Note: As an able-bodied, neurotypical person, I acknowledge my privilege. By no means do I claim to understand and talk about the experiences of neurodivergent people therefore I am grateful for the work that has been done by experts and individuals belonging to this community. I remember when I was in school there was a boy in my class whose habits and behavioural tendencies were a little different than mine and my peers. He constantly clapped his hands, chewed on objects lightly or made certain noises and repeated words while he was studying or even sitting. As a fourth grader, I was perplexed by his mannerisms and was unable to understand why he felt the need to behave in such a manner because the only explanation I was provided for his actions was that he was a ‘special child.’ I never understood and I was never made to understand his condition. I was never taught how to react or respond to his behaviour. I knew that there were other children like him, but all I understood about them was that they were different. If you remember experiencing something similar, you too, like me were not educated about neurodiversity. If you are hearing this term for the first time, it is one of the most obvious examples of evidence suggesting the little to no awareness our education or social environments provide about neurodiversity. Neurodiversity refers to the differences occurring in the brain or nervous system due to the existence of a particular type of genome. People born with these neurological distinctions are differently abled with respect to the way they behave, communicate, think, feel and learn. Neurodiversity is therefore an umbrella term and is a spectrum with numerous neurodevelopmental conditions falling under it which include but are not limited to ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) etc. People with neurodevelopmental conditions show variations in behaviour that are different from those portrayed by neurotypicals. Thus, it is essential to understand that the term neurodiversity was coined to celebrate this cognitive individuality and uniqueness and acknowledge that each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. But why is it that I was never taught about neurodiversity? Why is it that no one explained the boy’s actions to me? The behaviour portrayed by him was a sign of self-stimulatory behaviour or stimming. Stimming is in reality a healthy way for neurodivergent people to calm themselves down and regulate their sensory input which is as natural and important to them as breathing is. Just because neurodivergent people express and display behaviour that falls outside the ‘norm’, they are often looked down upon, bullied and sometimes denied basic rights. The lack of knowledge makes neurotypicals pathologize stimming and stigmatize other such behavioural patterns that are characteristics of neurodiversity and label it as ‘abnormal.’ It is this lack of awareness, that ideally should be created from a young age itself, that marginalizes neurodivergent people. Neurodivergent individuals are not ‘abnormal’ or ‘weird’ however their conditions do result in certain difficulties that affect their daily life and routine. But can we call these difficulties ‘disabilities’? The word disability itself has two definitions with respect to its usage in the context of neurodiversity. The medical model defines disability as occurring in a person's body due to genetic variations that needs to be medically treated. It lies on the assumption that disability is a problem in the body that needs to be fixed. However, the neurodiversity movement widely accepts the social disability model. This defines disability as socially constructed and a “disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contemporary social organization which takes no or little account of people who have physical impairments and thus excludes them from participation in the mainstream of social activities.” This implies that disability is not a problem arising from a person's body but it is a problem that is created by the environment which is emotionally, socially and physically inhospitable to their needs. For example, a person is not disabled due to their inability to climb a staircase. Instead, they are being disabled because the environment does not provide a ramp or a lift that caters to their needs and can help them up. While there is still ongoing research about these models, studies show that neurodivergent people have started accepting the social model of disability to identify with their neurodevelopmental conditions. In order to create such inclusive environments for neurodivergent individuals, one must start acknowledging and accepting their behaviour. Asking someone to stop stimming or exhibiting behaviour that does not align with neurotypical mannerisms is highly invalidating and is ableist. “Ableism is discrimination in favor of able-bodied people and is grounded in the assumption that everyone experiences the world in the same way. It implies that people with disabilities need to be fixed or cannot function as full members of society.” It is important to acknowledge our privilege as neurotypicals, understand that the neurodivergent community is marginalized and encourage inclusivity and representation. Here are some ways you can contribute on a personal level:
Be conscious of ableist language - “high, low or severe” functioning labels can be offensive as it leads to erasure of individual variations in ability as well as may restrict access to support and deny agency.
Be empathetic towards neurodivergent people. Create a safe space that includes them and their behaviour rather than asking them to fit into an environment made for neurotypicals. For e.g., do not ask them to stop stimming or mask their mannerisms unless their behaviour is physically harmful.
Be helpful and patient while assisting them as everyone has different paces and ways of understanding.
Be kind and sensitive towards their needs and differences. Treat them the way you would treat any of your dear friends.
The most important measure is to let them speak. Ask them what they would want you to do to make them feel comfortable and let them voice out their lived experiences and opinions. Be a good ally and use your voice to amplify theirs rather than speaking over them.
Stay informed, read up as much as you can from credible sources that are representative of the community and acknowledge your own privilege.
Inculcating these skills in children from a tender age is fundamental in developing social and emotional intelligence. Thus, Flip aims to play a role in creating an environment that facilitates sensitization and promotes prosocial behaviour as children interact over books. Through Flip educators can foster social emotional learning among children in a fun way. References: den Houting, J. (2018). Neurodiversity: An Insider’s Perspective. Autism, 23(2), 271–273. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318820762 Goering, S. (2015). Rethinking Disability: the social model of disability and chronic disease. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 8(2), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-015-9273-z Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Deficit, Difference, or both? Autism and neurodiversity. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 59–71. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028353 Rudy, L. J. (2019, November 28). Understanding Why Your Autistic Child Rocks, Flaps, and Paces. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-stimming-in-autism-260034 What is ableism? Disability Studies 101. (2018, December 13). https://disstudies101.com/definitions/ableism/ What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity Association. (2020, October 25). https://neurodiversityassociation.com/what-is-neurodiversity/
Trisha Deb Psychology Major at Ashoka University, Researcher at Flip
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