#neurodevelopmental disorder

[ppd-culture-is]

Stop saying differently abled when you mean disabled.

Stop saying gifted burnt out kid when you mean disabled.

Stop saying the c-slur when you mean disabled.

Stop saying 'super power' when you mean disabled.

Stop saying senile when you mean disabled.

Stop saying special needs when you mean needs for someone who is disabled.

Start saying disabled when you mean disabled.

Disability isn't, nor will it ever be, a dirty word. The only reason you think it's dirty is because you walked on it with muddy shoes.

[low-empathy-advocacy]

don't say "empathy" when you mean "helping others."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "moral values."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "taking people's problems into account."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "stand up for people who can't stand up for themselves."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "sense of justice."

don't say "empathy" when you mean "doing right things."

[seasickzig]

Executive dysfunction caused by Autism makes me so mad.

People always talk about it with ADHD, and I always hear people being grateful that their executive dysfunction is fixed with meds.

I cannot be fixed.

And executive dysfunction isn’t just the “Go go chemical” that allows you to get started/follow through on projects, it also impacts your ability to organize thoughts, make plans, prioritize tasks, manage time, and make decisions.

I cannot get out of bed. It has been four hours since I woke up. Meds will not fix this.

I cannot do chores. I must be prompted. Meds will not fix this.

I cannot make plans. I’m autistic and NEED plans, but I can’t make them. Meds will not fix this.

I cannot think straight. Every thought echoes in my head with no conclusion. Meds will not fix this.

I cannot make decisions. People ask me things and my brain goes blank. Meds will not fix this.

I cannot do anything for myself. Executive dysfunction has stolen control from me. Meds will not fix this.

[maive-the-sheep]

Stop saying neurodivergence when you just mean neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurodivergence includes things like schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder.

Stop saying neurodevelopmental when you exclude tic disorders.

And if you just mean autism. Just say that. It's not bad to talk about a specific thing regarding autism alone.

[neurodivergentbraingoblins]

I was recently diagnosed with an incredibly rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a genetic mutation on the PPP2R1A gene. The disorder is so rare it doesn't have a fancy name yet 😅 the worst symptoms of my disorder is the mental illnesses I deal with. Add onto that childhood abuse targeted at me because of my undiagnosed issues and I got the shit storm of mental health.

I have been diagnosed with C-PTSD, ADHD, OCD, PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), Borderline Personality Disorder, Excoriation Disorder (severe skin picking), and Sensory Processing Disorder. Informally diagnosed as Autistic.

My entire life, I just thought I was a broken human being. Turns out I just have a genetic disorder that literally causes me to lose my mind 🤣 I always knew that mental illnesses liked to come in groups, but I got hit with the one-two punch that has left me unable to function on my own

[themogaidragon]

Disability Inclusive Progress Pride Flag

[pt: Disability Inclusive Progress Pride Flag /end pt]

[ID: A flag with a chevron centered at the left and pointing toward the right and six equally-sized horizontal stripes and colors in this order top to bottom: red, orange, yellow, light green, blue and purple. The six-striped chevron starts first with a big yellow stripe with a purple circle centered on it. The rest of the chevron is in two parts, top and bottom. Top of the chevron, left to right: red, orange, white, green and cyan. Bottom of the chevron, left to right: white, pink, cyan, brown and black. END ID]

Made by u/it_couldbe_worse_ (link) / @it-couldbe-worse. Edited by u/DB1_5 (link) to be easier for the eyes. Published on Reddit, in r/QueerVexillology (link).

[mad-pride]

I made an Auditory Processing Disorder flag based on the awareness color (lime green) and how it personally feels for me :)

Thanks!

[autisticdiaries]

To Anyone that doesn't know-

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a Neurodevelopmental disorder.

It's NOT an intellectual disorder, nor is it a mental illness.

It CAN be paired with different disabilities and even mental illness, but none of them are one in the same.

The reason I'm making this PSA is that these are some of the most common misconceptions I have to educate and correct individuals on in my experience as an Autistic person.

[eclipsewilliam]

Autistic mono-tropic thinking

Autistic mono-tropic thinking refers to a cognitive style often associated with autism in which an individual has a tendency to focus intensely on one subject or activity at a time. The term “mono-tropic” comes from the idea of being oriented or “tuned” into a single focus, as opposed to “multi-tropic” thinking, which involves balancing attention across multiple things at once.

In this style of thinking, a person might become deeply absorbed or “locked into” a specific interest or task, often to the exclusion of everything else around them. This intense focus can be highly productive and allow for deep expertise in a subject, but it can also make it difficult for the person to shift their attention or engage with other tasks or social situations that might seem less engaging or relevant.

Mono-tropic thinking can be contrasted with more typical, multi-tasking styles of thinking that involve frequent shifts between different thoughts or activities. In mono-tropic thinking, the brain tends to prioritize and become fully immersed in one thing, which can be beneficial for deep concentration but sometimes challenging in environments that require rapid switching between tasks or awareness of a broad range of stimuli.

In practical terms, this might look like an autistic person spending hours on a single hobby, project, or interest, with little awareness or attention to external distractions. It can also mean that the person may find it hard to “multi-task” in the conventional sense, or may need extra time and space to transition between activities.

Overall, mono-tropic thinking is one way in which many autistic individuals process and organize their thoughts, and it can be both a strength and a challenge depending on the context.

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧ ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧ ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧

[arquaticdreamer]

I hope one day nonspeakers and HSN autistics and those with Cerebral palsy, Down, and other neurodevelopment disabilities and neurodivergent people no longer are referred to have “Special needs” or be called “special”. It gives Jules the ick. Very infantalizing, and can be used against us as harmful words.

[therapeutic007]

✨✨ When you realize your personality is like a buffet of Cluster A disorders… ✨✨

“So, I just found out my personality type is like a well-stocked fridge of cluster A disorders. Paranoid Personality Disorder? Check! I’m convinced my cat is plotting against me. 🐱🔍 Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Only when I look in the mirror and think, ‘Wow, I’m fabulous!’ ✨ And let's not forget Avoidant Personality Disorder—I haven’t left my house in three days, but I’m totally fine, I swear! 😅🏠

It’s a party in my brain, and everyone’s invited… except anyone who wants to socialize, obviously.

[anarghyasingh]

Types of neurodevelopmental disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders effects the brain and the neurological functioning of the brain that effects a person’s development. The most common feature about neurodevelopmental disorders is that it occurs during the early stages of development. Hence, they are often seen in children when they are about to enter schooling or during early stages of schooling. This leads to children facing social, cognitive and emotional functioning. It often also leads to children unable to have age-appropriate achievements or behaviour. DSM-5 includes three major types of neurodevelopmental disorders along with others.

Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

Commonly known as ADHD, attention deficit/ Hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that interferes with the attention span of people. Main symptoms of ADHD are inattention and hyper activeness. People who suffer from ADHD have a hard time in following instructions or keeping their attention on one thing or place. This disorder is usually diagnosed early on in life but sometimes it is also found during teenage years.  "Common complaints are that the child does not listen, cannot concentrate, does not follow instructions, easily distracted, forgetful, does not finish assignments etc." the NCERT states. Children who are impulsive seem to have difficulty in controlling their reactions to their instant thoughts, as they may not be socially acceptable or harmful to other people. They also face difficulty in delaying gratification and urges, which can lead to minor mishappenings and also major accidents. Whereas hyperactivity can be seen in many ways like a child being unable to sit stationary, the need to keep moving, fidgeting etc. ADHD is usually treated with medications as well as regular therapy, behaviour therapy is considered as the most effective therapy for ADHD. Parents of the patients are also suggested to go to therapy to understand the condition better.

Autism spectrum disorder

This disorder deals with the impairments faced in social gathering or to socialise. People who have autism disorder find it very difficult to interact with other people in a gathering or to understand the set norms of the society or the unspoken rules of conversations. They also have repetitive behaviour and are unable to function in schools and social environment.  Autism is known as spectrum disorder as it has a lot of variations within itself and different types of symptoms varying among people.  It is often diagnosed in the first 2 years of life. Kids who are diagnosed often also face intellectual difficulties. It is also observed that people who are autistic, are often extra-ordinary or a prodigy in one or two subjects, however that isn't necessary in all the cases and remains a few exceptions. Symptoms of Autism are: making very little to no eye contact, appearing uninterested, difficulty in holding the conversation, difficulty in adjusting to new environment, etc. Certain medications along with therapy helps reduce the symptoms of autism however it isn’t totally curable.

Intellectual Disability Disorder

Intellectual disability is another type of neurodevelopmental disorder where a person’s Intelligence Quotient is lower than average. Hence, they have certain cognitive limitations unlike other people leading them to develop on a slower rate. The American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD) views intellectual disability as “significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour and manifested during the developmental period”. The disorder is divided into 4 parts based on the IQ of a person.  The different levels of intellectual disability are: Mild (IQs 55 to approximately 70), Moderate (IQs 35–40 to approximately 50– 55), Severe (IQs 20–25 to approximately 35–40), and Profound (IQs below 20–25). At mild level, people do develop on a lot slower rate than those who don’t have ID yet they are considered to be able to function in the society alone, hold jobs, have families etc.  Although, people at severe and profound level need constant watch and care as they are unable to function on their own. The table below refers to the characteristics of individuals at different IQ levels in Intellectual disability.

[ineedfairypee]

Deficit this, deficit that, what if I defecate on your favourite hob ring 🙄

[bleakbeauty]

I'm a medium-to-high support needs autistic adult, diagnosed in my 30s, and I have a story idea for Hollywood. An autistic person grows up in the 80s and 90s with no diagnosis, in part because less is known about autism then and in part because the adults in his life think science and medicine are scams. He realizes that he's different, and this makes him miserable, but the people around him tell him that he's just a normal person with a bad attitude. He endures complex child abuse, both physical and emotional, and is ostracized by both his classmates and his teachers at school. This person slips through the cracks of care and grows up feeling humiliated and worthless. As an adult, after he's diagnosed with ASD, he reaches out to his family, but they don't want to get to know him. He can't make any human connections, state-run disability support systems fail him, and nobody cares whether he gets the support he needs. The world is so alien that he begins to feel like he isn't even a human. He withdraws from people and begins spending as much time as he can walking in the woods, trying to connect to the non-human world. Eventually, he abandons his relationship with humanity altogether and disappears into the forest, and no one remembers that he even existed. It's a story about what autism really feels like to a lot of people. You can't win care, you're isolated from everyone, and you feel like an alien. You don't see yourself in anyone, and you hear the world saying that none of this is for you. People seem so strange that you lose faith in your grip on reality. For many, autism is not about being awkward in an endearing way and having esoteric interests; it's about your personhood being built on entirely different fundaments. Filmmakers could show that many of us have no access to compassion because this society hates anyone who needs help, and it prioritizes independence and sharp social acumen above patience, love, and curiosity. Happy stories about autistic kids are great, but there are millions of unhappy autistic adults who struggle every day to assert that they even exist.

[touretticeducation]

Anyone have this oppositional tic?

Eye contact tic is when a Tourettor has a tic or compultic where they are forced to look at someone, someone’s eyes or a camera. Sometimes it’s known as “direct tics” since it seems like the tourettor is speaking to the person or giving them a look.

E.g.

(Just) eye contact tic (staring, eye rolling, looking back and forth at them, etc.)

Eye contact + other motor tic(s) (clapping at someone, facial expressions, rude gestures, etc.)

Eye contact + vocal tic(s) (tics appearing social, appearing rude, phonics, etc.)

Eye contact + other motor and vocal tics

Compultic - obsessive tic symptoms include unable to not focus on the tic energy (premonitory urges) and or mental tic - compultic symptoms include getting rid of the tic energy in sets, loops, symmetry behaviors. It’s a complex type of tic that needs to repeat the tic until tic energy goes away, instead of a impultic where it’s more on the involuntary spectrum.

Mental tics - like any other tic it’s an automatic symptom that appears through thoughts, although the symptom is intrusive (like any other external tics) they do not display any intrusive and compulsive symptoms, and are not associated with emotions. Anxious behaviors may be due to fear of having it as an external tic or are uncomfortable with the repetitiveness nature of tics with oppositional tics.

(Impultics includes little awareness and less time to redirect the tic energy, compultics includes strong attention to the tic energy physically and or mentally and are unable to not tic, compulTICS are still involuntary and not a compulSIVE behavior that can be changed, compulTICS are still associated with the tic energy (premonitory urges) and still need treatment like any other tics, and often react very poorly and tend to be dangerous to use traditional OCD treatment on compulTICS.)