The Neurodiversity Network | Kanorau Ā-roro is the newest Employee Led Network at Fire and Emergency. It is open to all of our people - paid, volunteer and contractor.
The Network works to support our people who are neurodiverse, or who have neurodiverse people in their lives. We bring awareness to the vast spectrum of neurodiversity, and create spaces where we can come together, find support and share our stories.
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As an emerging Network, we are still growing our connections across the organisation. If you want to be involved in our mahi, or are just curious about neurodiversity in general, please email us.
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What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is defined as 'the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population'. You may hear different terms when discussing neurodiversity.
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Neurodiversity – The diversity or variation of cognitive functioning in humans.
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Neurodiverse – Inclusion of a number of substantial cognitive functioning variations.
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Neurodivergent – Having a less-typical, cognitive variation, such as Autism or ADHD.
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Neurodivergence – The presence, or grouping, of less-typical, cognitive variations.
Neurodiverse people’s abilities vary; strengths and weaknesses can be more pronounced, which may lead to inconsistent performance at work or when volunteering. Neurodiverse people may have additional changes that need support or understanding, but also bring valuable strengths to the team. Just as biodiversity makes ecosystems stronger supporting a diverse range of thinking, problem solving and working can make our teams stronger.
Neurodiversity
not less than
not broken
not a problem...
Just different!
Each individual has a different experience, with unique skills and challenges. A solution that works for one may not be the same solution that helps someone else. There are some things that neurodiverse people are really good at, and things that other people are better at. This can be a helpful way to explain strengths and weaknesses, as it can help keep the conversation positive.
Below are some examples of strengths neurodiverse people may have, and some things that are challenging. They are not exhaustive and do not necessarily apply to everyone.
They may be good at:
- Coming up with ideas.
- Solving problems because seeing the situation from another perspective.
- Making unexpected connections.
- Spotting patterns and analytical skills.
- Thinking visually or in 3D.
- Diversity of thought.
- Remembering something connected which happened a long time ago.
- Finding the 3 relevant points in two pages of text.
- Imagining what the future looks like.
- Simplifying processes.
- Communicating verbally or presenting.
Sometimes other people are better at:
- Consistently being accurate with attention to detail.
- Writing in a ‘house style’.
- Reading aloud.
- Writing things by hand.
- Knowing how to structure a report or document.
- Following grammar rules and spelling.
- Remembering instructions.
- Following long processes or instructions with multiple steps.
- Remembering things – for example where a room is, the meaning of a word, or where they put something.
- Being tidy.
- Staying on task.
- Knowing instinctively how to use equipment.
- Not bumping into things they are close to.
- Not being easily distracted by sounds.
- Passing tests and assessments.
- Rote learning (remembering things by repeating them over and over again, like your times tables in maths).
Challenges
- Staying focused, staying on task.
- Being easily distracted/ coping with interruptions.
- Proof reading.
- Judging time/managing time.
- Social situations, meetings, conferences.
- Thinking on your feet.
- Reading, writing, spelling.
Every individual is different, and have their own strengths, challenges and needs
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Neurodiversity is all around us, and it covers a wide range of traits so it’s important to remember that everyone is different.
We must all keep an open mind and listen to the needs of our neurodiverse whānau, respect their needs and address them in the most helpful way.
Here are some tips:
- Be open minded.
- Just because someone’s experience is different to yours, or different to any experience you’ve heard before, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
- Respect people’s choice to disclose their neurodiversity, or not. Many people don’t disclose their condition because of a fear that it might lead to bullying or discrimination. Many have been bullied for their neurodivergent traits in the past.
- Everyone brings different strengths to the team. Neurodiverse people may have additional changes that need support or understanding, but also bring valuable strengths to the team.
- They might approach a task in a different way – it might be the only way they can do it, but they might also find an improvement to the existing way.
- Neurodiverse team members might need to ask lots of questions to understand the mahi they are being asked to do, or your point of view – they are not trying to undermine you, they are trying to understand you.
Accessible text and document design
Several neurodiversity conditions include trait that make reading and interpreting text, numbers or images challenging. Accessible text and document design encourages authors to use colours, fonts, design features, line spacing, language and headings in a way that makes it easier to read and interpret the text. The following resources can help you understand more.
It can be tricky to be neurodiverse in a neurotypical world. One of the goals of our ELN is to support personnel who are neurodiverse at Fire and Emergency so they are comfortable and successful at work.
This section includes a range of tools to help you manage in the work place and to communicate your strengths and needs with your manager/leader or others (if you choose to). As well as advice for newly diagnosed people and those seeking accommodations to support them at work. There are also links to additional resources and under the different neurotypes.
We welcome suggestions of additional tools and resources that could be shared with others, and encourage you to reach out to the ELN if you need further advice.
Workplace accommodations are anything that makes it easier for a neurodiverse person to participate equitably in the work environment and work productively. They could be things to support someone’s mahi, or when and how they work. They might not resolve a problem entirely, but they do reduce barriers in the workplace.
Tips and points to remember:
- Needs or requests may change over time, you may need to try some adjustments to see which work best for you.
- Clarity is essential to accommodations. Be clear about what has been agreed and how this will look in practice.
- What works for one neurodiverse person may not be right for others.
| Like most things the trick is implementation, the experience isn’t the same for everyone and the strategies and accommodations will vary from person to person. There is a danger in a lot of the workplace accommodations that they try to hammer a square peg into a round hole – especially around perceptions of what productivity and what’s valued in the workplace. |
Examples of workplace adjustments
- Giving tasks to people that suit their strengths.
- Giving people time and space to answer questions.
- Permitting people to ask questions and gain the clarity they need to understand a plan or issue.
- Using technology or alternative equipment.
- Allowing for extra time to read documents or to complete work.
- Accommodating working from home/not forcing people to come into the office.
- Traditional assessment methods may not work for some. Consider alternatives.
- Redesigning of a job role (known as job carving).
- Not expecting someone to answer other people’s phones.
- Using noise reducing headphones to help focus by reducing distractions.
- Switching off certain lights in an office.
- Providing quiet workspaces.
- Allowing someone to have a fixed desk every day instead of hot desking.
- To have a fixed desk with a wall behind and/or to the side to help focus.
Examples of technology adjustments
Technology adjustments can be simple, including:
- Using screen reader technology.
- Using dictation software to create documents, such as Dictate or Immersive Reader functions in Office 365.
- Using Microsoft Accessibility Technology tool.
- Mind mapping (either by hand or using digital software).
- Using Google Keep or Microsoft OneNote to organise reference material in one place.
- Using advanced grammar and spell checkers.
- Changing your monitor settings.
- Increasing text size.
- Changing the background colour to reduce visual stress.
- Using two monitors instead of just one.
Some neurodivergent conditions can make us prone to burnout, but equally underutilization can be very demoralizing. It is important to be able to self-check where your stress levels are and how they are changing to prevent burn-out.
Visual scales can be more helpful and meaningful than trying to describe how you feel in words.
The diagram below is one example that you can use to self check “where are my stress levels”. It can also be a useful prompt to help you communicate how you are doing with your manager and for managers to check in with their team members.
How to use it:
Simply consider where you feel you fit best on the diagram.
Ideally we want to spend most of our time in the yellow, where we are focused, energised and motivated. A little bit of fatigue after a big event is resonable but fatigue all day every day could be a sign that we are on the road to burn out and need to do something and/or talk to someone about it.
Image reference: (external link)https://mindbodyenergy.com.au/2020/04/22/is-stress-good-or-bad/
A neurodiversity passport or profile is a tool to help you communicate your strengths, challenges, experiences, needs to your manager or others. These are great tools to allow you to explain yourself and start a conversation with your manager.
There are several different ways people approach this, below are a few examples but it is a personal document and you can shape it in any way that suits you.
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Checklist
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These published templates can help you communicate your strengths and needs to others. This example from the National Health Service in the UK(external link) is designed to help neurodivergent people to communicate their needs to health professionals. It includes questions about sensory processing, communication preferences, as well as asking what might make you feel anxious or overwhelmed and what we can do to support you. |
Mini-work book -
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This approach is similar to the checklist, but has boxes and prompts to encourage you to draw or write about different topics, such as "my communication style and strengths" one example is downloadable here (external link) |
Profile page
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This can use text or graphics to tell your story and explain your strengths and needs, this can be as simple or creative as you want (and as many pages as you need) |
An example of a Neurodiversity passport "profile page"
Energy accounting is the idea that some activities or situations drain us mentally and/or physically while others charge us up.
The energy accounting exercise prompts you to thing about what charges you up and what drains you to help you better balance these activities.
What to do
Use this template [DOCX, 170 KB]to list activities that drain your energy (withdraws) and those that charge you up (deposits) and give them a score to show how much impact they have for you. The list below has a few activities to get you started but remember this is your energy budget. You can put anything you want and as many or as few activities as you would like.
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Crowds
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Over analysing performance
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Solitude
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Listening to music
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Animals and nature
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Making mistakes
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Too much noise/light
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Friends/family
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Exercise/physical activity
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Negative thoughts
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Meditation/Yoga
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Coping with anxiety
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A good nights sleep
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Caring for others
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Travel
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Playing computer games
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Being left out or excluded
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Disrupted sleep
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Unclear processes
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Watching TV or movies
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Food/Nutrition
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This can be a personal tool to help you better balance you energy levels. It can also be used to have conversations with your manager or family members to explain how certain activities impact you and what you are doing to manage them.
Remember that putting something on the withdraws side doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t do these things, it just means you might need to balance it out.
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Personal experience: "Attending conferences or all day workshops with lots of people drains my batteries, but these activities are important for my profession. I really enjoy participating in them, they just drain my batteries so I have to be concious of my energy levels. I might have a day off, or have a quiet day or weekend afterwards to recharge my batteries".
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The sunflower lanyard is designed to give people with hidden disabilities a discreet way to let airport staff know they have an invisible disability such as autism, ADHD, dementia or a visual impairment, without having to tell staff. It is being rolled out globally and is actively supported by Air New Zealand and most major airports in New Zealand.
How to get a lanyard
Lanyards are provided by most major air ports in New Zealand. You willneed to email their hidden disabilites team with your name addresa dn flight detaisl and a breif explaination of your disability Lanyards are free and yours to keep for future travel
You can the links for each airport on the Air New Zealand Hidden Disabilities(external link) website, along with further infomation about the laynards.
Alongside the diagnosed symptoms of these conditions, there will also be an emotional component. While diagnosis during education is improving, many are diagnosed later in life, well into their careers. It is normal for this to be a journey of self discovery, and for it to take several months to explore and discover this new dimension of yourself.
Its not uncommon for this journey to be an emotional roller-coaster, or to feel like you need to work out who you are again as you view your past experiences again through the lens of a neurodiversity diagnosis.
Common emotions that people feel after being diagnosed
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| Feeling lost |
Understanding |
Grief |
| Relief |
Embarrassment |
Excitement |
| Anger |
Feeling found |
Shame |
| New sense of belonging |
Fear |
Enlightenment |
Personal experiences
Some questions others have asked themselves along the diagnosis journey...
- "My diagnosis means I am disabled. I don’t feel disabled. I’m told it is a disability because of the impact it has caused by the way society is designed.
- “Am I disabled enough to ask for adjustments? Surely, there are others more deserving?”
- “I’m not sure how to ask for adjustments”
- “Not sure what to ask for.”
- “Not sure that I will be taken seriously”
- “It feels really personal. I don’t feel able to share.”
- “Sometimes I’m absolutely ok with it. Other times I really struggle to accept the diagnosis.”
- “I fear failure and being judged by others.”
- "I worry my career will be impacted.”
Adapted from the UK Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network
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Our advice to other newly diagnosed neurodivergent people.
Be kind to yourself
Give yourself time
Reach out to others
Reach out for expert help or support if needed
Neurodiversity is a difference in brain function, it is not a mental illness, but whether neurodiversity conditions are disabilities is not always clear cut.
"Disability is something that happens when people with impairments face barriers in society. It is something that happens when the world we live in has been designed by people who assume that everyone is the same."
- New Zealand Disabilities Strategy
There are a range of neurodiverse conditions and these occur in spectrums of how much they impact a persons ability to participate in everyday life. Sometimes these impacts, or the environments we live and work in, can be disabling and may meet the medical, policy or legal definitions of a disability. This designation can enable people to access important health, education or accessibility support services.
Some neurodiverse people may describe themselves as having learning disabilities or invisible disabilities, but many neurodiverse people do not consider themselves disabled.
In the workplace we try to encourage people to see neurodiverse conditions as a difference not a disadvantage.
As the manager or leader of a neurodiverse person you can be the critical difference between them struggling at mahi or in the brigade and them excelling.
Neurodiverse personnel may have different needs or be motivated in ways other team-members and you may find you need a different approach or more tools in your "leaders toolbox". Think of it like this ...you can drive a helicopter like you drive a car - but you will crash it every time, if you want to soar you need to learn how to pilot that helicopter.
One of the goals of this ELN is to support managers to support their neurodiverse personnel.
The key to getting the best out of your neurodiverse personnel is to understand their needs and strengths, support their needs and encourage their strengths. Remember neurodiversity is a difference, not a disadvantage. Your neurodiverse team member will bring useful skills and abilities to your team, we encourage you to find those abilities and help your neurodiverse team member reach their full potential.
With the right support Neurodiverse team members can excel in their role and will be as productive if not more productive than their neurotypical counterparts.
You can be the key between stress and struggle at work and someone excelling at their profession
| Personal experience from a Fire and Emergency Manager: As a manager, once you know these things it becomes much easier to understand and therefore get the best out of your neurodiverse team member. As a manager, if you have a team member who discloses to you that they are Neurodiverse, don’t act like they have grown a second head. Treat them with respect and dignity, thank them for being open and trusting enough to share this with you, and most of all respect their right to privacy and do not go telling other people, as they may just want to keep it quiet. |
Top tips for managers
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Listen
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Listen to and believe them – their experiences, challenges and needs may be different to what you are used to, but this doesn’t make them wrong. |
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Support
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Be supportive of differences such as different communication styles, different approaches to a task, different work environment needs. Neurodiverse people may approach a task in a different way – it might be the only way they can do it, but they might also find an improvement to the existing way. |
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Understand
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Find out what they are good at, and don’t judge for what they are not so good at. Consider how you can tap into their strengths or have new conversations that come as a result of thinking differently. |
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Ask
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Ask the employee what accommodations will support them, or help make them more productive. Be open to the fact that these may change over time. |
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Learn
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Learning about our challenges is ongoing. New situations can make challenges more obvious, especially when existing coping strategies no longer work. |
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Be Flexible
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Support flexible working, don’t force people to work from the office just so you can look at them working. Back to the office policies may benefit most people but can disadvantage neurodivergent people. |
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Maintain Confidentially
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Keep information about a diagnosis and any adjustments private, and don’t discuss them without permission. |
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Reach out
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Its OK to reach out for help if you, the manager, are struggling to understand your employees condition or needs; have an honest conversation with your employee and ask them to explain it to you, or reach out for further support via this ELN. |
Traps to avoid
- Treating neurodiverse traits as performance issues. These are not things people can change and this is as fair and useful as performance managing someone’s height. Instead focus on what changes and accommodations can be made to help your neurodiverse personnel perform to their best.
- Micromanaging - try to focus on the outcome rather than the way they achieve the outcome.
- Over sheltering or underutilising your neurodiverse personnel try to support them to preform at their best.
Additional tools and resources
The Resources for neurodiverse personnel section of this portal page includes several tools and resources you may find useful to support your neurodiverse personnel, including:
- tools for communicating strengths and needs
- tools for stress management and supporting well-being
- information on workplace accommodations.
Neurodiversity includes a wide range of conditions with different traits, strengths and challenges. Select any of the sections below to learn more about the different neurodiversity conditions, their strengths and how you can support a team member with those conditions.
If you are wondering if you or one of your family members may be neurodiverse, you can find out more on these pages including links to further resources, diagnostic guides and self-assessments. Please avoid self-diagnosing others.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the nervous system, including the brain, from childhood to adulthood.
People with ADHD can experience impulsivity, hyperactivity, distractedness, and difficulty following instructions and completing tasks.
The term “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” refers to neurodivergence that affects attention and concentration. However, some people do not experience hyperactivity and associated traits such as lower risk aversion or impulsivity. People diagnosed with ADHD could have either or both presentations (inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive). The presentations are:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity: combined presentation
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity: predominantly inattentive presentation
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity: predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation
Common traits of ADHD include: inattentiveness; hyperactivity; impulsiveness; unfocused/hyper-focus; restlessness; anxiety; forgetfulness; lack of motivation; fatigue.
Skills and strengths
Hyper-focus – People with ADHD can be very focused and committed to projects and tasks they are interested in, making them super efficient.
Creativity – The imaginative and busy minds of those with ADHD create original ideas and novel solutions to problems.
Enthusiasm – Despite periods of low energy, people with ADHD can have bursts of speed, enthusiasm and determination.
Innovation – The fearless approach that those with ADHD can often exhibit leads to bold, innovative ideas.
Good in a crisis - People with ADHD are flexible, spontaneous and work better under tight deadlines or pressure, and can focus and gain clarity in times of an emergency.
Supporting someone with ADHD
- Cut down on distractions so they can focus better and stay on task. People may want to use noise-cancelling headphones.
- ADHD may prefer to face their work desk to a wall or allow them to work in empty offices or at home to minimise distractions.
- Have some flexibility with their schedule, workload, deadlines, and communication.
- Provide specific instructions, deadlines, or expectations and put them down in writing.
- Provide extra time before meetings end to explain anything an employee might have missed during the session.
- Support people to break projects or tasks into in smaller, more manageable bits.
- Let employees take breaks between tasks to relax, stretch, or move around as they want.
- Provide them with calendar reminders, notes, checklists apps, etc., to help them stay on top of their workload.
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“If you see things like forgetfulness, mindlessness, or lateness in an employee with ADHD, they don't stem from a lack of care or respect that you may assume in a neurotypical employee,” ...“Rather, these are challenges specific to ADHD and should be addressed and supported as the performance issues they are instead of potentially being taken as willful disrespect.”
Reference https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/managing-employee-with-adhd
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What if this sounds like me or my family member
For further information and access to support groups and resources we recommend the ADHD New Zealand(external link) and Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)(external link) websites which include a range of resources including webinars and tips for succeeding at work.
Autism is a neurological difference that affects how Autistic people perceive the world, think, communicate and interact with others (social communication). At work Autism may look like:
- Attention to detail, quality and accuracy
- Difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling
- Trouble interpreting facial expressions, body language, or social cues
- Difficulty making eye contact
- Creative and “out of the box” thinking
- Being able to understand interpret and design complex patterns and systems
- May have difficulty articulating their ideas, especially under pressure
- May come across as blunt or rude without meaning to
- Be sensitive to environmental factors such as noise, light, distractions, or air conditioning
- Focus on special interests and topics
- Like structure, rules, routines, systems and processes.
Autism is a spectrum. Autistic people have different strengths and abilities and challenges which affect their lives in different ways at different ages and in different environments. No two people on the spectrum are the same. Autism can present differently in men and women.
| Personal experience from a firefighter: "When I started, I had trouble remembering what I was being taught and the sense of being completely overwhelmed since everything was new. Now that I have been a volunteer for nearly ten years, I can see several key strengths are to my advantage, such as rote learning, mental notes and asking questions." |
Masking and unmasking
Assumptions and expectations about what constitutes “normal” behaviour can often lead autistic individuals to mask their true selves and mirror the behaviour or neurotypical people in order to fit in with others e.g. to appear “normal”. However, masking can lead to serious health consequences. Over time, however, this can lead to burnout, anxiety and even depression.
Often autistic people who are diagnosed as adults will find that they have been masking for much of their life and are encouraged to unmask. Unmasking can be a challenging but important personal journey as they may no longer know who they really are. Unmasking can also be a trigger for harassment, bullying and discrimination at work.
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Find our more about masking and its health impacts in this article (external link)Autism Masking: To Blend or Not to Blend
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Skills and strengths
Attention to Detail – Autistic people often have great attention to detail and focus. This means they may be able to search through a lot of information for specific content.
Efficiency – Autistic people can be precise and detail oriented, be very good at following rules, sequences and orders, meaning with the right structure can be very efficient, they can have a strong drive for perfection and order.
Loyalty - Autistic people can be exceptionally honest, reliable punctual. A strong adherence to rules and sense of justice.
Logical Thinking – Autistic people can be very logical thinkers, as they can struggle to consider emotional factors. This brings an innovative and objective approach to problem-solving. They can be strong systems thinkers.
Retention – Autistic people may be able to build and extensive knowledge on topics of interest, retaining lots of information. They often think and learn in a visual way and have a strong visual memory.
| Perspective from a Fire and Emergency Manager: "My Autistic team member is a fantastic planner, and can have a framework in their head which when trying to explain it to me confuses me…but once they have it down on a page it is clear as crystal. They also have an incredible eye for detail, particularly when it comes to ‘systems thinking’ and thinking about how everything in a system interrelates" |
Supporting someone with Autism
Clear communication - avoid euphemisms, sarcasm or implied meanings - – say what you mean and mean what you say! If you need an autistic person to know something then tell them. Don’t assume they will work it out from your social cues.
Allow questions – an autistic person may need more detail to understand a plan or idea. Don’t be offended if they ask a lot of questions, they are not trying to undermine you they are trying to understand you. If there isn’t time for questions then say so an make time.
Set clear and fair expectations - Autistic people thrive on certainty, provide details and context if required and avoid dismissive language, such as 'don’t worry about it'.
Provide meaningful feedback
Give people time to formulate their ideas in to words - Avoid cutting them off mid-sentence for disrupting their flow when talking.
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Preservative of a Fire and Emergency Manager: "When in conversations, be careful to allow am Autistic team member to finish their sentence or to get to the point they are making, before coming in with a reply. My experience tells me that during a conversation there is a train of thought that needs to be worked through to reach a conclusion. To cut that off must be very frustrating as they may need to go back to the start of that train of thought to get to the point. "
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It is frequently recommended for managers, leaders and mentors of autistic people in the workplace to help them understand their autistic personnel's experience and provide and inclusive workplace. |
What if this sounds like me or my family member
If you recognise these traits in yourself or your children you can find more information about diagnosis on the Autism New Zealand Website. They have self-assessment quizzes for adults and children that can help decide if you would like to seek further assessment or diagnosis.
Dyscalculia makes it hard to make sense of numbers and math concepts. It is a severe difficulty in maths when the person has normal to above normal intelligence. This impacts on their ability to learn the times table, subtraction, comparison of numbers and completing work as they take more time to complete maths task. If affects about 6% of the population and can co-occur with dyslexia (50%).
People with dyslexia can still struggle with maths especially when there are word problems or if there are demands on their short term memory to remember the steps in calculations.
Image Reference Dyscalculia diagram: Dyslexia Support South https://www.dyslexiasupportsouth.org.nz/parent-toolkit/types-of-learning-differences/dyscalculia/
Skills and Strengths
Creativity – a lot of people with dyscalculia are very artistic and have above average imaginative skills which is reflected in their learning style.
Strategic thinking – people with dyscalculia see situations holistically enabling them to identify the important elements and not just focus on one element or the minor details.
Practical ability – people with dyscalculia are very hands on and practical which is a great to skill to have both inside and outside of education and can lead to some very exciting careers.
Problem Solving – people with dyscalculia are fast problem solvers, have the ability to think outside of the box and can reflect on past experiences. This provides unique insight and methods for solving problems.
Love of words – people with dyscalculia are often exceptional at reading writing and spelling.
Intuitive thinking – people with dyscalculia are good at interpreting reality and processing knowledge experiences and signs around them. Albert Einstein who had learning difficulties said that his studies relied a lot on intuition.
Supporting someone with dyscalculia
If you supervise or have a colleague with dyscalculia there are some things you can suggest that may make their life easier:
Help with mathematical and data tasks
- Supply scrap paper for rough working
- Provide hand-held or even speaking calculator
- Allow additional time to complete mathematical tasks
- Provide the figures before a meeting or training session
- Set aside some 1-1 time afterwards to review the material just presented
- Present only essential data – remove all unnecessary words or figures
- Provide a written copy of figures
- Use where possible visual representations such as pie charts
- For calculations suggest they write steps down and talk them through.
General use of numbers:
- Offer help with remembering codes and passwords
- Consider alternative passwords and codes not requiring numbers
- Set up speed dialling of telephone numbers
- Use examples and templates of forms involving numbers.
Other things that can help
- Flexible working to avoid busy times to help concentration
- Quiet area or screening around the desk
- Headphones to reduce noise distractions
- Support with navigation or someone to accompany them on first visit
- Help with planning and prioritising
- Setting alarms and alerts to help with timings.
What if this sounds like me or my family member
For further general information and assessment for children we recommend starting with the Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust website(external link).
Dysgraphia is expressed through trouble with writing, spelling or correct word use.
There are different types of dysgraphia
- Dyslexia dysgraphia may result in illegible writing and poor spelling
- Motor dysgraphia may result in trouble with fine motor skills and issues with dexterity
- Spatial dysgraphia may result in trouble with word spacing or staying within lines on paper
In general dysgraphic symptoms include:
- poor or illegible handwriting
- incorrect or odd spelling
- incorrect capitalization
- a mix of cursive and print writing styles
- using incorrect words
- omitting words from sentences
- slow writing speed
- fatigue after writing short pieces
- inappropriate letter sizing
- inappropriate letter spacing
- difficulty with grammar and sentence structure
- unusual position of the body or hands when writing
- saying words aloud when writing them down
- watching the hands while writing
- tight or unusual pencil grip
- avoiding tasks involving writing or drawing
- difficulty taking notes at school or work
Skills and strengths
Due to an aversion to written language, those with dysgraphia are often great with oral and aural language. Common strengths of those with dysgraphia include:
- Good listening skills
- Strong memorization and recall of details
- Great storytellers
- Social
- Efficient problem solvers.
Supporting someone with Dysgraphia
- Allow additional time to complete written tasks
- Allow the use of assisstive technology
- Provide templates
- Provide support for checking written work.
What if this sounds like me or my family member
For further infomation, assessment and support Speld New Zealand Website(external link) or try the dysgraphia self quiz from the exceptional individuals website.
People diagnosed with dyspraxia experience problems with motor movement and coordination. Dyspraxia doesn’t impact on intelligence, but it can impact on some cognitive skills. Often referred to as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), dyspraxia is a neurological condition that can impact on someone’s ability to plan and complete fine and gross motor skills.
Signs of dyspraxia may include one of more of the following symptoms including:
- Poor balance
- Poor posture
- Fatigue following physical or mental exertion
- Speech difficulties
- Poor eye hand coordination.
This causes challenges with:
- Motor coordination
- Directional instructions
- Planning
- Organisation
- Concentration
- Accuracy
Due to issues with coordination skills, someone with dyspraxia may have an aversion to playing sport and handwriting and may have trouble with skills like learning to driving, tying shoelaces or buttoning shirts. People with dyspraxia may also have trouble in social situations and reading social cues.
Skills and strengths
Those with dyspraxia often have high levels of creativity, strategic thinking, leadership and are great problem solvers looking especially able to look at the big picture. They are often determined, resilient and hard-working. Other strengths include:
- Verbally adept
- Advanced reading skills
- Creative imagination/creativity – art, photography, lyrical writing, poetry
- Sensitivity to the needs of others, empathy
- Strong verbal communication skills
- Persistence and determination
- Extremely hard working.
Supporting someone with Dyspraxia
- Learn more about the condition and what it’s like for the person you’re working with.
- Provide emotional support when needed.
- Provide accommodations where practicable.
- Provide support with planning and help them get started with a project or piece of work.
What if this sounds like me or my family member
For further information, assessment and support see the neuroknowhow website(external link) or try the dyspraxia self assessments below.
Dyslexia influences as many as 1 in 5 people and is a genetic difference in an individual’s ability to learn and process information. As a result, dyslexic individuals have differing abilities, with strengths in creative, problem-solving and communication skills and challenges with spelling, reading and memorising facts.
Traditional benchmarking disadvantages dyslexics, measuring them against the very things they find challenging.
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For a taste of what its like to be dyslexic, view this short YouTube video
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Skills and strengths
Dyslexic strengths include:
- Good problem solvers
- Creative
- Observant
- High levels of empathy
- Excellent big-picture thinkers
- Good at making connections
- Strong narrative reasoning
- Three-dimensional thinking
Support resources for someone with Dyslexia
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Single best resources for managers, dyslexics and parents is Made By Dyslexia(external link) It contains amazing resources, developed by dyslexics for dyslexics.
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What if this sounds like me or my family member
If you recognise these traits in yourself or your children you can find more information at Made for Dyslexia(external link) website. You can also use the dyslexic self assessment quiz.
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Irlen Syndrome is a form of visual stress which leads to difficulties with fine vision tasks such as reading.
When reading you may see the words jumping off the page, spinning, moving around or not staying where they are supposed to. Other symptoms include:
- Strain working under bright lighting
- Difficulty finding comfortable lighting
- Glare from bright objects
- Eye strain
- Headaches from reading, working at a computer, watching TV, supermarket lighting
The condition affects about 50% of dyslexics, as well as epileptics, migraine sufferers, people with ME and MS, and others.
Supporting someone with Irlen Syndrome
Irlen’s can be treated, and significant improvements made by changing font, reducing glare and using coloured paper or in some cases coloured glasses or overlays.
This page has been put into colour to demonstrate one way to make text more accessible for people with Irlen Syndrome.
What if this sounds like me or my family member
New Zealand Irlen’s Facebook Support Group (external link)
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To have a few obsessional thoughts or minor compulsions is extremely common, but the thoughts and actions of OCD can disrupt people’s lives in a most distressing way.
Obsessions are repetitive and unwanted thoughts, images or impulses that cause anxiety and are hard to stop. In fact, trying to stop them causes more distress. You know these things come from your own mind, just like other thoughts and impulses, but you find them hard to control.
Compulsions are repeated actions or behaviours that you feel driven to do, even though you know they are unnecessary or don’t make sense. The compulsions are usually linked to the obsessional thoughts. For example, obsessional thoughts about your hands being dirty lead you to feel anxious about catching a disease. This leads to repeatedly and excessively washing your hands.
Common traits of OCD include:
- Checking
- Order and symmetry
- Contamination
- Rumination
- Intrusive thoughts
Skills and strengths
Empathy – they can relate to people on a deeper level and provide a greater level of support, they tend to empathise with others to a greater extent due to a greater knowledge about what its like to deal with things outside their control.
Drive – people with OCD will continue to keep going until something is perfect or a goal is reached, this can help them reach high standards.
Attentiveness – have great attention to detail, are great at meeting deadlines and managing their time.
Cautiousness – people with OCD tend to be more careful and maybe less prone to getting hurt, rather than rushing into things they take time to think it through and recognise the potential risks.
Thoughtfulness - they put more thought into activities and situations they engage in.
Support resources for someone with OCD
What if this sounds like me or my family member
The following self assessment tools can help you understand your own experiences and help to have a conversation with a medical professional if you choose to. If you are concerned for yourself or a family member, the first step is to have an open discussion with a health professional such as your GP.
Tourette Syndrome (TS) may cause sudden unwanted and uncontrolled rapid and repeated movements or vocal sounds called tics. The motor (involving body movement) or vocal (involving sounds you make) tics of TS come and go over time, varying in type, frequency, location, and severity. Tourette’s may be worse during periods of stress, anxiety or tiredness.
Common Misconceptions
It is a common misconception that all people with TS shout obscenities, where in fact, tics that involve rude language or gestures are only experienced by 10% of people with TS. Tics can be physical and vocal, for example:
Vocal tics
- Grunting
- Throat clearing
- Whistling
- Coughing
- Tongue clicking
- Animal sounds
- Saying random words and phrases
- Repeating a sound, word or phrase
- Swearing
Physical tics
- Blinking
- Eye rolling
- Grimacing
- Shoulder shrugging
- Jerking of the head or limbs
- Jumping
- Twirling
- Touching objects and other people
Skills and strengths
Many people with Tourette Syndrome demonstrate high levels of concentration, determination and single-mindedness, willpower, self-control, resilience, empathy, and problem-solving skills.
People with Tourette's Syndrome can demonstrate higher levels of cognitive control and a suppression of reflexive behaviour, especially in motor tasks. This enhanced cognitive control can lead to enhanced abilities to process information and adapt behaviour based on goals.
Supporting someone with Tourette Syndrome
Don’t draw attention to the tics.
- Remember verbal tics aren’t a reflection of someone’s thoughts or emotions, so don’t take offence,” she advises.
- Be understanding when people are struggling
- Don’t make assumptions, instead ask questions - just be sure to ask politely and at the right time, when they aren’t overwhelmed or in distress.
What if this sounds like me or my family member
