What neurodiversity is

Neurodiversity, a term coined by an Australian sociologist Judy Singer, is the idea that “neurological difference is best understood as an inherent and valuable part of the range of human variation, rather than a pathological form of difference” (Dyck, Russell, 2020, p.170, para. 3). In other words, it refers to “the reality that diverse minds and brains exist” (Dwyer, 2022).

Under “neurodiversity”, there are a few terms we often come across, including “neurotypical” and “neurodivergent”:

• “Neurotypical” refers to people whose minds and behaviours operate within societal norms;
• while “neurodivergent” describes those whose minds function differently and fall outside the prevalent societal norms (Shah, Boilson, Rutherford M, et al., 2022).

Rather than labelling children with medical terms (e.g., ADHD, autism, and dyslexia) and focusing on perceived impairments, the neurodiversity perspective encourages us to explore and address the unique strengths of these natural variations in human cognition. Neurodivergent children are not "impaired", but simply different - part of the rich diversity of the human experience.

Neurodiversity: the orchestra of minds

In 2018, we had an exhibition promoting diverse minds. 9 real-life stories presented in the form of dolls (DORU DORU Handcraft Family™), highlighting their ups and downs in their personal growth journey.

Later in 2023, Hear Me Dor D®, a new character, was introduced in response to children's mental well-being.

References:

1. Dwyer P. (2022). The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers?. Human development, 66(2), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.1159/000523723
2. Dyck, E., Russell, G. (2020). Challenging Psychiatric Classification: Healthy Autistic Diversity and the Neurodiversity Movement. In: Taylor, S.J., Brumby, A. (eds) Healthy Minds in the Twentieth Century. Mental Health in Historical Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27275-3_8
3. Shah, P. J., Boilson, M., Rutherford, M., Prior, S., Johnston, L., Maciver, D., & Forsyth, K. (2022). Neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodiversity: definition of terms from Scotland’s National Autism Implementation Team. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 221(3), 577–579. doi:10.1192/bjp.2022.43