Redefining 'Normal': Navigating the Neurodiversity Journey by Corey Wiesner
What is considered “normal” in our society is still based on a very narrow perspective. This particularly impacts people with disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD. The mental picture so many folks have of autistic people mirrors the stereotypes in popular media. Moreover, statistics show neurodivergent people of color are less likely to have access to diagnostic health resources than their white peers and are more likely to be criminalized for neurodivergent behaviors. As more people are diagnosed as neurodiverse, perspectives will become increasingly nuanced and complex, which can create further confusion on resources available and a path forward.
My wife and I are blessed to have two young boys (ages 7 and 5). We never anticipated the amount of advocacy that was required when we discovered and started our journey of raising neurodivergent children. The time commitment to get them to and from therapy multiple days and hours each week. The tantrums, breakdowns, and sensory diets to rewire behaviors. On top of the amount of conversations, research and education needed for ourselves to best understand to navigate is incredibly exhausting. Compound all of that with educating family and friends is overwhelming and requires a lot of strength.
I can’t tell you how many times our advocacy about our children’s struggles goes unheard even within groups you would imagine would understand (school administrators, doctors, family, etc). Because our children appear “normal”. Transparently, this journey has opened my eyes to biases that I have had pre-parenthood. Going to the grocery store and observing children having breakdowns can easily be considered behavior problems or “bad parenting”. I’m telling you that it most likely is not. The only way to move the needle forward and what has helped my wife and I the most is to have community and allies. That’s why I am so passionate about Little Allies and the mission to help other parents, caregivers and educators support these conversations earlier. We need to work together to eliminate bias in children so they do not perpetuate cultural systemic inequities across all dimensions of diversity.
