Neurodiversity is Not a Threat

 I published this article on Today's Catholic Homeschooling, but I feel it is worth sharing here as well.

 

On February 13, 2025, the White House issued an executive order: Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission. While the order does include some helpful initiatives, such as investigating environmental toxins, its characterization of neurodiversity, in particular ADHD and autism, is deeply flawed and insulting to all those who live with or parent those with these neurodifferences. The following is an excerpt from the order:

Autism spectrum disorder now affects 1 in 36 children in the United States — a staggering increase from rates of 1 to 4 out of 10,000 children identified with the condition during the 1980s.  Eighteen percent of late adolescents and young adults have fatty liver disease, close to 30 percent of adolescents are prediabetic, and more than 40 percent of adolescents are overweight or obese.

These health burdens have continued to increase alongside the increased prescription of medication.  For example, in the case of Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, over 3.4 million children are now on medication for the disorder — up from 3.2 million children in 2019-2020 — and the number of children being diagnosed with the condition continues to rise.  

This poses a dire threat to the American people and our way of life.

Those with autism and ADHD are not a threat to the American people. Instead, they are people who see the world differently and bring a different perspective to the table. Are there challenges? Certainly. But those challenges often come from trying to fit into a world that doesn’t value their gifts or thinks there is only one correct way to function. They have unique God-given gifts and have much to contribute when they are nurtured and accepted for who they are.

In response to this order, The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network states:

Autism is a developmental disability—and disability is a natural part of human diversity. Autism is something we are born with, and that shouldn’t be changed. Autistic children should get the support they need to grow up into happy, self-determined autistic adults. For many people, diagnosis is the first step towards accessing those supports. Increased diagnosis is a positive thing; it indicates the many, often multiply-marginalized, autistic people who are gaining access to autism diagnoses and receiving the supports they need. 

Those with ADHD often emphasize both the gifts and challenges. ADDitude Magazine shares:

ADDitude readers tell us they wouldn’t trade away their ADHD traits if they could. They insist that their ADHD brains are unique, creative, unbridled, and often inspired. And they aren’t wrong.

Of course, every strength has its weakness. Curiosity is challenged by distractibility. Spontaneity is challenged by impulsivity.

Those of us who homeschool often do so because our children are neurodivergent in some way. For whatever reason, they didn’t fit well into the structure of the traditional school system. We have learned that understanding and accommodations can go a long way in helping our children thrive.

As Catholics, we are called to be pro-life, to recognize the inherent dignity in every person, regardless of their abilities from conception to natural death. 

Neurodiversity has existed long before it had a name or official diagnosis. Unfortunately, people who were different in previous generations were often simply treated poorly and discriminated against. We must stand up against those who consider people with neurodiversity as less worthy than others or as problems to be fixed. Neurodiversity is not a threat.  

 Image from Freepik.com