Neurodiversity

Below are some of most common forms of neurodiversity.

Autism

Autism is a neurotype affecting how people perceive, understand, communicate, and experience the world. Autistic people also experience a distinct developmental trajectory. Individually, autistic people are of course very different to each other, but some commonalities may include differences in sensory perception, using sensory information about the environment to understand and learn about the world, a preference for honesty and clarity in communication, a preference for predictability and control, self-expressive body language, a passionate enjoyment of certain interests and hobbies, a strong ability to hyperfocus at times, and sometimes the intense experience of emotions.

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurotype characterised by differences in brain development and activity that affect attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The lack of transmission of dopamine in neural pathways seems to be linked to ADHD, as dopamine is associated with our motivation to learn and the sense of reward that comes from learning. ADHD also seems to impact an individual’s executive functioning, which relates to organisation and planning. However, there are also several strengths that seem to be associated with ADHD, such as the ability to hyperfocus on a topic of interest, spontaneity, flexibility, creativity, optimism, and a relentless energy.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning difference that can cause difficulties with learning and work, primarily relating to reading and writing skills. Dyslexic people may also have difficulty processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning and literacy skills. A person with dyslexia may read and write at a slow pace, confuse the order of letters in a word, be confused by similar looking letters, have poor or inconsistent spelling, find it difficult to carry out a sequence of directions, or struggle with planning and organisation. However, people with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects movement and makes it difficult to perform some coordination skills (e.g., balance, playing sports, or learning to drive a car) and fine motor skills (e.g., writing or using small objects). These difficulties may impact independent living skills and may result in emotional difficulties. However, there are also many strengths associated with dyspraxia, such as big picture thinking, problem solving, creativity, tenacity, and empathy.

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette Syndrome is characterised by involuntary sounds or movements known as tics. Tics are sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic motor movements or vocalisations. Tics must be present for a period of 12 months to meet diagnostic criteria. Symptoms typically emerge between the ages of 4 and 6 and tend to reach their peak between the ages of 10 and 12.