What is Neurodivergence?
The term neurodivergence is an umbrella term for many different disorders. According to Northwestern University, neurodivergence ” refers to people who process information in a way that is not typical for their age….It just means the brain works differently than what is considered typical. It’s neither right nor wrong.” In the words of autistic animal scientist and advocate Temple Grandin, it is “different, but not less.”
You may also hear the term “neurodiversity,” which is a broader umbrella term that encompasses both neurotypical and neurodivergent people. People are not neurodiverse—they are either neurotypical or neurodivergent. Neurodiversity is often used in broader discussions of diversity and acceptance of people whose brains function in all sorts of different ways.
There are many different forms of neurodivergence. Qrkiez has created the following guide that defines each condition, highlights the traits of each, and provides authoritative resources for each condition.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism affects how a person perceives the world and interacts with others. It is a spectrum, meaning it looks different for everyone. In the words of Dr. Stephen Shore – Special Education Professor at Adelphi University, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
Signs to look for:
- Children: Not responding to their name, preferring to play alone, or getting upset by small changes in routine.
- Teenagers: Difficulty “reading between the lines” (like sarcasm), having very intense hobbies, or feeling overwhelmed by loud noises.
- Adults: Preferring structured schedules, finding small talk exhausting, or having a very formal way of speaking.
Resources:
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
ADHD is about how the brain manages focus and energy. People with ADHD might struggle with boring tasks but can hyperfocus on things they love.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Constantly “on the go,” interrupting others, or frequently losing toys and school supplies.
- Teenagers: Zoning out during long lectures, “time blindness” (losing track of time), or starting many projects without finishing them.
- Adults: Difficulty with organization, feeling restless during long meetings, or impulsive decision-making.
Resources:
AuDHD (Autism + ADHD)
AuDHD is the term used when a person is both Autistic and has ADHD. While not a “separate” medical diagnosis in the DSM-5, it is recognized as a unique experience because the traits of Autism and ADHD can sometimes clash or mask one another.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Needing strict routines (Autism) but constantly seeking new stimulation or getting bored easily (ADHD).
- Teenagers: Being highly social but struggling with social cues, or having “spiky” energy levels where they are hyper-productive, then completely burnt out.
- Adults: Feeling like a “walking contradiction”—craving organization and lists but struggling to stick to them, or being sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant at the same time.
Resources:
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is often associated with letter reversal when reading, but the broader definition is a learning difference that makes it harder for the brain to connect letters with the sounds they make. It has nothing to do with how smart someone is!
Signs to look for:
- Children: Difficulty learning nursery rhymes, struggling to name letters, or mixing up sounds in big words.
- Teenagers: Reading much slower than friends, hating reading aloud in class, or having “messy” spelling.
- Adults: Avoiding jobs with heavy paperwork, preferring audiobooks, and being a great “big picture” thinker.
Resources:
Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder)
Dyspraxia affects physical coordination and “motor planning.” It can make someone appear a bit clumsy, but it often comes with great creativity.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Difficulty tying shoelaces, bumping into furniture, or struggling to use a fork and knife.
- Teenagers: Finding gym class or team sports frustrating, or having very messy handwriting.
- Adults: Difficulty with tasks like driving or DIY projects, and often dropping items.
Resources:
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia makes it hard for the brain to understand “number sense,” such as how a number represents or how time works.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Struggling to learn to count or needing to use fingers for math much longer than peers.
- Teenagers: Hard time reading analog clocks or getting very anxious in math class.
- Adults: Difficulty estimating a grocery bill total or struggling to calculate a tip at a restaurant.
Resources:
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette’s involves “tics”: involuntary movements or sounds. It is sometimes described as a “brain sneeze” that eventually has to come out.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Rapid eye blinking, throat clearing, or nose twitching that happens repeatedly.
- Teenagers: Complex tics like shoulder shrugging or repeating certain words.
- Adults: Tics often lessen with age but may flare up during times of high stress.
Resources:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD involves “obsessions” (unwanted thoughts) and “compulsions” (actions done to make the thoughts go away).
Signs to look for:
- Children: Asking the same question for reassurance constantly or having strict bedtime rituals.
- Teenagers: Excessive hand washing or feeling the need to “cancel out” bad thoughts by tapping.
- Adults: Spending hours checking if doors are locked or having intrusive thoughts that cause high anxiety.
Resources:
Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia is a specific learning difference that affects writing. It creates challenges for the brain to coordinate thoughts with the physical act of writing.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Having an awkward grip on a pencil or struggling to form letters.
- Teenagers: Taking a long time to copy notes or mixing up capital and lowercase letters.
- Adults: Strongly preferring typing over writing and struggling with fine-motor tasks like filling out forms.
Resources:
Hyperlexia
Hyperlexia is an advanced ability to read far beyond age level, often paired with challenges in understanding context or spoken communication.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Reading fluently before age 3 but struggling to answer questions about the story.
- Teenagers: Feeling much more comfortable communicating through text than speaking.
- Adults: Incredible memory for written facts, but sometimes missing social cues in live conversations.
Resources:
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder involves a brain that processes energy and mood in cycles. Many experts view this as neurodivergence because of the unique way the brain processes information during different phases.
Signs to look for:
- Children: Extreme “mood storms” that last for days or periods of very high energy without sleep.
- Teenagers: Drastic shifts between being highly social and deeply withdrawn.
- Adults: Experiencing phases of intense productivity followed by phases of heavy brain fog and low energy.
Resources:
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological condition where the brain’s electrical activity is occasionally disrupted. It is often considered a form of neurodivergence because it represents a fundamental difference in brain “wiring.”
Signs to look for:
- Children: “Staring spells” or sudden jerking movements.
- Teenagers: Frequent “deja vu” feelings or strange smells that aren’t there.
- Adults: Short periods of confusion or muscle stiffening.
Resources:
Related Conditions
- Synesthesia: When senses overlap, such as “tasting” words or “seeing” music as colors.
- Misophonia: An extreme brain reaction to specific sounds like chewing or tapping.
- Irlen Syndrome: A difference in how the brain processes light, often making reading difficult.
- Face Blindness (Prosopagnosia): A lifelong difficulty in recognizing faces.
