The Myth of the "Problem Child"

Naming is Giving Keys: Why Understanding Neurodiversity is the True Path to Inclusion

Why Awareness is Changing the Narrative?

✨ There are no more "problem children" than there were before. There is simply less silence, less denial, and a little more awareness. To name is not to imprison, it is to offer a Way Forward.

The Atypical Reality: A System Out of Sync

We often hear that neurodiversity is a "modern trend" but the truth is that children with atypical functioning are not "worse" than they were in the past. They are simply more out of sync with a rigid system, which makes their difficulties visible. What becomes visible eventually ends up being named.

Our modern society imposes a rapid rhythm, constant noise, and heavy stimulation. In this environment, our schools require children to:
🔹 Remain concentrated for long periods ⏳
🔹 Inhibit their impulses 🛑
🔹 Learn at a standardized pace 📉

For a neurodivergent brain, these "standard" demands can be overwhelming. Identifying a child's specific way of functioning is not about "labeling" them or putting them in a box. 👉 It is about clarity!

The Power of Naming Over Judging

Identifying ADHD, Autism, or High Potential is a refined reading of human reality. Without an explanation, a child is often viewed only through the prism of their behavior.

In the absence of words, there are only judgments:
🔹 The child is seen as "choosing" to be difficult 😠
🔹 They are judged as lacking willpower or effort 📉
🔹 They are labeled as "lazy," "rude," or "not trying hard enough" ⚠️

So many adults, including myself, grew up with that diffuse feeling of never being "quite right" because we lacked an explanation.

Science didn't "create" these conditions. It allowed us to better understand the brain and emotional regulation so we can help these children thrive, not just survive.

Why Diagnosis is Protection

A diagnosis does not define a child, it protects them. It provides the Keys that unlock their potential rather than the "boxes" that lock them in.

This understanding allows us to:
🔹 Adapt expectations to reality ✅
🔹 Propose fair adjustments instead of demanding "standard" performance ⚖️
🔹 Erase guilt and avoid useless sanctions ❤️
🔹 Restore self-esteem 📈

Neuroatypical children are not asking for "free passes" or special privileges. They are asking for conditions that allow them to function without destroying themselves. They don't seek to be different. They Already Are!

A Shift in Perspective

Recognizing neuroatypical profiles means admitting that Equality is not enough and that a universal norm does not exist. It requires us to move past the pressure of a rigid system and toward true comprehension.

👉 I was that kid! For 35 years, I felt "broken" because I didn't have the words for my ADHD and Autism!

Now, seeing my own children get their "keys" early is night and day. They don't have to grow up feeling lazy or stupid. They get to grow up understood ❤️

Naming is not confining. It is giving keys. Behind every diagnosis, there isn't a box! There is a child seeking to be understood