I have come to hate this research on fixing children. Reading this new research I am struck that we are still trying to find ways to fix childrens social skills instead of trying to understand and or explore why peers and teachers arent more compassionate and understanding. The way we frame research matters . A neurodiversity-affirming research approach invites us to ask questions that recognize and value the richness of human diversity, leading to a more inclusive and empathetic society. We can do this same research and ask different questions.
I was just diagnosed with ADHD a year ago at age 35. I have an 8 year old daughter who most likely has ADHD too (knowing what I know about ADHD now) but she just happens to be at a Montessori school and I 100% know that the Montessori method of education and values is why she is thriving in learning and social relationships. They fully let her be herself, they encourage her to lean into her interests and they heathily challenge her to explore her weaknesses. If she was in a traditional 4 walled classroom in a square desk with 31+ other students being talked at all day we would be getting told we need to "fix her."
I'm currently doing research for my PhD thesis - my field is Human-Computer Interaction, and I'm looking at neurodivergence and work (this is why I'm showing up here, substack is one way of collecting experience reports).
And yes, there is *still* so much research looking at how to fix the neurodivergent folks. Rather than accepting that the human species is neuro-diverse, and that it might be smart to adapt systems in such ways that they work for more people, many researchers (and developers) are looking for ways to make us ND folks "normal".
But: change is coming, I've seen it. More and more people are approaching the topic of neuro-diverse work environments, acknowledging that different people just function differently :)
Wow. I was just diagnosed with ADD last week, at age 58. I grew up in the US in the 1970s and was a bright, nerdy bookworm with a rich inner life. Few to no friends, but no one trying to “fix” me. My now 17-year-old son has grown up in Switzerland was diagnosed at age 10. That was the year he was mobbed out of the local school; even the teachers refused to work with him. We got him into a Montessori school for the next 3 years and saw our sweet, goofy, creative boy re-emerge. Science and research are great, but of limited value without compassion and understanding.
I was just diagnosed with ADHD a year ago at age 35. I have an 8 year old daughter who most likely has ADHD too (knowing what I know about ADHD now) but she just happens to be at a Montessori school and I 100% know that the Montessori method of education and values is why she is thriving in learning and social relationships. They fully let her be herself, they encourage her to lean into her interests and they heathily challenge her to explore her weaknesses. If she was in a traditional 4 walled classroom in a square desk with 31+ other students being talked at all day we would be getting told we need to "fix her."
Agree.
Montessori can really work for adhd kids sometimes. I went to montessori in the 70's !!!! Loved it .
I'm currently doing research for my PhD thesis - my field is Human-Computer Interaction, and I'm looking at neurodivergence and work (this is why I'm showing up here, substack is one way of collecting experience reports).
And yes, there is *still* so much research looking at how to fix the neurodivergent folks. Rather than accepting that the human species is neuro-diverse, and that it might be smart to adapt systems in such ways that they work for more people, many researchers (and developers) are looking for ways to make us ND folks "normal".
But: change is coming, I've seen it. More and more people are approaching the topic of neuro-diverse work environments, acknowledging that different people just function differently :)
Wow. I was just diagnosed with ADD last week, at age 58. I grew up in the US in the 1970s and was a bright, nerdy bookworm with a rich inner life. Few to no friends, but no one trying to “fix” me. My now 17-year-old son has grown up in Switzerland was diagnosed at age 10. That was the year he was mobbed out of the local school; even the teachers refused to work with him. We got him into a Montessori school for the next 3 years and saw our sweet, goofy, creative boy re-emerge. Science and research are great, but of limited value without compassion and understanding.
I think women should be screened when their children are diagnosed!
Interesting idea.
It’s part of a grift. Psych departments, Pharma, big business are in on it. Without problems, there are no markets, and, everything is a market.