Accommodations

Ways to support disabled people, so that they can function equitably in a particular setting. Example: Allowing an autistic employee to wear ear plugs during work hours.

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is largely considered by the neurodiversity community as a neurotype. It is defined by the clinical psychology & medical community as a neurodevelopmental disorder (in my opinion, these things can be true at the same time).

In previous years, there were considered to be 2 separate diagnoses: ADD (attention deficit disorder) & ADHD. Now, ADD is no longer used and instead ADHD is used.

According to the DSM-V, the book which clinicians in the US reference for diagnostic criteria, ADHD is defined in the following ways:

• Under the umbrella of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Qualified as mild, moderate or severe
• Symptoms must be present before age 12

Types: inattentive/distractible, impulsive/hyperactive, or combined.

Inattentive Type

• “poor listening skills”
• “losing items easily”
• easily sidetracked
• forgets daily activities
• lacks ability to complete various tasks
• avoids tasks which require concentration
• fails to focus on details/makes “thoughtless” mistakes easily

Hyperactive Type

• displays signs of impulsivity
• struggles to sit still, refrain from squirming, “marked restlessness”
• appears to be “driven by a motor”
• lacks ability to engage in activities in a quiet manner
• “overly talkative”

Combined Type: expresses symptoms of both types of ADHD for a period of 6 months or more

(source for summary of DSM-V definition)

From my understanding as a clinician in the neurodivergent space, I see that our understanding of ADHD is rapidly growing & changing in ways the DSM-V has yet to acknowledge.

Sonny Jane, aka Lived Experience Educator, as well as many others in the community describe the dimensions of ADHD in alternative ways. I think this can be super helpful to consider alongside the approach of the DSM-V when it comes to diagnosing & understanding ADHD.

• attention differences
• internal hyperactivity
• external hyperactivity
• differences in time perception
• impulsivity
• executive functioning differences
• sensory & stimulation.

What do I mean by “dimensions?” My definition is that each dimension represents an aspect of ADHD. In order to have ADHD, one must have symptoms within each dimension. However, the severity of those symptoms within those dimensions varies quite a bit dependent on the individual.

Here is a visual representation of this concept, created by Sonny Jane.

Many of us reject the idea of diagnostically qualifying the severity of ADHD, as it is something that can be expressed in varying ways over time, dependent on co-ocurring diagnoses & neurotypes, and differing life experiences. As a clinician myseld, I see ADHD as a lens through which an ADHDer’s mental health is expressed, and that that expression can look different depending on the state of their well being.

Many individuals have a combination of ADHD & autism, also known as AuDHD.

Many theorize that genetics play a role when it comes to the occurrence of ADHD & autism. I have seen this in my experience & research, you often times see ADHD & autism occurring in families. For example: maybe one sibling has ADHD, the other autism, and one of the parents have AuDHD.

Alexithymia

A sense of being unable to sense, understand or articulate ones emotions and/or sensations. This is can be experienced temporarily or long-term, depending on a number of factors. It is most commonly experienced autistic individuals.

ARFID – Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

This diagnosis is one that can often (though not exclusively) overlap with autism due to many of us having a tendency to stick to our “safe” foods that fit our often sensory-based needs for selective eating.

The difference in someone with ARFID and a “picky” eater is essentially the severity of the impact of the person’s eating habits. As described by Walden Eating Disorders, some of the things to look for are significant weight loss/struggle to maintain a healthy weight, as well as a change in psychosocial functioning.

In my experience as a clinician to several folks with ARFID, it is a disorder which is something that can develop/increase/flare with stress. For instance, choosing a meal requires several things:

• First, for the person to identify their hunger cues (something that many neurodivergent people struggle with)
• Then the decision making part of the process (which can feel like a demand & be very hard if someone is experiencing demand avoidance)
• Then trying to decipher if the food feels safe or not which at times can be unpredictable
• Then the executive functioning of putting the meal together/organizing how you will get the food
• Then eating the food & hoping you will like it, as sometimes eating food you don’t like or want can be very dysregulating to someone with a sensitive nervous system/sensory processing difficulties.

On the flip side, safe foods just in general are very regulating can be helpful to give consistency & reliability for autistic people, which are things that we need to thrive.

See why a neurodivergent person might avoid eating?

If you are noticing an strong impact on your life/your loved one’s life due to selective eating habits, I’d recommend speaking to a professional who is versed in ARFID.

Treatment for ARFID can include things such as nutritional assessment, counseling support, medical care and feeding therapy. In my experience some of the best support can be 1. Reducing demands around food as much as possible, this includes allowing safe foods at all times 2. Creating a list of safe foods (not foods they HAVE to eat, but just a way of having them documented to help visualize choices) 3. Working to improve interoceptive awareness

RD’s (registered dieticians) for Neurodiversity have some great education & resources on understanding ARFID & neurodiversity.

Aphantasia

The inability to “picture” things in one’s mind. For instance, if I say think of an apple, a person with aphantasia would struggle to visualize one in their mind.

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

A method in which the behavior analyst (BCBA – board certified behavior analyst) develops a plan to change the behavior of autistic children using the science of behaviorism. There are RBTs, registered behavioral technicians, who often work with BCBAs to implement the plan of care.

Overall this is a nuanced, difficult and very important issue in the autistic community, especially when it comes to autistic folks of intersecting marginalized identities. I highly encourage you to further educate yourself on the topic. I will provide a brief summary of what insight I have here. And for more resources, including the history & ethics of ABA, folks who are working to change ABA, & where to find alternatives to ABA, click here.

I cannot overstate: ABA can be & has been extremely harmful for many autistic folks.

There is a large number of autistic individuals who report having experienced a high level trauma due to ABA, and that cannot & should not be dismissed. Because of this, many folks in the autistic community believe that both ABA and behaviorist approaches should be altogether abolished.

Now, there are some folks who try to honor the trauma ABA has caused and want to use that information to create neuroaffirming, positive change in the field of ABA. I myself have connected with providers who are autistic themselves & working in the field of ABA (mostly running their own, very small practices) and those are the people I believe are going to bring about these much-needed changes. I have also found these folks are VERY much in the minority & rarely if ever given space to voice their concerns in places such as professional ABA conferences. This illustrates to me how to the larger ABA system is still very much ableist & an unsafe space for autistics.

It is extremely common for larger ABA clinics to require 20-40 hours a week of ABA therapy, which is something I would never, ever recommend subjecting anyone to. No matter how “neuroaffirming” they may claim to be. There are also still many folks in ABA who believe it to be a form of “treatment” for autism, and that is not an appropriate claim to make. In the world of ABA academics & trainings, there also remains a severe lack of centering autistic voices, which I think is a big part of the problem.

I hope to have a podcast episode on this soon. I will link it here when that is done!

AuDHD

A neurotype in which a person has both autism and ADHD. This has come together as many members of both the autism & ADHD community have realized they have both (see: autism, ADHD).

I am working to expand my definition of this neurotype, however in the meantime this is a great article that explains AuDHD further.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

AAC refers to alternative forms of communication which do not require speaking. AAC devices which are utilized by many members of the autism community as a way to communicate. There are many different kinds of AAC devices, most often are different forms of apps accessed through smart devices.

Autism

Behaviorism

A school of thought which purports behavior is a result of environmental conditioning & can therefore be altered through the same means.

Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA)

Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) is an individual who undergoes specific education to provide ABA to autistic clients.

Body-Doubling

a concept in which one person engages in a task parallel to another person engaging in the same task to help encourage and support that person’s motivation to complete their task.

Burnout

A combination of mental and physical symptoms associated with prolonged exhaustion from overworking oneself. One’s neurotype can affect both how burnout is acquired and expressed.

Chronic Illness

a physical condition in which a person has a physical illness that is “chronic” meaning does not heal and symptoms continues to persist.

Decision Paralysis & Decision Fatigue

Concepts intended to describe when a person becomes mentally overwhelmed by the number and/or complexity of decisions they must make and therefore finds themselves unable to make any decision at all.

Being unable to make any decisions is decision paralysis, the feeling of exhaustion is decision fatigue.

Executive Functioning

A reference to the type of brain function that is utilized for things such as organization, time management, etc.

Hypercalcula

A person with hypercalcula has the ability to process mathematical concepts & problem at a significantly higher rate & depth than the average person.

Hyperfixation & Hyperfocus

Hyperfixations are often experiences by neurodivergent individuals, especially folks with autism or ADHD (though it is not exclusive to those neurotypes).

A hyperfixation is when someone has an extreme focus on a particular activity, concept or experience.

Hyperfixations commonly lead to periods of hyperfocus. It can often interfere with one’s ability to motivate themselves to complete tasks not related to the fixation.

Example for someone with a special interest in baking: “I have been hyperfixating on getting this recipe right for weeks. My mind has just been obsessing over what changes I might need to make and it is hard for me to focus at work because it feels like it’s all-consuming.”

Example of hyperfocus: “I was hyperfocused on getting this cupcake recipe right all day. I didn’t even realize what time it was or that I had forgotten to eat all day until I finally got the cupcakes in the oven.”

IEP (Individual Education Plan)

An IEP is a plan put together in collaboration with parents and school staff with the goal of better supporting a child’s needs in school.

Misophonia

Significant pain or discomfort in response to noise, whether it is a high level of general noise or specific noises.

Parallel Play

A form of interaction in which two people are both engaging in an individual task on their own, but sharing a space while doing it.

For instance, I like to sit on the couch & play a handheld video game while my partner plays a different game on their own device. This is parallel play.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS)

POTS is when an individual’s autonomic nervous system does not appropriately respond to the stimulus of postural changes, leading to a rapid drop in blood pressure & rise in heart rate.

Example: A person with POTS was sitting down & then stood up. As a result, their heart rate has increased 35 bpm.

Some people with POTS experience fainting or syncope as a result of the sudden change in their body, others experience “pre-syncope” which just means feelings of things such a dizziness, exhaustion, etc.

POTS is a diagnosis which has reportedly been seen more frequently in autistic folks than neurotypical populations.

Sensory Processing

how we process the input from our body’s senses.

Support Swapping

individuals within a relationship or community utilizing their strengths to help support one another’s support needs.

504

a plan which specifically outlines the ways in which a school will work to support a particular disabled child’s needs.