University of wisconsinmadison

The term neurodiversity was coined by Judy Singer in 1998. A lot has changed in the two decades since that first essay about neurological differences was published in The Atlantic . The neurodiversity movement has burgeoned through grassroots organization among people interested in social change. It's gradually making space for itself in government, research, and education . As Steve Silberman argues in his book Neuro-Tribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity , “Neurodiversity advocates propose that instead of viewing this gift as an error of nature—a puzzle to be solved and eliminated with techniques like prenatal testing and selective abortion—society should regard it as a valuable part of humanity’s genetic legacy while ameliorating aspects of autism that can be profoundly disabling without adequate forms of support.” Philosophically, the neurodiversity movement is based on what we might call cerebral pluralism—the idea that each brain is … [Read more...] about Neurodiversity: The Movement

When Feda Almaliti, the late vice president of the National Council on Severe Autism, died on September 26 in a fire, together with her 15-year-old, severely autistic son Mu, who refused to leave the burning house, the tragedy broke me. Like every other parent of a child like Mu, I imagined myself pleading with my son – who, like Mu, could never understand the urgency, who has no comprehension of death, who is much too big to be carried or even dragged. I imagined myself faced with that impossible decision: Stay or go? As many in the autism community know, Feda stayed, and died with Mu in her arms. I couldn’t stop thinking about Feda as I read the new study, “Experiencing Social Connection: A Qualitative Study of Mothers of Nonspeaking Autistic Children,” by researchers from of the University of Virginia and the University of California, Santa Cruz. How could it be possible that, less than two months after her death, Vikram Jaswal et al. could publish a paper essentially … [Read more...] about Autism Mother-Blaming, Circa 2020

You’re in high school, looking at going to college. Lots to think about. For students like my son and I, there’s the additional wrinkle of neurodiversity —autism, ADHD , or dyslexia . How does that shape school decisions? When we were little, we were “children with autism,” which sounded like we had a disease. But we don’t. We’re just different. We gravitated to other kids who were different and as we grew older it became clear we are our own little tribe. There are times we wish we were like everyone else, and other times we’re happy to be unique. Many of us were put in special education classes or SPED. Most of us SPED students didn’t like the name or the stigma that went with it. We looked forward to leaving it behind when we got out of high school. A few years ago people started talking about neurodiversity. Neurological diversity. It’s an interesting concept. If autism or anything else is passed on through our genes , and you believe in evolution . . . it stands … [Read more...] about Choosing a College When You’re Neurodiverse

Self-control is the key to success in most walks of life. Plenty of bright young people flunk out of school just because they’re bored or too easily distracted, and it’s the ones who are determined to stick it out despite the challenges that graduate. Likewise in the workforce, self-control is the key to the outstanding job performance that leads to raises and promotions. Another aspect of life where self-control is essential: intimate relationships. No matter how much you love your partner, there will be times when you’ll want to do something you know will hurt them. Impulsive partners wreck their relationships with their thoughtless misdeeds, while those with self-control hold their urges in check and keep their eye on the long-term. Less clear is whether self-control is also important when you’re looking for a romantic partner. On the one hand, if you exercise too much self-control, you might not follow up on potential dating opportunities that could lead to the love of … [Read more...] about Self-Control and Dating Success

As a follow-up to Part 1 on this subject, here are two more ways to improve control over your thinking and behavior. "Mind over matter" is a central theme in most religions. The idea is that proper spiritual belief gives you the strength to cope with the vicissitudes of life. Paradoxically, the most religious people, like monks, may not use their strength of faith to cope with life but actually escape worldly stress by living in monasteries or nunneries. Also, there is the problem that many people dismiss religion as superstition . Nonetheless, for those who do believe, the indisputable fact remains that it can affect your thinking and behavior. Source: tracy siermachesky shutterstock Literature surveys reveal a strong relationship between religiosity and self-control . Self-control in religious people is manifest in that they tend to suffer less from depression , avoid trouble with sex or drugs, do better in school, and even visit the dentist more … [Read more...] about How to Control Your Mind: The Link to Religion and Meditation