Honoring Neurodiversity in Speech Therapy

Honoring Neurodiversity in Speech Therapy: A Child-Centered Approach for Autistic and Neurodivergent Children

In my practice as a speech-language pathologist, I focus on neurodiversity-affirming treatment for autistic and neurodivergent children. This philosophy values each child’s unique way of communicating and perceiving the world, challenging traditional goals that often aim to "normalize" behavior. Instead, neurodiversity-affirming therapy seeks to empower children by supporting and respecting their natural communication styles and preferences, making therapy a space where they feel heard, validated, and accepted.

What Neurodiversity-Affirming Treatment Looks Like

Neurodiversity-affirming treatment is about embracing and working with each child’s individual strengths, needs, and communication methods. Here’s how this approach might look in practice:

1. Supporting Communication Styles: A neurodiversity-affirming approach respects each child’s preferred communication style, whether it’s verbal, nonverbal, or a mix of both. For example, some autistic children may use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, gestures, or scripts. Therapy should support and expand these modes rather than insisting on verbal communication as the “correct” way.

2. Validating Stimming Behaviors: Many autistic and neurodivergent children use stimming (repetitive movements or sounds) to self-regulate. A neurodiversity-affirming approach understands that stimming is a valid and often essential way for children to cope with their environment. Instead of attempting to “stop” stimming behaviors, therapy might focus on helping children find safe spaces to stim or supporting them to stim in ways that bring comfort in social situations.

3. Encouraging Self-Advocacy and Autonomy: Neurodiversity-affirming therapy empowers children to recognize their needs and advocate for themselves. This could look like teaching a child to request breaks during social interactions or providing scripts to help them set boundaries. Encouraging self-advocacy helps children gain confidence and reinforces the idea that their needs are valid.

4. Promoting Social Connection Rather than Social Compliance: Many traditional social skills therapies have focused on compliance with social norms. In neurodiversity-affirming therapy, the focus shifts to supporting children in building authentic social connections. This may involve helping them recognize and navigate social signals without pressuring them to conform to neurotypical standards, such as maintaining eye contact or using specific tones.

What Neurodiversity-Affirming Treatment Doesn’t Look Like

To contrast, here are examples of practices that neurodiversity-affirming therapy avoids:

1. Prioritizing Eye Contact: Traditional therapies often focus on encouraging children to make eye contact, sometimes even rewarding them for doing so. Neurodiversity-affirming treatment recognizes that eye contact can be uncomfortable or overwhelming for some children. Rather than pushing eye contact, therapy might help children explore alternative ways to demonstrate attentiveness or connect.

2. “Correcting” Natural Speech Patterns or Behaviors: Corrective approaches may aim to change a child’s natural speech patterns, such as echolalia (repeating others’ words or phrases) or their unique ways of structuring sentences. Neurodiversity-affirming therapy respects these speech patterns as valid forms of communication and, instead, may focus on expanding communication skills rather than changing the child’s authentic style.

3. Using Compliance-Based Social Skills Training: Traditional social skills programs often focus on “acting normal” or “fitting in,” which can feel restrictive and even damaging for neurodivergent children. In neurodiversity-affirming therapy, we replace compliance-based goals with goals that help children express themselves, set boundaries, and engage in meaningful interactions on their terms.

Why Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy Matters

Neurodiversity-affirming treatment respects each child’s identity and inherent value, promoting self-acceptance, mental well-being, and a genuine sense of connection. Research increasingly supports that children who receive neurodiversity-affirming therapy feel more empowered, experience lower levels of stress, and have higher levels of self-esteem compared to children who are pressured to conform to neurotypical standards. When children are encouraged to be their true selves, they can develop stronger communication skills within an affirming, supportive environment.

Conclusion

By centering neurodiversity-affirming practices in speech therapy, we create a compassionate, child-centered approach that celebrates each child’s uniqueness. This shift moves away from “normalizing” behavior and toward a model that embraces each child as they are, helping them find ways to communicate and connect on their own terms. Through this approach, autistic and neurodivergent children can flourish, feeling confident, heard, and respected in a world that values them for who they truly are.