The language used in talking about a specific population and their experiences is import. And it is also important to take cues from marginalized communities on the words they prefer to be used. Most of the wording used will be terminology that centers neurodiversity specifically and disability in general from the social model as opposed to a medical model. Unless using a direct quote from a source identity-first languaging will be used. This is the current prefrence emanating from the Disability Community. When addressing a specific person it is always prudent to ask their prefrence.
Terms:
Neurodiversity:
People experience and interact with their environment, other humans, and circumstances in different ways because of the unique workings of their brains. Most brains develop similarly while they function differently. People fall into two categories neurotypical and neurodivergent.
Neurotypical (NT):
Individuals whose brain develop and functioning according to societal expectations
Neurodivergent (ND):
Individuals whose brains develop and/or function in ways that are not average. Some differences are developmental (from birth) and others are acquired. From a medical or deficit model these differences are pathologized or recognized as disorders. While some neurodivergent people consider these as disabilities or as disabled by the way society does not accommodate, and there are some that see their neurodivergence as both a disability and disabled by the way society is constructed.
Developmental (not an all encompassing list):
Autism Dyslexia ADHD Dyspraxia Dysgraphia Dyscalculia
Acquired (not all encompassing):
Aphasia Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Traumatic Brain Injury
Social Model of Disability:
The disability is the result of the interaction between the person and environmental barriers that maybe physical, attitudinal, communication and/or social.