The Difference Between Neurodiversity And Neurodivergent – And Why It's Crucial We Learn These Terms

This article features advice from Gee Eltringham, a Bristol-based psychotherapist and founder of parental support platform for ADHD, twigged.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week begins on 16 March this year, with an aim to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.

If you’ve not really come across the term ‘neurodiversity’ before, you might be left scratching your head over what exactly it means – especially as it’s very similar to ‘neurodivergent’. Some people might even use the two interchangeably. 

But they are different, and SEN psychotherapist Gee Eltringham says it’s important we get these terms right for the sake of our kids “because labels are powerful”.

Here’s her breakdown of what they mean.

Neurodiversity: the whole flock

“Neurodiversity is the big-picture concept. It describes the natural variation in how human brains think, learn and process information,” says Eltringham. 

Just like biodiversity refers to the variety of living things on Earth, neurodiversity refers to “the variety of human minds”, she explains. 

“It is not a diagnosis. It is not a label for one type of person. It is the umbrella term that recognises difference as natural.”

If we use a bird analogy here, she suggests neurodiversity is every kind of bird: flying birds, birds that swim, birds that stay on land. They are all part of the same group.

Neurotypical: the most common pattern

“Neurotypical describes people whose brain development and processing style align with what society expects and designs for,” continues the therapist.

“In our bird analogy, these are still birds. They have wings, feathers and beaks. In this version of the story, they are the birds that fly. They represent the ‘standard’ model that most systems are built around.”

But there is nothing superior about this group, she adds. It’s just the most common reference point.

In the human world, schools, workplaces and public systems are usually designed with neurotypical processing in mind.

Neurodivergent: diverging from the standard

“Neurodivergent means a brain that diverges from what is considered typical. Not better. Not worse. Just different,” says Eltringham.

Research suggests that around 15-20% of people are neurodivergent.

“In our bird world, these might be the birds that do not fly long distances. It could include the birds with webbed feet who swim, or the birds with talons who hunt, or the ones that do not fly at all. They may live out at sea rather than on land. They are all still birds. They simply function differently,” she explains.

If someone is neurodivergent, they might have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia or Tourette’s syndrome. 

“Each represents a different way of processing information, managing attention, regulating emotions or interacting socially,” says the therapist.

“The difference is not about deficit. It is about divergence. Because if the world only had one type of bird it would be a very boring world indeed.”

What’s neurodiverse then?

According to Cambridge Dictionary, some people might use ‘neurodiverse’ to describe a group of people with different types of brain (for example, “we are a neurodiverse family”).

Others, meanwhile, might use neurodiverse as a way to describe someone who is not ‘neurotypical’ (ie. “I am learning every day from my neurodiverse child”). 

Why it’s important to get these terms right

The therapist points out that when children are not understood as neurodivergent, they are often labelled anyway. “Lazy. Disruptive. Odd. Difficult. Those words stick. And over time, children can start to believe them,” she explains.

But when we use the word neurodivergent, it changes the story. “It tells us that a child’s brain works differently, not wrongly. That understanding does not excuse behaviour, but it helps explain it. And when we understand behaviour, we can put the right support in place,” she adds.

“These words are now used in schools, workplaces and the media. They create a pause. A reminder that someone’s brain may process the world differently. That pause builds empathy. 

“But awareness is not enough. We also need curiosity and understanding. Because neurodivergent does not mean everyone is the same.”

Coming back to her bird analogy, she explains that red kites, ostriches and hummingbirds are all birds. Yet they are all very different. An ostrich will never fly, for example, and a hummingbird will certainly never run like an ostrich. 

“When we understand that, we stop trying to make every bird fly in the same way,” she says. “That is where real understanding begins. And that is where celebration of diversity can grow.”