To think “neurodivergent” is being used too casually and too often?

Of course it’s ok to use variations for quirks or preferences but for real issues people need proper diagnosis and qualified support.
I don’t know if you are a troll or a journalist or a lucky person who never tried to fight practically the whole world trying to fit in as ND people do but I bet you won’t call asthma “a bit of coughing” so don’t dismiss serious issues other people have.

@calamin why is that?

I don’t think it will be for long.

purely from a numbers perspective, so far 26% voted against your opinion which happens to line up pretty closely with the 15–20% of the UK estimated to be neurodivergent.
So if most of the agreement came from neurotypical voices, the split actually reflects that divide quite neatly.

Has the Autism Act been revoked?

Autism is a protected disability

At this point, it isn’t a disability anymore unless you’re learning disabled with it. It’s a variation of the human condition.

Hmm no you aren’t speaking from personal experience as nobody can “clog up” waiting lists unless they deserve to be on them because you are screened before getting on them. There is also no support to be more deserving of either.

Nobody is clogging up the system. That's a load of shit that people say to gatekeep and exclude others because they don't think they're as worthy as their own child - based on absolutely no evidence.

No need to be so rude....
I'm speaking from personal experience so it isn't 'complete rubbish'

Complete rubbish on so many levels. You are screened before you get on an NHS waiting list and there is no support.

This makes me so sad to read.
I feel it is so selfish of people to abuse this diagnosis when there are families and individuals that genuinely need the support and yet others are deliberately clogging up the system

Society has changed and, I think, become more intolerant of diversity, despite awareness being wider than ever. I have a male relative who had the same job for over 30 years. He was almost certainly Autistic and highly dyslexic (of a generation where assessment wasn't widespread). He would do things his way. He would disregard instructions. He would deliberately leave his radio in the office so he couldn't be contacted by his team. He did not work well in a team. But they managed him by making his job very specific and defined, limiting the necessity of team work. Nowadays, he would have been managed out.

The thing with 'labels' is that they only serve to capture a set of traits that can be grouped to describe the challenges that the 'labelled' have in common. The traits are still there, whether or not the label is applied.

Sometimes a lot of resources need to be allocated in the short term to save the country more money in the long term. DD2 & DD3 go to a special school that costs thousands of pounds per year. Hopefully, it will prepare them to be productive members of society and avoid a life out of work because of their disabilities.

I don't think those labels are used too casually.

My son, who is 4 years and 10 months old, is undergoing private assessment for autism at the moment.

It sets us back 1900 pounds, but he has significant issues at school and the headteacher referred to him as "the most extreme child I met in the last 30 years of his career".

We would prefer not to pay 1900 pounds for private assessment.

In a world where enough support would be available for our son a diagnosis wouldn't be needed.

In a world where our son is called "extreme" and his needs aren't being met, a diagnosis is very much needed.

This.

People’s neurodivergence has been ignored for so long.

I really dislike it when people complain about the newfound awareness of these conditions. What it smacks of is “when you are used to privilege, equality looks like oppression”.

In other words, people have got used to, and enjoyed, at least having an advantage in life over neurodivergent people. Socially, educationally and in many other ways. I’m sorry you can no longer look down on ND people and call them “weird” or “a misfit”, but these people are here to stay.

(that’s not aimed at the person I quoted, obviously, it’s aimed at those she’s arguing against!)

I would totally agree with this. My daughter is ADHD and I suspect I am autistic. I have never fitted into any workplace culture, uni or school that are all set up for NT people.

Nope don’t want it redefined I simply want it recognised for what it is- a catch all phrase, not a diagnosis,something professionals don’t actually use and a title which isn’t on anybody’s medical records. A phrase being used to dismiss individual diagnoses particularly autism and adhd.

And no it is not a medical term.

It’s not just funding- it’s ignorance, abelism,lack of training and the education system too.

No, neurodivergent/neurodiversity are medical terms. Many things are a neurodivergence including some very common things such as left handedness and dyslexia. You are being unreasonable to demand that the term is re-defined to include only the things that suit you.

the problems in schooling, the problems catering for neurodiversity in schools.

What does?

Yes it is. It’s not a diagnosis.

it all boils down to lack of funding in education.

People only get on nhs waiting lists after screening.

i dont think neurodiversity is an internet catch all phrase @L1ghyn1ngBug