Background:Children with autism, ADHD and related conditions have often been viewed through a deficit-based medical model that focuses on their challenges through a disability lens. The neurodiversity movement attempts to shift to a strengths-based perspective by identifying opportunities for advocacy and inclusion of neurodiverse individuals.

Aims:This presentation aims to describe the key features of neurodiversity, their common presentations in children and opportunities for accommodations in health and educational settings.

Method: This presentation collates existing evidence from the three dimensions of evidence-based practice to define and support neurodiversity-affirming practice: (1) the latest empirical research on neurodiversity (2) clinical expertise from neurodiversity-affirming practitioners and (3) the perspectives of neurodiverse people themselves to develop an innovative theory of the spectrum of neurodiversity.

Results: The results of this research are an innovative model of the neurodiverse brain, the wide range of features of neurodiversity, and their varying presentations based on the reports of people who experience these features in their daily lives. The model is developed by and for neurodiverse people to map the features of their neurodiversity and to advocate for the accommodations they/their children need to thrive.

Conclusions: This presentation provides an evidence-based model that professionals and parents can use to understand children’s neurodiversity. It is accompanied by free resources that can be used to advocate for children’s individual preferences to support their participation in daily life.

Implications for children and families: You can use this neurodiversity framework to map the features of your/your child’s unique neurodiverse brain. Knowledge of individual features promotes understanding of how their brain functions best and helps identify environmental and interpersonal modifications that can be made to enhance your child’s communication and participation in their lives.

Implications for practitioners: You can use this neurodiversity framework to understand the features children’s unique neurodiverse brains. This will enable the identification of accommodations and strategies in the early childhood context and other social interactions that can enhance children’s communication and participation in their lives.

Key words: children’s voices, families’ voices, professionals’ voices, communication, health, interdisciplinary, innovation, qualitative methods, review, theory, vulnerable communities

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities