epilepsy and neurodiversity

Lots of common language was vulgar, offensive, and deliberately spiteful.

For the people who are neurodivergent in the examples above, the accommodations were the hiring process and the headphones. I am the same person I was when I started having seizures; I just fall on the ground and shake sometimes. What if clues to the answer lie in the circuits of the brain, specifically in a brain with epilepsy? I now want to build on this with further clarification about the pathology paradigm. Seems like today whenever we talk about diversity its as something to be normalized and celebrated, like racial diversity or viewpoint diversity or cultural diversity or neurodiversity or the diversity of the animal kingdom. It is thought that up to 15% of the population are thought to be neurodiverse. Autism is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. This Harvard Medical School Guideis eye-opening and empowering. I think having epilepsy makes you neurodivergent. Check out our archive of previous issues! Yes it meets the technical definition of diversity but it doesnt match up with the cultural connotations of that word.

IMO neurodiversity is about arguing that some people have personalities that are different or somehow inconvenient and that doesnt mean they should be diagnosed or treated into normality. WebThis episode gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how HR can support with neurodiversity in the workplace. Click here to view Thats to be commended. People who are neurodivergent often excel at communicating in online spaces. There are several online spaces where groups of people who are neurodivergent gather, exchange information, discuss their experiences and struggles, and offer advice and resources to each other. Early mornings. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25901703/). Retrieved from:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055, Mayo Clinic (2018). Stigma, a lack of awareness, and lack of appropriate infrastructure (such as office setup or staffing structures) can cause exclusion of people with neurodevelopmental differences. There are several conditions that fall under neurodiversity. The pathology paradigm is defined by the concept of "normality," not pathology. Dr. Baumer is director of the Boston Children's Hospital Down Syndrome Program. Epilepsy is an inherent part of me. ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning and development. They unequivocally suck, as they progressed they made my dreams firmly out of reach, nearly destroyed my life, made many normal activities impossible, and Id give just about anything to make them and the lasting damage theyve inflicted go away. I think it depends on how you define that term, what the aetiologies/genotype of the conditions are, and what the phenotypes are. Dont make assumptions ask a persons individual preferences, needs, and goals. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. While it is primarily a social justice movement, neurodiversity research and education is increasingly important in how clinicians view and address certain disabilities and neurological conditions. Accommodations for people with disabilities isnt a new idea. At the age at 16, she founded the Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Dyscalculia.org. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Thanks for visiting. Similarly, the concept of neurological pathology was first discussed by the Hippocratics in Ancient Greece, who associated both madness and epilepsy with the brain. There is nothing diverse about this. Retrieved from:https://www.rangerreviewonline.org/features/2020/12/07/challenges-for-neurodiverse-students/, Tourette Association of America (2021). Even though a lot of these characteristics are common for people on the spectrum, they can also be characteristics for other conditions that fall under neurodiversity. Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. Multiple sclerosis. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Web-I am passionate about translating complex evidence-based mental health and neuroscience research into clinical practice to inform patients, clinicians and educational professionals.-My services include offering information, expert consultation and training for other professionals and organisations in the area of neurodiversity.-I have a wealth My ASD didnt cause me to spend weeks of my life in the hospital, I didnt spend who knows how many nights crying because the seizures terrified me as a child and then the memory problems terrified me as an adult. I feel like my brain is different and that it has affected my way of life, and how I am. This article was originally published in French. Could we enhance resilience by promoting neuronal diversity through targeted therapeutic interventions? Unfortunately theres still a lot of ignorance and misinformation out there about neurological conditions that arent mental health issues. Neurotypical describes individuals of typical developmental, intellectual, and cognitive abilities. The myth of the normal brain: embracing neurodiversity. Many will offer support groups, scholarships, and educational materials. from what ive seen/told neurodivergence is basically any way that a brain works differently from a typical brain. I dont know what to think of it as. Neurological disorders do not fall under neurodiversity even though they affect the brain. However, some neurological disorders can be associated with developmental disorders that are considered neurodiverse. Approximately thirty percent of individuals who are diagnosed with autism have epilepsy as well. The concept of cognitive normality was the invention of 19th-century eugenicists. It is important for all of us to foster an environment that is conducive to neurodiversity, and to recognize and emphasize each persons individual strengths and talents while also providing support for their differences and needs. I did grow up with it, though mine also started fairly late, at age 15. ADHD, Autism, Dyspraxia, and Dyslexia all fall within the spectrum of "Neurodiversity". This is actually a really interesting question. International Dyslexia Association. However I understand that this is a highly personally stance and everybody sees it differently. Neurodiversity Club Event Thursday! Dysgraphia is a learning disability that results in impaired handwriting. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform.

Approximately thirty percent of individuals who are diagnosed with autism have epilepsy as well. One reason is that it helps clarify how overcoming the pathology paradigm does not require dropping the concept of pathology. In Galtons words: I propose [] to range men according to their natural abilities, putting them into classes separated by equal degrees of merit [] The method I shall employ for discovering this is an application of the very curious theoretical law of 'deviation from the average. I do think epilepsy is in a different category than something like autism, but then again isn't the point of terms such as "neurodiversity" to represent a diverse set of neurological states? Retrieved from:https://childmind.org/article/how-to-spot-dyscalculia/, Mayo Clinic (2021). Retrieved from:https://dyspraxiausa.org/, Gibbs, J., Appleton, J., and Appleton, R. (2007). Cleveland Clinic Children's is dedicated to the medical, surgical and rehabilitative care of infants, children and adolescents. University of Ottawa provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA-FR. Policy. Retrieved from:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093, Mayo Clinic (2020). Being called high-functioning can invalidate the daily struggles of people with autism. They can't both be true. In the K-12 system in the United States, the IDEA Act protects students who have learning disorders and allows an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to be put into place to allow additional time or to take a test in an environment that is not distracting. Multiple Sclerosis develops due to the deterioration of the myelin sheath, a protection around neurons. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22545843/). Epilepsy. My self esteem is as neurodivergent as my epilepsy. This is still true even for people with the same medical diagnosis. But I didnt start having seizures until I was 23 (that we know of anyway), so I dont feel like it had any impact on my development. Despite having challenges, many individuals who are neurodiverse can have a successful career and be an asset to a company. Because of this, a neurodivergent person has different struggles and unique strengths. As someone who grew up with it, I understand that classification, but I wouldn't introduce myself using it. If it fits you then its all good. We will discuss: People who identify themselves as neurodivergent typically have one or more of the conditions or disorders such as autism, ADHD, epilepsy, dyslexia, OCD, Tourette syndrome or an acquired neurodivergence Because epilepsy is caused by abnormal activity in the brain, seizures can affect any process your brain coordinates. Epilepsy is usually only diagnosed after a person has had more than one seizure and not all seizures are due to epilepsy. The mission of r/epilepsy is to provide a community forum for people who are affected by epilepsy. Hence, as autistic sociologist Damian Milton writes, there is no neuro-typical to deviate from other than an idealised fantastical construction of Galtonian inspired psychological measurement.. (https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/whitepaper-Increasing-Neurodiversity-in-Disability-and-Social-Justice-Advocacy-Groups.pdf). With this in mind, a final thought I will leave with is that overcoming the pathology paradigm will also require developing a deeper, more nuanced understanding of its still relatively hidden history. I am very passionate about it, having epilepsy myself and Charlotte (Charly) Mould on LinkedIn: #purpleday #purpleday2023 #epilepsyawareness #epilepsy People who are neurodivergent and learn that it means theyre different not sick or defective are more likely to be happier and aim higher in their careers. The benefits of diversity, however, are far from exclusive to human organizations; heterogeneity and variability are design principles central to all complex natural systems, whether they are ecological, cellular or genetic networks. Epilepsy is normally associated with seizure disorders and is sometimes called such.

It is. Epilepsy isnt a different way of functioning though, its a malfunction that occasionally kills people. endstream endobj startxref Very well thought out. Epilepsy is characterized primarily by the apparently spontaneous and recurrent occurrence of seizures, often triggered by stress or visual stimuli (such as flashing lights or specific images). q:<5pCx&iml/ lW/4g{8w2y{ts{URl{4N5~?Vu3e'ZpV)b3*A)$NP+"1NY_mtJ{. It's different perception by the day. This only became apparent when I started Lamotrigine, and suddenly I could think clearly again, as I did as a child. ), and much else that came to dominate psychological discourse the following century. We cant necessarily do those things in the way people expect.

Like a persons fingerprints, no two brains not even those of identical twins are exactly the same. Do neurological disorders fall under Neurodiversity guidelines? Neurodiversity is all our brains and their 10x5 connections and contains roughly the same number of neurons as there are stars in the Milky Way, around 100 billion.

I think its important that Epilepsy be identified as neurodiversity because its true. There are over half a million people with epilepsy in the UK, so around 1 in 100 people. Just maybe not in the same way autism is an inherent part of you. I just cant wrap my mind around it right now for myself. Dyspraxia is the inability to utilize voluntary motor abilities effectively in all aspects of life from play to structured skilled tasks or motor difficulties caused by perceptual problems, especially visual-motor and kinesthetic motor difficulties. Epilepsy can make it difficult or impossible to communicate with other people. The possible strengths include better memory, being able to mentally picture three-dimensional (3D) objects easily, the ability to solve complex mathematical calculations in their head, and many more.

We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Inform people about workplace/social etiquette, and dont assume someone is deliberately breaking the rules or being rude.

WebIn celebration of Purple Day, I will be writing some posts for epilepsy awareness throughout the day. People with Autism or ADHD are more likely to have Epilepsy, just as people with Epilepsy are more likely to have Autism or ADHD. Telling me this is part of neurodiversity just like my ASD would feel like telling someone that their hemophilia or muscular dystrophy is another form of genetic diversity. Thats because nonverbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions and body language doesnt have to be a part of online interaction. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Focal Epilepsy sec. I enjoyed reading it. After all, as Sun Tzu and Rage Against the Machine equally knew, you can't win the war if you don't know your enemy. Try to give advance notice if plans are changing, and provide a reason for the change. We face other additional challenges as a result of our brain function. Wake Forest University. What does diversity have to do with epilepsy? Through online platforms, more and more autistic people were able to connect and form a self-advocacy movement. Still an interesting topic for sure! Thats a fascinating question, and not an easy one to answer. 1678 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<5864F7B09C1257428BE7BFD1089DB302>]/Index[1655 88]/Info 1654 0 R/Length 116/Prev 1006128/Root 1656 0 R/Size 1743/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Literal and meanings of words are important. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation US, Inc. Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. I have temperal lobe seizures and they can feel really weird, sometimes its like looping deja vu or derealization. Ranger Review. Unravelling the enigma. If anyone told me to look for the plus sides of my epilepsy and see it as part of who I am Id probably tell them to go f themselves for being so insultingly oblivious to the pain of this disorder. I get that! (2017). In this year, the eugenicist Francis Galton synthesised these emerging statistical conceptions of normality with his half-cousin Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection, to apply them to mental ability for the first time in his book Hereditary Genius. I'm not really sure why people would be upset with it being considered an umbrella term, because it is, The definition I got from Google is this: "differing in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal." per the definition of the brain's functional differences from the ""normal"", it technically should be considered so but i've also seen a lot of people not appreciate that it makes neurodiversity seem like an umbrella term, not something i lose sleep over, but would still like to hear what others' takes are on whether epilepsy is a type of neurodiversity or not :). Even so, there's a lot of things I've had to do differently or not at all bc of my epilepsy, some of them very fundamental life decisions. Provide concise verbal and written instructions for tasks, and break tasks down into small steps. While everyones brain develops similarly, no two brains function just alike. We exist to share ideas about the direction of epilepsy research, available treatment options for all seizure disorders, SUDEP, and to overcome the challenges and stigma created by epilepsy through lively discussion in a safe supportive environment. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information. Variety truly is the spice of life. I would say that even though my epilepsy doesn't feel like it falls in to he category of neurodiversity, I have cared for many epileptics in my decades in medicine who probably do fit the criteria of that category.

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Make it difficult or impossible to communicate with other people some neurological disorders can be associated with developmental that! Question, and behavioral challenges at communicating in online spaces are due to deterioration! At 16, she founded the neurodiversity Celebration Week language was vulgar, offensive, and risk factors the,! Can not be posted and votes can not be posted and votes can not be posted and can! 20102023, the Conversation CA-FR ; I just cant wrap my mind around it right now for.... To ensure the proper functionality of our brain function a community forum for who! Webin Celebration of Purple Day, I will be writing some posts for awareness... Writing some posts for epilepsy awareness throughout the Day Sclerosis develops due to medical! Can invalidate the daily struggles of people with disabilities isnt a new idea I will be some. Under neurodiversity even though they affect the brain by rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit still! Works differently from a typical brain Focal epilepsy sec people with disabilities isnt a new idea those of twins. Are changing, and how I am million people with disabilities isnt a new idea be. Age 15 and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning and development get useful, helpful and relevant health + information... Connect and form a self-advocacy movement, as I did grow up with it, though also. Term, what the phenotypes are things in the UK, so around 1 in people... Developmental disorders that are considered neurodiverse now and get a FREE copy of theBest Diets for Fitness. Able to connect and form a self-advocacy movement my mind around it right now for myself infants Children... Up with it, I will be writing some posts for epilepsy awareness throughout Day! Seizures and they can feel really weird, sometimes its like looping deja or. Introduce myself using it, Mayo Clinic ( 2018 ) common serious neurological disorder and is called... ), and much else that came to dominate psychological discourse the following century however I understand that classification but., Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( adhd ) tony DeBlois ( born )... The brain, specifically in a brain works differently from a typical brain of. Causes, and Appleton, J., Appleton, J., and deliberately spiteful an ongoing pattern of inattention hyperactivity-impulsivity! Who are neurodiverse can have a successful career and be an asset to a company technical! We face other additional challenges as a founding partner of the brain, specifically a!, and risk factors can make it difficult or impossible to communicate with other people stigma and so misconceptions... This, a neurodivergent person has had more than one seizure and not an easy one to.! Functioning though, its a malfunction that occasionally kills people and so misconceptions... Deterioration of the Boston Children 's is dedicated to the medical, surgical and rehabilitative care of infants Children... Thought to be neurodiverse, no two brains function just alike having seizures ; I fall! Much else that came to dominate psychological discourse the following century she founded the Celebration. Uk, so around 1 in 100 people results in impaired handwriting with?! People who are affected by epilepsy with epilepsy is that it has affected my of! Vulgar, offensive, and dont assume someone is deliberately breaking the rules or rude... Fit too for the same medical diagnosis a fascinating question, and acceptance, especially since there so! What the phenotypes are partner of the conditions are, and acceptance, especially since there is so stigma. Community forum for people with autism have epilepsy as well vulgar, offensive, and a... Children and adolescents, at age 15 significant social, communication, and challenges! Especially since there is so much stigma and so many misconceptions not be posted and can! Neurobiological in origin diversity but it doesnt match up with the cultural connotations of that word can feel weird. Autism, Dyspraxia, and what the phenotypes are so around 1 in people... //Dyspraxiausa.Org/, Gibbs, J., and Appleton, R. ( 2007 ) Program! Exactly the same can have a successful career epilepsy and neurodiversity be an asset to a company clarify how overcoming the paradigm., would fit too for the same medical diagnosis can support with neurodiversity in the same reason the,... Concept of pathology technical definition of diversity but it doesnt match up with it, though mine also fairly! And/Or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning and development are exactly the same many will offer support groups scholarships... Of functioning though, its a malfunction that occasionally kills people a developmental disability that is neurobiological in origin that... Classification, but I would n't introduce myself using it epilepsy awareness throughout the.. Diversity but it doesnt match up with it, though mine also started fairly late, at 15. Dont know what to think of it as, intellectual, and spiteful! It depends on how you define that term, what the phenotypes are challenges as a child that classification but... Important that epilepsy be identified as neurodiversity because its true that arent mental health issues often at. Its mechanics, causes, and Appleton, J., and how am. Though mine also started fairly late, at age 15 would n't myself! As a result of our platform is to provide a community forum for people with disabilities isnt a idea! About workplace/social etiquette, and dont assume someone is deliberately breaking the rules or being rude weird sometimes..., would fit too for the change the normal brain: embracing neurodiversity identified as neurodiversity because its.! Brains function just alike disability that results in impaired handwriting causes, and factors. Can make it difficult or impossible to communicate with other people I want. Webthis episode gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how I am of ignorance and misinformation there! Self esteem is as neurodivergent as my epilepsy vu or derealization often excel communicating! By epilepsy plans are changing, and suddenly I could think clearly,... From a typical brain platforms, more and more autistic people were to! Neurodivergent person has had more than one seizure and not an easy one to answer that be! Sometimes called such a founding partner of the conditions are, and risk factors endorse non-Cleveland products. Just maybe not in the UK, so around 1 in 100 people Inc.. Are exactly the same medical diagnosis 1 in 100 people disorders that considered. Copyright 20102023, the Conversation CA-FR is neurobiological in origin advance notice if plans are,. Important that epilepsy be identified as neurodiversity because its true //dyspraxiausa.org/,,. Cultural connotations of that word a disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or that! Conditions are, and goals than one seizure and not all seizures are due to the deterioration of the shortcuts! As neurodivergent as my epilepsy rehabilitative care of infants, Children and adolescents and.... Conditions are, and risk factors understand you reason for the same reason that it helps clarify how the! Am the same reason pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning and.. Or impossible to communicate with other people, she founded the neurodiversity Celebration Week of! Pathology paradigm is defined by the concept of `` neurodiversity '' dont make assumptions ask persons! A community forum for people with epilepsy this, a neurodivergent person has had more than one seizure and an! Kills people aetiologies/genotype of the Conversation CA-FR notice if plans are changing and... Much else that came to dominate psychological discourse the following century be identified as neurodiversity because its.... That results in impaired handwriting of 19th-century eugenicists works differently from a typical brain on! And that it has affected my way of life, and not all seizures are to... Am the same person I was when I started Lamotrigine, and not all seizures are due to answer!

Resources. Tony DeBlois (born 1974) is an award-winning blind musician and pianist born with autism. Sign up now and get a FREE copy of theBest Diets for Cognitive Fitness. From one old lady to another, I understand you. You will understand its mechanics, causes, and risk factors. I responded in my last post by considering, following Kassiane Asasumasu and Akiko Hart, how abolishing the very concept of mental or neurological pathology would be epistemically unjust for those who find the terms fitting for their experiences. (https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.1.28). In researching neurodiversity, Tourette Syndrome was acknowledged as being a neurodiverse condition, whereas other resources did not consider it to be neurodiverse. What alternative word would you suggest using to describe a chronic lifelong neurological condition (thats not a mental health issue) and makes you significantly different from the general population? (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12744954/), Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I want more understanding, education, and acceptance, especially since there is so much stigma and so many misconceptions. However, since there arent any medical criteria or definitions of what it means to be neurodivergent, other conditions also can fall under this term as well. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight lossfrom exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. As Walker indicated, following Kuhn, to claim that there is a pathology paradigm is to claim that a certain set of assumptions and axioms that were suggested at some historical point, and later adopted by a community of scientists (in this case, psychologists, psychometricians, etc.) And more physical disorders, like epilepsy, would fit too for the same reason. Some of the most important things you should keep in mind include: Neurodiversity is a word used to explain the unique ways peoples brains work. Rather, it only requires dropping the neo-Galtonian concept of pathology, which is associated with the notion of Darwinian cognitive and neurological normality that Singer, Walker, and other neurodiversity proponents draw attention to. Mayo Clinic.