TITLE: What If It’s Not Broken? A Journey Through Neurodiversity: Understanding and Navigating the New World of Autism and ADHD (Kindle Edition)
AUTHOR: Protocol, K.B.
PUBLISHER: Independently Published
PUBLICATION DATE: 2025 (2024 for Kindle Edition)
NUMBER OF PAGES: 157 (for Print Edition)
As more and more people get a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, OCD or similar neurological conditions, there is more and more awareness that these conditions blend into each other and overlap so there’s no clear distinction between them and they present differently from person to person. This newer concept of neurodiversity is covered in K.B. Protocol’s wonderful little gem of a book What If It’s Not Broken?
Starting with a chapter on the history of neurodiversity, the author describes the coining of the term by Judy Singer, an Australian woman on the autism spectrum, who wanted to level the playing field. This was a brilliant concept that she came up with and as a result neurodiversity has now become mainstream. Subsequent chapters describe the conditions that are considered neurodiverse including autism and ADHD, and Tourette Syndrome, latest perspectives, the role of genetics, and uniquely positive traits of neurodiverse individuals. The traits include non-linear thinking, attention to detail and the ability to hyperfocus.
In addition, the author discusses the importance of self-advocacy so that neurodiverse people can get the supports and accommodations that they would need in order to be successful. This book also puts a heavy emphasis on acceptance and the need to nurture the talents and unique abilities of these fascinating people. The strengths of neurodiverse people are described in detail helping the reader to better understand people with ASD and ADHD and there are some fascinating chapters on different approaches to help these folks which include neurofeedback that is still considered to be experimental. There is a section comparing the use of ABA to just letting neurodiverse people exist without any behavioral approaches citing the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.
Even though I have always accepted people with different neurological conditions, this book opened my eyes making me aware of how these conditions really do blend and overlap and how people with these conditions never seemed abnormal to me-just unique in their own right. The philosophy of this book is sadly needed now as DEI programs are being shuttered possibly leaving these uniquely talented people out in the cold. What a shame for us to lose sight of what folks with autism, ADHD, Tourettes and related conditions can offer! It would be a different and a sadder world as a result. Let’s all read this book before it’s too late!