Over recent years there has been an increase in the amount of children and young people who are presenting as neurodiverse.
We can ask ourselves; are professionals working with children and young people adapting to this change quickly enough? Is our learning sufficient to be able to support these children, and families well enough? Does the education system as a whole enable professionals to make the adjustments necessary to support the burgeoning neurodiverse community in our schools?
I work as an arts therapist, in schools with children and young people. In recent years, a growing number of my cases have included presentations of distress, that with exploration, have transpired to be neurodivergent expressions of difficulties in engaging with mainstream expectations, demands and culture.
I have found that greater sensitivity is necessary when working with children who are experiencing distress caused by their specific sensitivities. It can be frustrating and upsetting for primary school aged children to experience such strong reactions to social and sensory situations and predicaments, transitions, unexpected change, and the fatigue that frequently accompanies the experience.
I have several years of former experience working as a teacher, and a therapist, in a special school where the majority of pupils had a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition. In recent years, one of my own children has also received an ASC diagnosis, so I have a current lived experience of managing, supporting and helping a young person living with neurodiversity.
And yet, each day brings new learning for me, and I am reminded (sometimes rudely) of my shortcomings. This is sometimes humbling.
I didn’t really begin to understand neurodivergence until I lived with it.
My senses are more attuned to neurodiversity than they were two years ago. And it may be this that makes me think that there are more children and young people who are presenting with neurodivergent sensory behaviours and needs. When I think of the sensory preferences that my own child has, which is largely mirrored in the neurodivergent community – I see it all around, especially in particular shops, where these needs are catered for. On a recent trip to a well known high street shop that sells touchy feely nicknacks, and identity affirming trinkets – it felt like a cathedral to neurodiversity, and it was full and bustling as usual.
The concept of ‘masking’ – where great care and effort is taken to present a socially acceptable presentation, in order to fit in, and feel inclusion in social groups – is much more known about now, but I find that understanding and awareness of the consequent burn out, and fatigue is less well known.
The experience and understanding of neurodivergence can be different for the parent/carer, than for the professional. The intensity and high level of support can feel emotionally draining, and the fallout from an exhausting day can be dramatic. In my household, the social mask, to enable feeling socially acceptable, can take hours to prepare.
Neurodiversity can be complex in its experience, but also in the ways that we can help and support children and young people who are coming to terms with the experience. What helped last time might not help this time.
I find that it can sometimes be a humbling experience, and a steep learning curve.
