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Comment and Health

Why nobody is neurodiverse and nobody is neurotypical

Being accurate in the language we use to describe conditions like ADHD matters, and can lead to better outcomes for those affected. The words we choose to use are important, say Alex Conner and James Brown, hosts of podcast The ADHD Adults

By James Brown and Alex Conner

4 June 2025

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Elaine Knox

Language is how we make sense of the world: it gives form to abstract concepts and influences our perception of everything we encounter. So it isn’t surprising that the language we use to describe neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD guides how people understand themselves and others, as well as how support is offered – or withheld. Confusing or imprecise language leads to misunderstanding of what neurodivergence is – and isn’t.

The word neurodiversity is a good example. Increasingly, we hear “neurodiverse” used to describe individuals, as in “that child is neurodiverse”. But this isn’t an individual diagnosis – it is a…

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