Neurodiversity
This term describes the idea that all brains think, learn, and experience the world differently.
What is neurodiversity?
Autistic people often use these to help them feel calm, focused, or regulated.
What are stims?
This is the part of the brain involved in planning, organising, and managing time — often tricky for people with ADHD.
What are executive functions?
This sense helps you notice signals from inside your body like hunger, thirst, or needing the toilet
What is interoception
This support strategy helps autistic students by showing steps or expectations visually.
What is a visual schedule (or visual support)?
This word describes people whose brains work in ways that are considered typical.
What is neurotypical?
What is literal thinking?
This type of communication difference means someone may take language literally.
What does it mean to focus intensely on one task or interest?
People with ADHD may hyperfocus, which means doing this for long periods, and can interrupt routine.
This skill can help you recognize and name feelings like anxiety or excitement.
What is emotional awareness
This type of support is worn over the ears to reduce loud or overwhelming sounds
Ear defenders
This term refers to people whose brains work differently from what society expects, including autistic people and ADHDers.
What is neurodivergent?
This term describes intense interests that autistic people may know a lot about and discuss for long periods of time.
What are special interests?
This type of movement — like tapping, doodling, or fidgeting — can help ADHDers concentrate.
What is Fidgeting/Stimming/Regulating
This body signal might feel like a tight stomach or fast heart beat when you are nervous
This type of break helps students regulate their bodies and emotions.
Movement Break
This type of language places a neurodivergent identity before the person, emphasising pride and belonging.
This term describes the intense, overwhelming reaction some autistic people experience when sensory input becomes too much for the brain to process.
What is sensory overload?
This term is for when someone with ADHD struggles to start a task even if they want to.
What is task initiation
This can help people recognize they are getting overwhelmed before it gets too intense
Early warning signals / early body cues
What are some strategies you can do to support yourself or a classmate who is dysregulated?
Talk to an adult, find a calm or quiet space, use sensory tools, practice mindfulness or breathing techniques, use your LevelUp! strategies, ask for help.
This term describes the pressure to behave in neurotypical ways to avoid judgement or exclusion.
What is Masking
This long‑term consequence of masking describes the exhaustion, burnout, and loss of identity that can occur when autistic people hide their traits to fit in.
This ADHD related difficulty means someone may act before thinking or find it hard to wait there turn.
What is impulsivity?
This calming strategy describes slowly paying attention to different parts of your body from your head down to your toes.
What is a body scan
Who are two people you can go to in this school for support?
The only correct answer is Caoimhe and Gabi