 Turbulence at the margins: adults at the thresholds of diagnosis in ‘neurodevelopmental disorders’Harriet Cameron Chapter 10 in Disability in a Turbulent Era, 2026, pp 121-131 from Edward Elgar Publishing Abstract: This chapter explores the turbulence which can be experienced at the margins of diagnosis in ADHD, autism, dyslexia and similar so-called ‘neurodevelopmental disorders’. Many people in the UK have to wait a long time for diagnostic assessment. Some people find that they do not meet the diagnostic thresholds. Some people are blocked from accessing diagnostic assessment altogether. This can be exhausting, confusing, frustrating and isolating. People can come to feel uncertain about where they belong, and how they are valued within their communities. This chapter reflects upon three of the ‘winds’ which help to build the turbulence at the diagnostic margins: the winds of the psy-disciplines, the neurodiversity movement and the marketisation of (neuro) identity. This chapter ends with a call for us all to recognise how the meanings attached to diagnoses change over time and across contexts. It calls, too, for greater empathy and generosity between people regardless of diagnostic status. The chapter follows the work of other authors who invite everyone to challenge the narrow ‘norms’ that we are all under pressure to conform to. Keywords: Diagnosis; Neurodevelopmental disorder; Thresholds; Experience; Neurodivergence; Neurodiversity (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:23973_11 Ordering information: This item can be ordered from Access Statistics for this chapter More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing |
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