What neurodivergent means
Neurodivergence is an umbrella term for a range of conditions, each with different symptoms and causes.
Neurodivergent means a person’s brain functions differently from what is considered typical by the majority. It’s not inherently bad, as ‘different’ can mean better. For example, many neurodivergent people have greater creativity or memory. Of course, when these differences make socialising, school, or work more difficult, that’s when neurodivergence is challenging.
Some common neurodivergent examples:
- ADHD – challenges with attention and focus
- Autism – challenges with socialising, communication
- Dyslexia – struggle with reading, despite normal intelligence and opportunity to learn to read
- Dyspraxia – also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), challenges with physical movement and coordination.
Why get a neurodivergent test?
Maybe you are simply curious. However, for many who are neurodivergent, doing a neurodivergent test is part of understanding themselves. They may have felt ‘different’ their entire lives, and want to know why. Being able to pinpoint the reason, they feel, will bring some inner peace and explain both their struggles and their strengths.
Also, knowing the name of your condition can help you find the right support community, or even health professional, to get the help you need.
Of course, if you want to do a neurodivergent test, it should be accurate. There’s lots of neurodivergence tests online, are they reliable?
Is an online neurodivergent test accurate?
Online neurodivergence tests should be treated as a starting point to understanding your condition, not a diagnosis. Since online tests are self-reporting – there’s not health professional directly assessing the results – they are subjective. There isn’t one test that encompasses all neurodiversity anyway; you will need to select based on your concerns.
For a diagnosis of a particular condition, see a health professional.
Sonic Learning’s neurodivergence assessments
Sonic Learning offer several online assessment which might help you identify your cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
Learning difficulties screening
- Will help identify what learning strengths and weakness, including memory, processing, attention, reading, language, maths and social skills
- Ages 4-70
- Takes 5 minutes
- Get a score for each learning area & program recommendations
- Free
Auditory processing checklist
- Find out if you may have auditory processing issues
- Ages 5 – 70
- Takes 5 minutes
- Results indicate at risk / not at risk of auditory processing issues
- Free
Auditory processing diagnostic assessment
- This is a full diagnostic assessment. It is not self-reporting, responses to audio prompts are assessed by audiologists and speech pathologists
- Age 5 – 70
- Takes 60 minutes
- Specialised headphones and full report included
- $380
- This questionnaire is based on the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)
- Age 18+
- Takes 5 minutes
- Indicates not at risk / at risk of ADHD – not diagnostic
- Free
With the exception of the Auditory processing diagnostic assessment, all of the above online questionnaires are for informational purposes only. Who helps make formal diagnoses?
Professional help to explore your neurotype
If you’ve completed an online neurodivergent test and have concerns or want to know more, your next step usually is to consult a health professional – either for advice or a formal diagnosis.
Visit your GP to explain your concerns, they will refer you to the right health professional.
After your visit to the GP, they may refer you to the following health professional:
- Autism
- Diagnosing children: a pediatrician, or a child or adolescent psychologist, or a multidisciplinary team
- Diagnosing adults: a psychologist or psychiatrist
- ADHD
- Psychologist
- Dyslexia
- Diagnosing children: educational psychologists specialising in dyslexia
- Diagnosing adults: Dyslexia SPELD Foundation assess adults for dyslexia
Contact Sonic Learning to improve your learning skills
With or without a diagnosis, our learning programs can help you strengthen attention, memory, auditory processing, and language skills. All our online programs are researched backed and supported by professionals. Book at time to discuss how we can help you with your learning difficulties.
Learn more & contact us
Book a free phone consult
This free telephone consultation can help to answer any questions you have about our services. At Sonic Learning we are all experienced teachers and health professionals so parents tend to find it very beneficial to be able to discuss their concerns and receive guidance from our team.
