Dan Harris FRSA

In a parallel universe, my chat with my Son: “Dad, really proud that you are giving a speech at the United Nations this week”.

That won’t happen for us, as #TheJoshieMan is a non-speaking autistic boy, and doesn’t know I’m about to make the biggest speech of my life.

And you know what?

That’s OK!

Because in a parallel universe, one where Joshie speaks to me, I would not have had the amazing opportunity to raise the profile of non-speaking autistic people at such a huge global organisation.

In a parallel universe, I would not have had my life opened up to the beauty of humanity and how fantastic this little guy is; how he is is helping to #ChangeTheWorld through telling his story of hard work, development and #AutisticJoy every day.

In a parallel universe, we would not have appeared in a big newspaper this morning! - click the link in the comments to check out the article.


So this one is for you Joshie…..

You make me hugely proud!


⁉️PS: Hit like on this post to help the world understand we should be supporting autistic people to lead happy and fulfilling lives. I’d love to hear in the comments how your family member makes you proud!


Image ID: Dan sits on a tram with his arm around Josh.

#Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance

What Philippa Perry said in The Times about ADHD is inaccurate and unacceptable! 
 
She called ADHD ‘fashionable’ and the result of ‘social contagion’. There’s a lot more, equally untrue and equally damaging. She attempted to walk back what she said on social media, while denying the validity of labels and identity. 
 
The article ran on World Mental Health Day — a day when we acknowledged the complex relationship between neurodivergence and mental health. Many ADHD’ers encounter mental health challenges due to being unsupported.  
 
ADHD is not suddenly popular. People who never had a chance to be diagnosed, now are. 
 
There is no social contagion. Adults are educating each other because the diagnostic criteria was developed for children.  
 
Labels are not bad. They help explain years or even decades of misunderstandings, criticism, and even self-loathing.  
 
 
👉 To our ADHD community: We see you. We believe you. We stand beside you.  
👉 To our allies: Check on your friends and colleagues with ADHD.  
👉 To the corporate community: Let your employees with ADHD know they’re valued and will be accommodated. 
 
ADHD is not a fad.  
ADHD is not a trend.  
ADHD is not a buzzword.  
 
It’s one way the human brain can function differently, and that diversity makes communities and companies stronger.  
 
#TeamNiB stand with our ADHD community. Thank you to Leanne Maskell, Ellie Middleton, the folks at ADHD UK and many others who have spoken out on this topic. (Please check out their posts.) We encourage our community to do the same.  
 
 
⁉ PS: Did you read the article and what do you think generally? Or, what’s the BEST thing about ADHD? Tell us in the comments.  
 
 
Image description: A light green graphic with the NiB logo and the words “ADHD is not a fad. Is not a trend. Is not a buzzword.”  
 
 #NeuroInclusionNow 
#ADHD 
#Neurodiversity