Accepting Autism and Neurodiversity



Antonio D'Costa, MD*

Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

*Corresponding Author: Antonio D'Costa, Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Received: August 10, 2022     Published: September 19, 2022

 

Dear Editor,

I’d like to share with you an interview I recently had with a neurodiverse individual with Autism and ADHD. As an allistic myself, we seldom get the experience of talking to people who think differently than us. I personally feel a lot of residents and physicians seem to miss an understanding of the individual and their lives, focusing more on the “technical” aspects of our craft- the diagnosis and the treatment. But to be a holistic practitioner, it is of utmost importance that we understand the people we treat, and how they experience their lives, and how our “interventions” may affect them and their personal needs. As paediatricians we sometimes forget that the children we treat and inspire, will one day be members of our society as adults. With this write-up, I hope the readers can delve into the world of a neurodiverse individual, and build an understanding and acceptance for the same. The interviewee is someone with diagnosed Autism level 1, and ADHD. I’ve tried my best to keep the interview as pristine as can be, so as to not taint the mind and thoughts of someone with ADHD(and Autism) which I personally feel would give the best insight for the reader. My sole purpose with sharing this is for the reader to grasp a renewed appreciation and acceptance of a world of thought processes alternate to what we’re normally used to.

Citation: D’ Costa A. “Accepting Autism and Neurodiversity”. SVOA Paediatrics 2022, 1:5, 109-115.