Quirky Infinity logo Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

More Than Quirky

Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

More Than Quirky logo with Infinity symbol blending with the Q

Quirky Infinity logo Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

Neurodivergence

Patient Safety: Being Heard

September 17th is World Patient Safety Day. While this generally continues to be an area that is improved worldwide, the experience for many neurodivergent people is not always protected by the policies in place. Many neurodivergent people report negative experiences regarding healthcare, including being ignored or dismissed, medical gaslighting, being patronised, misdiagnosis, and not being taken seriously particularly in relation to pain levels. One aspect of patient safety is the initial step of being heard,[…]

World Suicide Prevention Day 2024

WARNING: This article contains references to suicide, suicidal ideation, and the expression of suicidal thoughts. Please do not continue if this is likely to cause you intolerable distress, or negatively impact your own mental health or wellbeing. If you do read this article and need support, there are phone numbers and links at the bottom of the page. Mental health and neurodivergence go hand in hand for multiple reasons. Firstly, many mental health conditions are[…]

The Umbrella Term: Are Neurodivergence and Autism the Same?

The term “neurodivergent” covers many, many neurological differences. It is not a synonym for autistic, nor for ADHD. However, it does cover these neurotypes and therefore saying “Joe is neurodivergent” if Joe is autistic is accurate. That doesn’t mean, however, that you are being clear and specifying that Joe is autistic. You could equally be assumed to mean that Joe has depression, or Joe is dyspraxic, etc. “Neurodivergence” or “neurodivergent” have increasingly been used as[…]

Is Epilepsy a Neurodivergence?

When people discuss neurodivergence, many people assume they’re talking about autism or ADHD. However, the umbrella of neurodivergence covers many, many neurological differences, including epilepsy. The classification of epilepsy as a neurodivergence has been debated. Some believe it is a neurological disorder – as it has clear medical symptoms and treatments – opposed to a neurodivergence. The fact it can be diagnosed using scans such as EEG is often considered the point of difference. Epilepsy[…]

Celebrating Neurodivergent Strengths

As neurodivergence is frequently viewed using the medical model of disability, focus is primarily on problems. Impairments, inabilities, difficulties. Meltdowns, learning differences, problematic stims. However, as perception moves more and more towards the social model of disability, so too can the focus not only on the fact the majority of supposed disability is due to society, but that there are benefits. Many neurodivergent traits are strengths, both to the individual, and within a neuronormative society.[…]

Language and Terminology

An element of becoming part of the neurodivergent community is recognising how rubbish society is, in general, at using appropriate language and terminology. Using neurodivergent and neurodiverse interchangeably. Tending to use person-first language. Confusing “support needs” with “severity”. Most of the time it is not done with malice. Often the mistakes are even made with active good intentions – in most disability fields, person-first language is preferred, for example. I made many of these errors[…]

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