Neurodiversity Awareness Week

Neurodiversity Awareness Week is an annual event that celebrates and promotes neurodiversity during March. Neurodiversity is a term that refers to the spectrum of different ways that the human brain can function.

Siena Castellon started the Neurodiversity Celebration Week when she was 16 years old. She has faced significant challenges throughout her education as an autistic student with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD.

Because of her negative experiences in school, she decided to launch Neurodiversity Celebration Week in 2018 to challenge the misconceptions and stereotypes that still inhibit neurodiverse people from achieving their full potential.

During Neurodiversity Awareness Week, schools, workplaces, and other organisations hold events and activities to raise awareness of neurodiversity and the issues that neurodivergent people face. The week is also a time to challenge stereotypes and celebrate the successes of neurodivergent people and promote understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity.

What are the different types of neurodivergent conditions?

There are several different neurodivergent conditions, each of which affects people differently. Some of the most common neurodivergent conditions include:

• Autism
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• ADHD
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia

Each of these conditions is different, so the way they affect each person will be different too. However, all neurodivergent conditions share one thing in common: they are all neurological differences that should be celebrated.

In series 11 of Doctor Who we saw dyspraxia representation on television for the first time. The series raised awareness of neurodiversity and hopefully helps to pave the way for more neurodivergent representation on television.

Celebrities who are neurodivergent

Did you know that many celebrities are neurodivergent? Stars include actors Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum and Will Smith. Gymnast Simone Biles and Louis Smith both have ADHD.

Actor Daniel Radcliff has spoken about his dyspraxia, and Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Aniston, Danny Glover, and Tom Cruise are all people with dyslexia.  

Autism spectrum disorders include Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism. Some well-known on the autism spectrum include Bill Gates and Albert Einstein.

These celebrities have achieved success in their fields, even though they are neurodivergent. They have shown the world that neurodiversity is something to be celebrated and that neurodivergent people can achieve anything they set their minds to.