emotional regulation

or social interaction.

These differences can bring both strengths and difficulties, and every person's experience is individual.

There is currently no single nationally or internationally agreed definition of neurodivergence, and there is no definitive list of everything that should be included beneath the term.

What does neurotypical mean?

Neurotypical is generally used to describe someone whose brain functions in ways that are considered more typical or expected by society.

This does not mean that every neurotypical person thinks in exactly the same way.

All human brains are different.

The terms neurotypical and neurodivergent simply help us talk about neurological differences and whether someone's way of processing the world falls within or outside what society generally considers typical.

Neurodiverse or neurodivergent?

These words are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have slightly different meanings.

Neurodiversity describes the diversity of brains across a group or population.

Neurodivergent usually describes an individual whose brain works differently from what is considered typical.

A group containing people with different types of brains can therefore be described as neurodiverse.

Language continues to develop, however, and people have different preferences about the words they use to describe themselves.

What comes under neurodivergence?

There is no official or universally agreed list of neurodivergent conditions.

Some of the most commonly recognised examples include:

Autism

ADHD

Dyslexia

Dyscalculia

Dyspraxia / Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

Tourette's Syndrome and other tic disorders

Learning disabilities

and some other developmental, communication and learning differences.

Some definitions are broader than others. For example, NHS England notes that the term can also sometimes include people with mental health conditions, acquired brain injuries or experiences of trauma.

Because there is no universally agreed definition, it is better to avoid presenting neurodivergence as a fixed medical category.

Neurodivergence is not a diagnosis

A person cannot simply be medically diagnosed with:

“neurodivergence.”

It is an umbrella term, not a clinical diagnosis.

Someone may instead receive a diagnosis such as:

autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia or Tourette's Syndrome.

A person might then choose to describe themselves as neurodivergent.

Some people strongly identify with this language.

Others prefer to use the name of their individual diagnosis.

Both choices should be respected.

More than one type of neurodivergence

People can have more than one neurodevelopmental difference.

For example, someone might be:

autistic and ADHD

ADHD and dyslexic

or

autistic, dyspraxic and dyscalculic.

These are sometimes described as co-occurring conditions.

Someone who is both autistic and ADHD may also use the informal term AuDHD.

Having one form of neurodivergence does not prevent somebody from having another.

Everyone is different

A diagnostic label can help us understand somebody, but it cannot tell us everything about them.

Two autistic people can be extremely different.

Two people with ADHD can be extremely different.

Two dyslexic people can have completely different strengths and support needs.

This is why support should begin with:

“What does this individual need?”

rather than:

“What do people with this diagnosis normally need?”

The neurodiversity approach

Historically, neurological differences were often discussed mainly through deficits.

The focus was often:

What can't this person do?

What is wrong?

How can we make them behave more typically?

The neurodiversity approach encourages us to look more broadly.

We can still recognise genuine disability, difficulty and support needs, while also recognising that neurological differences are part of human diversity.

NHS England describes a shift away from looking only at deficits towards understanding people's experiences through a neurodiversity lens.

Different does not always mean difficult

Some neurological differences may simply be different.

For example, someone may:

prefer written communication,

avoid eye contact,

move while listening,

think visually,

communicate very directly,

or need more time to answer a question.

These differences do not automatically need to be changed.

Sometimes the difficulty occurs because the environment expects everybody to behave in one particular way.

But neurodivergence can also be disabling

Being neurodiversity-affirming does not mean pretending that neurodivergent people never experience difficulties.

Some people have significant disabilities and lifelong support needs.

Someone may need substantial support with:

communication

learning

personal care

executive functioning

sensory regulation

emotional regulation

mobility

or everyday living.

Recognising strengths should never mean ignoring difficulties.

We can accept neurological differences while also providing meaningful support.

The environment matters

Imagine somebody who is extremely sensitive to sound sitting in a classroom containing:

30 people talking

scraping chairs

a ticking clock

buzzing lights

people walking past

and noise from the corridor.

The difficulty is partly the person's sensory processing.

But the environment is also contributing.

Providing a quieter workspace or noise-reducing equipment may remove some of that barrier.

This is an important part of neuroinclusive thinking:

Sometimes we can change the environment instead of constantly asking the person to change.

Sensory differences

Many neurodivergent people experience sensory information differently.

Someone might be particularly sensitive to:

noise

light

touch

smell

taste

movement

or temperature.

Others may seek additional sensory information through:

movement, chewing, touching, bouncing, rocking, fidgeting or listening to particular sounds.

Sensory needs are individual.

Something that calms one person might be overwhelming for another.

Communication differences

People communicate in many different ways.

A neurodivergent person may:

use spoken language

use AAC

use signs or gestures

write instead of speaking

communicate through pictures

need extra processing time

or find speech difficult or unavailable in certain situations.

Some people interpret language very literally.

Others may find indirect communication, hints or sarcasm difficult to understand.

Different communication is still communication.

Executive functioning

Some neurodivergent people experience differences with executive functioning.

Executive functions help us:

plan

organise

remember

start tasks

manage time

switch activities

and complete things.

Someone might know exactly what they need to do but still struggle to make their brain begin the task.

This can sometimes be mistaken for:

laziness, defiance or lack of motivation.

Support might include visual reminders, timers, breaking tasks into smaller steps or helping the person get started.

Movement

Some neurodivergent people move differently or need movement to regulate and concentrate.

This might include:

rocking

pacing

fidgeting

bouncing

hand movements

changing position

or using sensory objects.

Movement is not automatically a sign that somebody is not listening.

For some people, moving actually makes listening easier.

Stimming

Stimming describes repetitive movements, sounds or actions that can help someone regulate themselves.

It might include:

rocking, flapping, humming, tapping, spinning, pacing or fiddling with objects.

Stimming can help with:

concentration

sensory regulation

emotional regulation

or expressing excitement and happiness.

Harmless stimming generally does not need to be stopped simply because it looks unusual.

Masking

Some neurodivergent people learn to mask.

Masking means hiding or suppressing natural behaviours to appear more like the people around them.

Someone might:

force eye contact,

hide stimming,

rehearse conversations,

copy other people's behaviour,

force themselves to remain still,

or pretend sensory experiences are not bothering them.

This can make somebody appear to be coping extremely well.

But maintaining that appearance can require enormous amounts of energy.

Someone may therefore cope throughout school or work and then become exhausted, overwhelmed or dysregulated afterwards.

Neurodivergence and learning

Neurodivergence does not tell us how intelligent somebody is.

Neurodivergent people have the same enormous range of intellectual abilities as everyone else.

Someone may be highly capable in one area while requiring substantial support in another.

For example, a child might understand advanced science while struggling to:

organise their bag

remember instructions

write their ideas down

or cope with the classroom environment.

Ability in one area should never be used to dismiss support needs in another.

Strengths

Neurodivergent people can have many different strengths.

Depending on the individual, these might include:

creativity

pattern recognition

attention to detail

visual thinking

problem-solving

passionate interests

deep knowledge

original ideas

determination

honesty

curiosity

or different perspectives.

But we should also avoid replacing negative stereotypes with positive ones.

Not every autistic person is good at maths.

Not every dyslexic person is exceptionally creative.

Not every person with ADHD is endlessly energetic.

Neurodivergent people are individual human beings, not collections of stereotypes.

Neurodiversity and mental health

Being neurodivergent and having a mental health condition are not automatically the same thing.

For example, anxiety and depression are mental health conditions, whereas autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental conditions.

However, the boundaries around the wider term neurodivergence are not universally agreed, and some broader definitions include certain mental health conditions. NHS England itself notes that there is no definitive list.

A neurodivergent person can also experience mental health difficulties alongside their neurodivergence.

It is therefore useful to look at the individual person's complete needs, rather than trying to fit everything underneath one label.

Neurodiversity and behaviour

Sometimes what adults describe as behaviour is actually communication.

Someone might be:

overwhelmed

confused

in pain

sensory overloaded

anxious

unable to communicate

struggling with a demand

or exhausted from masking.

Instead of immediately asking:

“How do we stop this behaviour?”

we can also ask:

“What is this behaviour telling us?”

Understanding the reason behind something gives us a much better chance of providing useful support.

Neuroinclusive environments

A neuroinclusive environment recognises that people have different needs and removes unnecessary barriers where possible.

This might mean providing:

clear instructions

visual information

quiet spaces

sensory adjustments

movement breaks

predictable routines

different communication methods

extra processing time

assistive technology

or flexible ways of completing tasks.

The aim is not to create special treatment.

It is to make environments accessible to different kinds of brains.

Fair does not always mean equal

Imagine three people trying to read a sign.

One can see it clearly.

One needs glasses.

One needs the information read aloud.

Giving all three people exactly the same thing might technically be equal.

But it would not necessarily be fair or accessible.

The same applies to neurodivergent people.

One child may need ten minutes to complete something.

Another might need:

extra time, a visual instruction and a movement break.

Providing those things is not giving them an unfair advantage.

It is helping remove the barriers that prevent them from participating.

Reasonable adjustments in the UK

Some neurodivergent people meet the legal definition of disabled under the Equality Act 2010.

Under the Act, disability generally involves a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on someone's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Where the legal requirements apply, organisations may have a duty to make reasonable adjustments.

Adjustments could include things such as:

written rather than verbal instructions

additional processing time

quiet working areas

changes to communication

sensory adjustments

or different ways of accessing services.

NHS England also uses reasonable adjustments to remove barriers to healthcare for disabled people.

Neurodiversity and SEND

In education in England, neurodivergent children may have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).

However, being neurodivergent does not automatically mean every child will require the same type or amount of support.

Some children may need relatively small adjustments.

Others may require significant specialist provision.

Support should be based on:

needs

strengths

barriers

and the provision required for that individual child.

A diagnosis can provide useful information, but support should not simply become:

“Everyone with this diagnosis gets the same thing.”

Diagnosis and support

Some neurodivergent people have a formal diagnosis.

Others may be:

waiting for an assessment

exploring whether they might be neurodivergent

or have support needs without meeting the criteria for a particular diagnosis.

A diagnosis may be necessary for certain clinical decisions, but not every form of practical support needs to wait for one. NHS England's ADHD Taskforce, for example, has explicitly recommended a needs-led approach to non-medical support rather than relying entirely on diagnosis.

Someone does not suddenly begin struggling on the day they receive a diagnostic report.

Their needs existed before the paperwork did.

Children and young people

For neurodivergent children, supportive adults can make an enormous difference.

Useful questions include:

What helps you feel safe?

How do you prefer people to communicate with you?

What makes learning easier?

What sensory experiences are difficult?

How can you tell us when you need a break?

What are you good at?

What would you like us to understand?

Children should not simply be passive recipients of support.

Wherever possible, their views and preferences should help shape it.

Neurodivergent adults

Neurodivergence does not disappear when somebody reaches adulthood.

Adults may need adjustments at:

university

work

healthcare appointments

interviews

or in other parts of everyday life.

Someone who has developed successful coping strategies may still be using significant amounts of energy to manage environments designed around neurotypical expectations.

ACAS advises employers to consider neuroinclusion and recognise that neurodivergent employees can have different strengths and challenges.

Language matters

Language around neurodiversity continues to develop.

Some people prefer:

“autistic person.”

Others prefer:

“person with autism.”

Some people identify strongly as:

neurodivergent.

Others do not.

There is no single piece of terminology that every person prefers. ACAS specifically recommends being aware that people's preferences differ and, where possible, respecting the language an individual uses for themselves.

When unsure, it is perfectly reasonable to ask respectfully.

Acceptance and support can exist together

Accepting neurodivergence does not mean ignoring somebody's struggles.

And supporting someone's difficulties does not mean trying to change who they are.

We can say:

“You are accepted exactly as you are.”

and also:

“Let's find ways to make the things you struggle with easier.”

Those ideas belong together.

Remember

Neurodiversity includes everybody.

Neurodivergent does not mean less intelligent.

There is no single way to be neurodivergent.

People can have more than one type of neurodivergence.

Strengths and difficulties can exist together.

Different communication is still communication.

Behaviour can communicate a need.

Support should be individual.

Fair does not always mean everybody receiving exactly the same thing.

Acceptance does not mean ignoring disability or support needs.

And perhaps most importantly:

Different brains do not need to become the same brains.

The aim should be to create homes, schools, workplaces and communities where different people have the understanding, accessibility and support they need to belong and thrive. 💜

For reliable UK signposting alongside the page, NHS — Autism and neurodivergence information, NHS England — Neurodiversity and ADHD Taskforce and ACAS — Neurodiversity at Work provide useful UK-based information.