Published on 12, July, 2020
My daughter has been through assessments for both ASC and ADHD. Neurodiverse characteristics were identified in both assessments, but she did not reach the clinical threshold for either, so is without a diagnosis. She is struggling with her identity as she knows that she finds challenges in life that she's observed others do not. What would be the best way to support her with this? I've suggested that she could still view herself as neurodiverse and we can support her in the areas she is struggling
I can appreciate how awkward that outcome must have left her feeling.
That being said, regardless of whether we are deemed to sit within the neurodivergent portion of the population, or within the neurotypical one, it's still a fact that no two people are the same, neurologically speaking. Explaining that to her might help to give her some degree of comfort or reassurance.
Your daughter can also still benefit from learning more about how to cope with her particular characteristics, which the assessment process has still been very helpful in identifying.
There's likely a lot to be gained, for example, from reading educational material (including books, blogs, NAS resources, etc) that focuses on helping autistic people and those with ADHD to deal with their various difficulties and make the most of life, including:
NAS - After diagnosis
You don't mention your daughter's age, but the report's identification of certain characteristics might also be helpful in securing extra help for her at school or college, and in employment.