General NDD, Autism and ADHD resources

Neurodiversity describes the different thinking styles that affect how people communicate with the world around them. It is an umbrella term which can be used to describe a range of neurological differences. Neurodiversity is a characteristic of the whole population, not a specific individual.

A neurodivergent person is someone whose brain function in selective areas (such as learning, attention, emotions, impulses, sensory processing, and social behaviours) falls outside what is perceived as normal. For each individual, these differences can provide strengths, challenges, both, or neither. They do not necessarily have a neurodevelopmental disorder.

NDD is a term used for individuals whose brain functioning in selective areas such as learning, attention, emotions, impulses, sensory processing, and social behaviours, are at an extreme for their age, which significantly impacts their ability to perform tasks and activities in their daily lives.

ASD and ADHD are both diagnoses within the broader category of neurodevelopmental disorders. For a diagnosis of either ASD and/or ADHD, it requires the child or young person to have pervasive difficulties in multiple areas which impacts their daily lives. If your child or young person has needs within one or two or these areas, it may be that an ASD and/or ADHD assessment is not appropriate. Similarly, many difficulties associated with ASD and/or ADHD, can be due to other causes.