Celebrating Neurodiversity

I was recently asked by a fellow Autism mommy (in a somewhat judgmental tone) what I am doing to treat Becca’s Autism, since she isn’t taking any medications.

My response? I am working toward making sure that she develops the skills she needs to live independently, since I won’t be here forever. And that journey may include medication for some, and it may include supplements for others, still for others it may be a combination of various therapies or other activities, and in every case it should include support from a family who believes in the fullest potential of that Autistic individual, regardless of what that family looks like.

Becca has sensory needs; we work with her therapists and her school and we do our own research to try to find ways to fill those needs in functional ways. We don’t discourage her stimming but redirect any stims that might be distracting, dangerous, or disruptive. We put in a lot of work to make sure that her socialization, motor, and communication skills are conducive to navigating the world on her own when I am no longer here. We have chosen not to use medications because she doesn’t need them. Some people do, and that’s okay too. But medication or not, none of it is “treating the Autism”. It’s teaching skills to an Autistic individual, and using the means at our disposal to do that, medication or otherwise.

The decision to use medications or not is personal to each family and should be made depending on what is best for the individual and in consultation with the doctor. It looks different for everyone, and so we shouldn’t make the assumption that what we believe to be best for our own child is what will work for all children. Autism manifests differently in every Autistic person. So what works in one family may or may not work in another. And that’s okay.

So what am I doing to treat Becca’s Autism? Absolutely nothing, because her Autism isn’t something that needs to be “treated”. No amount of therapy or medicine is going to make her any more or any less Autistic. She is who she is, and she is perfect as she is. Is she learning skills? Absolutely! Are we working toward teaching her what she needs to know and how to navigate the world? Yes, one hundred percent. And she is learning and progressing by leaps and bounds every day. Her brain simply processes information differently, and once she is in full understanding of how her brain works, she will be able to accomplish things that I will never be able to.

So let’s normalize language that celebrates our Autistic and neurodivergent loved ones for who they are. Their brains may work differently, but that doesn’t mean that they are incapable of learning, growing, loving, achieving. And quite frankly, it takes people with all sorts of minds to make this life a little more interesting, a little more beautiful, and a little more fun.