Neurodiversity

 

Talking Points:

1. “Instead of thinking of people with autism or ADHD as needing to be ‘fixed,’ we put a spotlight on things that they’re good at and help with things that they’re working on.” This quote really stood out to me because it is very important we focus on understanding our students vs “fixing” them. When we take the chance to understand our students and focus on their strengths, we create a more inclusive learning environment. When our students see we believe in them and see what they are good at, they are able to achieve their own goals. Goals they set for themselves, not goals we set for them. Something I do frequently in the clinic that is similar to having students set their own goals is letting them have control in their care. I have multiple students who are on the Autism spectrum and frequently come to the clinic. I have one student in particular who comes in frequently to “check in”. If he does something as simple as bumping his elbow on the table, he comes to me to have a full assessment. For him, this is about reassurance and routine. Sometimes he even walks himself through the assessment and realizes he is okay-this promotes independence for him. 

2. “Recognizing neurodiverse people as having differences, rather than deficits, is important. This approach helps kids fulfill their potential and thrive”. I find this to be very important, especially as a nurse. Just last week I had one of my students say “Miss Veronica I hate being like this, I don't like coming here at lunch everyday because no one else has to”. This made my heart hurt for this student, he can recognize he is different but he needs to realize that does not make him any less of a person than anyone else. He is only 8 years old, so it was hard to get through to him. I found once I started explaining that we all have something we may not like or wish we didn't have-I went to the point of even sharing that when I was a kid, I wished I didn't have psoriasis. That I was super embarrassed and always wore things that covered my arms. It is important (like we talked about in last week's class) that we connect with students and show them we are more than just the nurse or the teacher. He did leave my clinic in much better spirits after which made me feel like I did something right~we are all different and that is okay! 

3. “When kids are very rigid or react with outbursts or meltdowns that seem out of proportion to the circumstances, parents often feel frustrated and confused. They start looking for an explanation. “We have parents who say, ‘Well, my child must be neurodivergent in the way they’re processing information because how could this response be anything else?’” she adds. This often leads them to seek an autism evaluation. However, other factors can also contribute to extreme moods”. 

Argument Statement:

We need to advocate for strength based approaches to really help and advocate for our students who are neurodivergent. As educators we should not be focusing on “fixing what is wrong”. 

Reflections/Connections:

Overall I really enjoyed reading this article. Having a lot of students with ADHD and Autism, I was able to relate to a lot and learn a lot. I have a friend who I went to high school with who has ADHD and really struggles. It took her until college to get on medication and truly learn about her diagnosis. When I was reading Ashley’s post, she mentioned the ADDitude website. I took the time and looked through it, it had a lot of useful information that I can use as a school nurse.