Neuroatypical and neurodiverse are terms used to describe people of atypical developmental, intellectual and cognitive abilities. In other words, they are used to refer to people who have autism or another developmental difference.
People who are not on the autism spectrum and don’t have other developmental differences are sometimes called neurotypical or neurologically typical. Currently, these terms are not widely accepted in the medical community, but are used by some people in the autism community and those striving to avoid ableist language. Instead of suggesting autism is a disorder, these terms recognize the differences, abilities and strengths of people with autism and other developmental conditions.
The National Institute of Stroke and Neurological Disorders lists the following as signs that a person is neurodiverse:
- a lack of babbling or pointing by the age of 12 months
- poor eye contact
- no smiling or social responsiveness
- not responding to their name
- fixation on lining up toys or objects that appears more than typical
- no single words by the age of 16 months
- no two-word phrases by age of 2 years
In older individuals, signs can include:
- low social interaction
- inability to initiate or hold a conversation
- lack of social play
- repetitive language
- intense, focused interest, usually on an object or subject
- fixation on certain routines or rituals
See neurotypical, neurologically typical.
