“I’m so OCD.” “My ADHD is acting up.” Phrases like these can often be heard in casual conversations in the halls. But few students know that these experiences are far more complex than simply wanting to be organized or struggling to sit still sometimes.
Students who are neurodivergent, that is, “having a ‘neurocognitive’ experience (to do with how information is processed by the brain) that ‘diverges’ from (is different to) what is considered typical,” according to the UK National Autistic Society, can find that the effects bleed into many aspects of their lives. The term was coined by Kassiane Asasumasu, an American autism rights activist, who noted that it was “not another … tool of exclusion. It is specifically a tool of inclusion,” meant to encompass any divergence from typical neurology.
Neurodivergency has no scientific definition, but it commonly includes people with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyscalculia and more, according to the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Library of Medicine.
Neurodivergency is complex, encompassing a variety of experiences with a range of symptoms, including co-occurring neurodivergence, such as a person who is autistic and ADHD. Even when looking at people with just autism, for example, there is a wide spectrum of behaviors that present in different ways in different people. While some of these traits can present some struggles in day-to-day life for neurodivergent people, they may also find some unique benefits.
“The [neurodivergency] spectrum is so large,” Erin Harrington, White Station High School’s (WSHS) social worker, said. “[People can have] creativity in thought, in performance, ability to read patterns in a way that really can help the environment … And sometimes individuals who are neurodivergent or on the spectrum of any kind or anywhere on the spectrum, have an ability to … almost … see with [their] ears and hear with [their] eyes.”
Much of the struggle of being neurodivergent comes from misinformation and discrimination. Those who don’t know much about neurodivergency may be intentionally or unintentionally ableist. While progress has been made over time, instances of bullying are not uncommon. One of the best ways to combat this is to learn about neurodivergency from the people who live these experiences.
“Sure, kids get picked on. … you know, people are mean,” WSHS psychologist Julia Huckabee said. “It’s not perfect. But what I have seen happen at this school that has not happened at any other school that I work in or any other school in the district, and I know it for a fact, because if it had happened, I’d’ve heard about it. This school embraces everybody. We embrace neurodivergent kids … it just seems like there’s more tolerance here than in other places. I think probably the best thing that students can do for each other is just learn from each other.”
Students who think they may be neurodivergent can speak to the WSHS psychologist, Julia Huckabee. From there, students can be tested, which can be a lengthy and complicated process. Each neurodivergence has its own set of eligibility criteria for diagnosis and thus their own sets of required testing. Testing for cognitive disability, for instance, requires an IQ test and an adaptive test that measures functioning in the environment, while testing for autism requires the use of autism rating scales.
“There are … several eligibility categories for special education, and they range from intellectually gifted … to intellectual disability or, you know, cognitively impaired [which includes] learning disabilities, hearing impairment, visual impairment, orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance … other health impaired, which covers ADHD, any physical illness that might impact your ability to learn, autism—there’s a whole lot of [included],” Huckabee said. “So every one of them has … different things that you have to have to make an eligibility decision or a diagnosis. For autism, you have to have autism rating scales, adaptive scales which … I give these to teachers and parents … So I get the teacher’s perspective and the parents’.”
If a student receives a diagnosis, they are then assigned a school case manager. If the student requires accommodations, they can receive them with a 504 or IEP plan. Securing these requires Huckabee, or any school psychologist, having even more meetings with parents and teachers to determine what specifically a student needs. Some options include extra test time, extended due dates for assignments or modifications to the curriculum.
“The school psychologist meets and a team of multiple administrators and teachers get together to determine if the student is eligible for an IEP and see if the student needs more hands-on support or support just in general education classes with certain support, like staff,” Lindsy Ortiz, graduate student and Master’s-level intern with Erin Harrington, said. “The IEP would essentially change the student’s structure and the way that they are in the school and like their … classes. For example, … extended due dates for assignments to ensure that the student has ample time to continue to do the work … considering their diagnosis. … So the IEP can provide the accommodation … in the environment of the actual classroom setting, as well as modifications to the curriculum.”
Being neurodivergent or needing accommodation isn’t something to be ashamed of. With accommodations, students can thrive at school and in life. WSHS has several accommodations, including some that are not offered at all schools, such as an autism social skills group and a hearing-impaired functional skills class — the only one in the city. Notably, students with cognitive disability can earn an Alternate Academic Diploma (AAD), which presents a modified curriculum and makes students eligible for Project Search.
“Back in the day, [Special Education students] would have just gotten a special education certificate of attendance. A SPED diploma, that’s what they called it,” Huckabee said. “Well, now we have … the AAD … so they are evaluated with an alternate assessment in math and English and science and social studies in the four course areas. They have a modified curriculum … And when it comes time to graduate, you walk across the stage just like everybody else, and you get a diploma, just like everybody else. It’s an AAD diploma, and now you’re eligible for … a program we have called Project Search. Project Search is a work-based job training program for kids with disabilities who get an AAD, and we have contracts with The Peabody and Nike and … Methodist North, and the University of Memphis … There’s five or six programs. And so after they graduate, and if they get accepted into Project Search, then they go on to these jobs and this job training stuff, and they go to the job sites and they learn how to do the job. And if they like it, then oftentimes the company will give them some employment after Project Search is over.”
Many people believe the diversity of human brains is part of what makes people unique. No two neurodivergent people are the same, and neurodivergency isn’t something that can or needs to be cured.
“Neurodivergence doesn’t look a certain way. You know, there’s so many different aspects, so many symptoms … so many points on the spectrum,” Harrington said.
Interested in learning more about neurodivergency? Check out these resources recommended by school staff:
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network https://autisticadvocacy.org/
Children and Adults with ADHD CHADD.org
International Dyslexia Association https://dyslexiaida.org/
Job Accommodation Network askjan.org
Monotropism (autism) monotropism.org
Autism Resources of the MidSouth https://autismresourcesmidsouth.org/
Sources used in writing this article:
NIH National Library of Medicine https://www.nnlm.gov/reading-club/topic/331
UK National Autistic Society https://www.autism.org.uk/
