Instead of focusing on “fixing” my child, I started to wonder: How can we make the world more receptive and accommodating to people like her? How can we ensure that the perspectives of neurodiverse individuals are heard and respected? How can we move beyond the mere physical integration of neurodiverse individuals into our communities and reach true social integration?

For the above to happen, neurotypicals will need to understand the neurodiverse better. They will need to be exposed to neurodiverse perspectives and educated on the different neurodevelopmental conditions. Parents of neurodiverse children will need to embrace the gifts and challenges of their kids’ differences and arm themselves with information to effectively advocate for their kids’ social inclusion. Teachers and therapists will need to ensure that their approaches focus not only on accommodating deficits but also on emphasizing the strengths of neurodiverse minds. And employers, in their efforts to build truly diverse and inclusive work cultures, will need to open their doors to neurodiverse people and find ways to accommodate them both physically and socially.

Many neurodiverse individuals are already self-advocating and sowing the seeds for greater understanding and acceptance of their differences. But neurotypicals, especially parents, siblings, relatives, teachers and friends of neurodiverse individuals can also play a role in this process. In this space, I try to do my part by offering information on various neurodiversity topics. I hope that what you read not only broadens your perspective but also inspires your own efforts to create a more inclusive world.