SYDNEY Sydney: Language trends change rapidly at the hands of social media users. They come to our screens rather than develop gradually. It could change the way we talk about diagnoses like autism and concepts like neurodiversity. But before we use a word, we should look at how it came about and what it means to people. So the new word Where does “neurospicity” come from? And why do some people embrace it, while others reject it?The term neurodiversity emerged collectively in the mid-1990s in an online space dedicated to autistic people.
The term refers to the neurological diversity found within the human species. It is a way of engaging the brain and mind that is different from what is considered neurologically typical or “neurotypical” by society. Australian sociologist Judy Singer first used the term in academia in her Honors thesis in 1998 And that same year it broke into mainstream media. The terms neurodivergent and neurotypical are now well studied and well defined by academics and the neurodivergent movement. However, outside of this, the language may change the meaning.
The neurodivergent movement came from the autism rights movement, and for many people, the word neurodivergent is associated with autism. Over time the concept of neurodivergent has expanded to include intellectual disability, mental illness, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), These include people with conditions such as dyslexia and acquired brain injury. However, a person cannot be diagnosed as neurodivergent. A person can only be diagnosed with a condition that indicates neurodivergence. The neurodivergent movement is a disability rights movement that focuses on equal rights for neurodivergent people.
Advocates say people with conditions like autism and ADHD should be accepted rather than “cured.” They argue that an inclusive society must ensure equal access to ethical care and support for everyone, including neurodivergent people.
This movement began at a time when most autism research was focused on finding a cure. Some argue that it does not represent people with high support needs. One of the main criticisms of the neurodiversity movement is that it ignores many autistic people. Does not address people's complex needs. An autistic person may not speak, may have intellectual disability and severe anxiety, requiring a lot of support every day. The people who advocate on behalf of autistic people with complex needs are parents and relevant physicians.
For these advocates, acknowledgment of neurodiversity and equal rights campaigns are not enough. Some argue that neurodiversity, specifically autism, is a medical problem that needs “treatment.” But both groups want to highlight the care and support needs of this part of the autistic population. Neurodiverse, Neuro-Inclusive Terms like neuro-affirming, neuro-affirming, and neuroscience are neologisms related to neurodiversity. These terms do not come from the original 1990s group or medical professionals. These come from a large online community of neurodivergent people. Neurodiversity is a way of describing a person who experiences multiple forms of neurodivergence, or a group, such as a family, that has multiple neurodivergent members.
The use of neologisms such as neurospecies is controversial inside and outside the neurodivergent community. Some parent advocates feel that terms associated with neurodiversity erase the deeper difficulties of autistic people. Speaking about her son Jack, author Whitney Allenby says :Neurodivergent people have also had some strong reactions to the term neurospecies. Neurodivergent podcaster Danielle Sullivan asks if neurospecies is just a cute, quirky term or a way to avoid saying disabled.
Some argue that we should drop terms like neurospecies and “neurosparkly” and be clear that we are talking about a disability: so it seems to be true for some neurodivergent people and those who support the medical model of autism. People agree about the need to refocus attention on disability. So is it OK to say neuroscience? Before adopting a new language trend, consider the history and power of words. Moving forward, we can ask individuals and families how they refer to themselves and their diagnosis. We'll get a variety of answers, including neurotypical, autistic, disabled, neurodivergent, have autism or ADHD, or my disability does not define me. Asking about people's priorities gives us the opportunity to provide a positive environment for everyone, And provides a space for this conversation to take place.
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