BLOG 10: Neurodiversity

 Neurodiversity

Going into this week's reading, I was unsure of the direction it was going to take. However, it did brush upon topics that fall under neurodiversity that I think about often. It begins by describing what neurodiversity is and diagnosis. Then, it quickly jumps into the category of younger generations self-diagnosing and that is what I found the most interesting. I feel as though today it is very easy to say that your brain works differently than others to reassure yourself and others around you. Being neurodivergent is very commonly claimed in my generation, and I feel as though it has become more openly accepted and cared for. At the school I am working at, the children there are heavily involved in helping their classmates with Autism  work through problems. They are very supportive, helpful, and empathetic towards those children who are different from them. I feel as though in my parents generation, it was looked at through a different lens where it was –too different. 

I believe children's minds today work completely differently than the way ours did growing up, so much has changed and so has the way children see people and the world- and that is a good thing! I could say it is because of the internet but it could be because of parenting styles, education systems- anything under the early development umbrella. The realization has over and over again been that all people, especially children, have higher success rates when they are encouraged for their differences while being supported for them. Using their specific strengths that are seen as “different” is the most beneficial thing you could do for someone who is neurodivergent. 

I am not saying to dismiss people who are neurodivergent but to embrace them like any other, is the direction I think we should go in, and are simultaneously going in. The more society accepts people who are seen as different the better, we need all kinds of people to continue enhancing our world and this is one of the steps. I, for one, am excited to see where this new type of acceptance leads us.