Wednesday, March 27, 2024

What Does Neurotypical Mean In Autism

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My Autistic Partner Doesnt Give Me Enough Attention I Feel Ignored

WHAT DOES “NEUROTYPICAL” MEAN?

It is not uncommon for neurotypical partners to feel frustrated with the lack of attention and intimacy they receive from their autistic partners. Your need for love and connection may be going unmet.

Its important for you to know that people with autism tend to have a long history of being misunderstood. This happens from the time they were little. So when they sense rejection or conflict with their partner they go into fight or flight mode and either become very defensive or shut down altogether. Unfortunately, this only makes matters worse. Shutting down prevents them from hearing what their partner is trying to tell them. Which in turn, makes it very hard for them to repair the hurt thats occurred in their relationship. Over time it turns into a vicious cycle where neither partner feels seen or heard. Then the distance between them grows and both partners become very unhappy.

Heres another example: Jamelle comes home from work, his partner Chris is already home. They say hello to each other, then they go their separate ways. Jamelle longs for a hug and some time to talk when he gets home. He wants to connect with Chris. When he brings this up, Chris says they do connect, and then he walks away. Jamelle is left feeling hurt and angry. Chris feels criticized and rejected. This continues to happen day after day until both partners are at a breaking point.

What Does It Mean To Be Neurodiverse

We have heard the term neurodiverse being used in association with the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as other neurodevelopmental diagnoses, but what do they truly mean and more importantly, what do they mean to those with these diagnostic labels as well as the people in their life who care for them?

The term neurodiverse was first coined in the 1990s by Judy Singer, a Sociologist diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Her proposed theory was that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder were not, in fact, ‘disabled’ but instead saw and interacted differently with the world.

Neurodiverse has been used to advocate for people who have ASD who do not wish to be seen as disabled, but rather ‘differently-abled,’ who can lead happy, fulfilling lives just like neurotypical folks may, but with adjustments as needed on an individual basis.

Focus On The Positive

Neurodiversity advocates suggest thereâs too much attention on the impairments that come with conditions like ADHD. They think a better approach is to focus on what someoneâs good at, not what they lack.

For example, thereâs some evidence that:

People with ADHD have high levels of spontaneity, courage, and empathy. They can hyper-focus on certain tasks.

Those with autism pay attention to complex details, have good memories, and show certain “specialty” skills. Experts think this can be an asset in certain jobs, such as computer programming or music. As noted by one researcher, Wolfgang Mozart had strong music memory and absolute pitch.

People with dyslexia can perceive certain kinds of visual information better than those without the condition. This skill can be useful in jobs like engineering and computer graphics.

We need more research, but experts think the genes for these developmental “disorders” stick around because they come with evolutionary advantages. For example, behaviors like hyperactivity and impulsivity might have helped our ancestors find food or move way from danger. And strong nonsocial skills, like the kind some people with autism have, were good for our prehistoric ancestors who lived out in nature.

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Begin Online Autism Therapy In California:

If you are neurodiverse or looking for support for your neurodiverse partner, please reach out to us to learn more about our autism therapy services. We currently offer online autism therapy to individuals living in the great state of California. To begin online autism therapy, follow these steps:

Ing Thoughts For Neurotypical Partners

What does neurotypical mean?

Im often impressed by how much my autistic clients really want their partner to feel their love and concern. I am often in awe of the depth of compassion and empathy my autistic clients can show to their partner, when they feel safe and accepted. However, they end up feeling discouraged and hopeless when they try hard to connect with their partner but are met with painful responses like you dont love me.

I understand that you as a neurotypical partner are likely carrying heavy emotional pain from a lack of connection and intimacy. Perhaps, you feel very misunderstood and neglected by your autistic partner. Or maybe, you think your partner does not listen to you. But, that may not be their intent. This could be a misunderstanding and a lack of understanding about neurodiversity and how it can impact relationships.

Making some of these accommodations is a more direct and literal way to show your neurodiverse partner that you accept them and their autistic identity. It allows them to be vulnerable and stop trying to mask their autism traits because youre not saying or insinuating they have to be neurotypical to gain your love.

But, you want to feel loved and accepted too, right? I get that. When you learn how to communicate with your neurodivergent partner then you will find that communication between the two of you becomes easier. This will help you foster feelings of emotional intimacy in your relationship and will help both of your needs be met more effectively.

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The Origins Of The Word Neurodiverse

While the word neurodiverse was born in 1993 at the same time as neurotypical, it didnt appear in print until 1998 when Harvey Blume used it as a term to celebrate the geek community. Celebration is an appropriate term here, as neurodiversity really aims to be a way to highlight the benefits of being atypical.

A Quick Neurotypical Definition

The term neurotypical arose alongside the term neurodiverse. Neurotypical describes individuals who display typical intellectual and cognitive development. Human beings are social animals that band together for survival. As we have formed societies we have also formed ways of teaching our new generations skills like reading, math, and the overt and subtle forms of interaction with one another. These individuals acquire physical, verbal, intellectual, and social skills proceeds at a specific pace and meet standardly accepted milestones for development. Neurotypical people also display commonly expected physical behaviors such as being able to easily modulate their volume when speaking based on the situation and dont find it distressing maintaining eye contact.

Individuals who are described as neurotypical can generally navigate complex social situations, have good communication skills, establish social connections like friendships more easily, and can function in distracting or stimulating settings without becoming overloaded by stimuli. Sometimes an individual can experience an overlap in what is considered neurodiverse and neurotypical, such as a difficulty comprehending math but a typical or even precocious ability with language.

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The Educational Tyranny Of The Neurotypicals

Structured learning didn’t serve me particularly well. I was kicked out of kindergarten for running away too many times, and I have the dubious distinction of having dropped out of two undergraduate programs and a doctoral business and administration program. I havent been tested, but have come to think of myself as neuroatypical in some way.

Neurotypical is a term used by the autism community to describe what society refers to as normal. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 59 children, and one in 34 boys, are on the autism spectrumin other words, neuroatypical. That’s 3 percent of the male population. If you add ADHDattention deficit hyperactivity disorderand dyslexia, roughly one out of four people are not neurotypicals.

Our schools in particular have failed such neurodiverse students, in part because theyve been designed to prepare our children for typical jobs in a mass-production-based white- and blue-collar environment created by the Industrial Revolution. Students acquire a standardized skillset and an obedient, organized, and reliable nature that served society well in the pastbut not so much today. I suspect that the quarter of the population who are diagnosed as somehow non-neurotypical struggle with the structure and the method of modern education, and many others probably do as well.

Neurodiversity As A Celebration

Do you suffer from NEUROTYPICAL DISORDER?

Given that the word neurodiverse originated within the autism community, it is meant to celebrate the wonderful capabilities of those who dont fall within the typical category. Instead of saying that typical is the only way to be, neurodiversity encourages the idea that many different types of neurological functioning are beneficial to the world.

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So What Does This Have To Do With Pgrs

Regardless of whether you identify as neurodivergent or not, it is important for PGRs to be aware that neurodivergent individuals may have different preferences, particularly when it comes to communication. It is important to actively listen to anyone who needs reasonable adjustments. Make sure to respect others wishes when, for example, they request something to be communicated in writing. Equally, if you are a person who has specific needs or preferences, transparency is key specify what it is you would like from the people around you, including your supervisors.

Raising awareness and supporting those around you are also key steps in breaking down the stigma surrounding neurodiversity. For example, you can raise awareness of neurodiversity within your research group/school by doing the following

  • Openly discuss differences in processing and thinking and consider how your work can be accessible to all group members.

  • Be aware of preferences when allocating roles for tasks to be sure that everyone is comfortable with the work they are assigned to.

  • If you conduct any teaching work, or are giving a presentation at a conference, make sure that you handouts/presentation are as accessible as possible. You can follow the SCULPT guidelines and use Blackboard Ally on Moodle to help you. These guidelines are also useful when writing emails.

  • And always remember the following: listen, empathise, accept, and apply.

    What Is It Like To Be Neurodivergent

    There is no one answer to what it’s like to be neurodivergent. There isn’t even an answer to what it’s like to have any kind of specific neurodivergent diagnosis!

    People are individual and unique in the same way that it doesn’t feel the same for all people to have bodies, it doesn’t feel the same for all people with different neurodivergent diagnoses.

    Life is experienced differently by all humans, whether their brains function very similarly to the majority of people, or very different.

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    Gender Identity In Autism And Neurodiversity

    Gender identities that differ from biological sex appear to be more common in autism and neurodiversity. The study found that part of the non-cisgender identities could be related to having behavioral preferences of the opposite sex, but this failed to explain the higher prevalence in neurodiversity. Non-cisgender identities in neurodiversity could better be explained by having neurodiverse relationship preferences or lacking typical relationship preferences. Being part of the LGBT community biased answers to questions about gender identity. Neurodiverse non-cisgender people, just like neurodiverse asexual people, might be better off with new communities that focus on the more relevant relationship preference differences rather than on narrow and indirect gender and sexual issues – . Gender identity in autism and neurodiversity. Retrieved from osf.io/j3gv7).

    Stuck Between Two Worlds: Having A Brain That Is Half Autistic And Half Neurotypical

    What do neurodiverse and neurotypical mean?

    We often talk of Neurodiversity in terms of a binary between Autistic and Neurotypical when in reality it is much more complicated. We all know Autism exists on a spectrum but commonly assume if someone is on the spectrum, they are one side of a binary line, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum while if someone is neurotypical they are on the other side of the binary line. We assume autistic peoples brains work one way regardless of where we lie on the spectrum and neurotypical brains work in a different format, similar to the difference between a PC and a Mac. People often say being Autistic is like Having a Mac brain in a PC world. However, I believe from my own life experience that this is not true, that you can actually have a brain that is both. This is like having a brain that is sometimes a Mac and sometimes a PC in a PC world. While this ability sounds like a good idea in theory, in practical effect it creates other challenges.

    Michael Gilberg, Esq.

    What my own life and experiences have taught me is that we need to stop thinking of Autism vs. Neurotypical as two different ways of thinking but rather as part of a larger continuum. Instead of viewing neurology as a continuum of Autism vs. neurotypicality in a binary, we need to view it all as part of a larger continuum since so many of us have a mixture of autistic and neurotypical traits and ways of thinking.

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    The Controversy Around Neurodiversity

    Of course, neurodiversity comes with its fair share of controversy. While I aim to keep The Sensory Toolbox warm and fuzzy and I dont want to dive into it too much, many believe that conditions such as autism should remain within the medical model and not be recategorized under a term such as neurodiversity.

    This is simply one controversial idea of many, but it all stems from the fact that its really challenging to talk about how humans function. Whenever we step into the waters of typical, atypical, diverse, and more, we are bound to discover complications we werent expecting.

    Neurotypical Vs Neurodivergent: Whats The Difference

    The study of the human brain is a vast area with significant overlap between fields like neurology and psychiatry. The data can often be contradictory but significant inroads have been made in understanding how our brains affect our behaviors. Individuals on the autism spectrum in particular have benefited from a more holistic approach to treatment when it comes to ASD. New terminologies have also come into common usage to define the differences in how the world is perceived by different people. Two commonly used terms are neurodivergent and neurotypical.

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    Black And White Thinking

    Oftentimes it is said that autistic children and adults have black and white thinking because they prefer to have things a certain way.

    But doesnt everyone prefer to have things in a certain way?

    If my neurotypical son had a preference for a specific style of clothing or specific foods, no one would think twice. Maybe he would get a well-meaning tease about being a picky eater.

    But when my autistic son has restricted food preferences or he needs to take a specific route to the store, its seen as rigidity and something that he needs intensive therapies to force flexibility.

    Really, I had never thought of this black and white double standard until I thought about the therapies we put autistic children in.

    See, one of the things that these therapies work on is appropriate play because autistic children tend to play with toys in different ways than neurotypical children.

    So just to get this straightAutistics are the ones who have black and white thinking, and yet neurotypicals are the ones who demand that autistics play in a specific right way.

    Seems ridiculous, doesnt it?

    Learn More About Neurodivergence

    What Neurotypical and Misguided Mean: Bullies are Misguided

    If you’re interested in learning more about what it’s like to be neurodivergent, there is plenty available on the subject!

    Books

    Books such as “Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s,””Thinking in Pictures,” and “Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic” are personal accounts of being neurodivergent.

    Fictional books with neurodivergent main characters include “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine,””Flowers For Algernon,” and “On the Edge of Gone.”

    Nonfiction books about neurodivergence and the future of neurodiversity include “NeuroTribes,””Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and Other Brain Differences,” and “Divergent Mind.”

    Podcasts

    For those who prefer to listen to materials, there are podcasts on the topic. These include The Neurodiversity Podcast, Neurodiverging, and Sensory Matters.

    Social Media Accounts

    If you’d like to diversify your social media feed with neurodivergent voices and advocates, some top choices to follow are Neurodivergent Activist, Nurturing Neurodiversity, Paige Layle, and The Chronic Couple.

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    Where Did The Neurodiversity Movement Begin

    Disabilities activist Judy Singer coined the term neurodiversity in her 1998 honours thesis. She argued that autism and other neurological conditions are a normal variation in the human genome.

    Singer wanted a term that echoed positive terms like biodiversity and cultural diversity to call attention to the fact that many atypical forms of brain wiring also convey unusual skills and aptitudes.

    She argued that autistic differences are authentic forms of human identity and not things to endure or cure. Instead, she believed that these differences can be beneficial to the world, and should be treated as so.

    What Is Ados 2 Classification Of Autism

    5/5ADOSADOS2more on it

    The ADOS2 is a semi-structured, standardized assessment instrument that includes a number of play-based activities designed to obtain informationin the areas of communication, reciprocal social interactions, and restricted and repetitive behaviors associated with a diagnosis of ASD.

    One may also ask, what is the ADOS comparison score? The ADOS-2 diagnostic algorithm also provides an algorithm for computing the comparison score, a measure of the severity of autism-related symptoms. The comparison score ranges from 110, where 1 indicates minimal-to-no evidence of autism-related symptoms and 10 indicates a high level of impairment.

    Consequently, what do the ADOS scores mean?

    An ADOS Score is Just One Element of an ASD DiagnosisThe behaviors of the test subject are given a score of between zero and three, weighed against the normal behavior of a neurotypical person taking the test. The sum of the individual behavior scores is the overall score on the test module.

    How accurate is ADOS 2?

    ADOS2 data were submitted to a series of 2X2 contingency tables to calculate the classification accuracy of the instrument by module. Results: Overall accuracy across modules was 70.4% with a high rate of false positives .

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