“A concept and social movement that advocates viewing autism as a variation of human wiring rather than a disease. Neurodiversity advocates that Autistic people should therefore not be cured, but celebrated as having different forms of communication and self expression, & promote support systems that allow Autistic individuals to live their lives. Widely applied to the Autistic community but also with individuals with atypical forms of wiring such as ADHD, Dyslexia etc.”
National Symposium on Neurodiversity at Syracuse University, (2011)
SOME KEY MESSAGES about Autism
– Use ‘Autistic person’ rather than ‘person with Autism’ – the majority of the autistic community actively rejects this
– Do not use the jigsaw logo, the majority of the autistic community actively reject this symbol as representative of being somehow broken – use the gold infinity symbol
– Inclusivity means accepting autistic children for you they are rather than trying to make them ‘fit in’ , ‘be fixed’ or ‘suppress’ their natural selves – this is highly damaging to their self worth and understanding of their identity in the world
– Autistic people do not automatically have anxiety, stress, depression and mental health issues. The autistic community are clear that the reasons for their mental health issues are related directly to the messages from society, adults and other children, from an early age, making them feel they are ‘disordered, or we have a condition, or a disease, that we need to change to fit in and we are not ‘enough’ as we are, that we are broken, damaged and dysfunctional, that we have difficulties and issues rather than strengths and gifts, and will be unlikely lead fulfilling lives with a full time job’
– Substance misuse is common due to these damaging attitudes which erode self esteem and identity
– The average life expectancy is mid fifties
– There are connotations to using the terms ‘low and high functioning’
– Some, not all, autistic people also have learning difficulties
– Stimming can include leg shaking, foot tapping, pen chewing and smoking and most people do stim. Autistic people are less able to control it when they are children. Stimming can help to focus on lessons or what is being said and the child should not be told to stop. Messages like ‘whole body listening’ ‘face front’ and ‘quiet hands’ are unhelpful
Stress reduction
Strategies to relieve stress, overcome sensory needs and reduce and manage anxiety
Emotional literacy
Building blocks to develop social and emotional mental wealth and resilience
Self regulation
Empowering children to learn individual responsibility for self control and managing difficult emotions