G2e Jargon - Terms and Definitions
Part 2 of 2
By Marnina Kammersell
Alexithymia -The inability to experience, identify, and express emotions. People with alexithymia may experience confusion around bodily sensations connected to emotions.
Apraxia - a neurological difference that affects the pathways in the brain that involve planning and executing movements that a person knows how to do, but loses the ability to perform. Apraxia of speech occurs when a person knows what they want to say, but cannot execute the required movements to produce speech.
Asynchronous Development - occurs when a child’s intellectual, emotional, and physical development is uneven or out of ‘sync.’ Common among gifted/2e children, whose intellectual development is often beyond their chronological age while their emotional or physical development may be behind that of a typical child their age.
Dyspraxia, or Developmental Coordination Disorder - neurological condition that causes difficulty with motor skills.
Echolalia - repetition of words or phrases, a common developmental stage in language acquisition.
Gifted - we’ll have to go back to the classic Columbus Group (1991) definition here, “giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity.”
Hyper-focus - intense concentration on a subject or task, common among gifted/2e people especially those with ADHD. This can can be a major strength in the person’s ability to perform at a high level when focusing on their interests.
Identity-first language - Referring to someone as “Autistic” or as “an ADHDer” rather than “person with autism/ADHD.” Identity vs. person-first language is controversial, and the language preferences of a specific neurodivergent person should always be respected. However, when Autistic people are surveyed, identity-first language is overwhelmingly preferred and should be the default when referring to Autistic people.
Infodumping - when someone gives an intricately detailed summary of their topic of interest in single stream communication. Infodumping is more common among Autistic people and is considered a part of Autistic culture.
Intense Interest - a passionate interest in a certain topic or activity, intense interests are common among 2e people. Intense interests are sometimes called “special interests” or SPINS, though some people consider this to be infantilizing language.
Masking- The conscious or unconscious act of suppressing natural traits and behaviors in order to fit in. Masking is discussed particularly often within the Autistic community, and Autistic masking is significant in that being Autistic impacts every aspect of one’s life. Masking can happen in other contexts and for other neurotypes as well, for example, when someone with dyslexia finds ways to avoid reading aloud or memorizes books or passages.
Meltdowns - An internal and/or external loss of control stemming from demands, stress, over/understimulation, disruption, or overwhelming emotions. A meltdown is not a tantrum.
Neuro-affirming or Neurodiversity-affirming - Supporting and embracing diverse learning and communication styles of individuals with different neurotypes.
Neurodivergent (ND) - A person whose neurotype diverges from the established “norm” may be called a neurodivergent person. This umbrella term includes autism, ADHD, bipolar, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, OCD, complex trauma (PTSD), and a wide range of other neurological divergences. Globally, there are more neurodivergent people than there are people who fit within the window of what is considered “neurotypical” or “neuronormative,” since that is based on narrow cultural expectations.
Neurodiverse - Neurodiverse refers to a group of people of varying neurotypes. You could use the word “neurodiverse” to refer to a group of people that includes autistic people, neurotypical people, ADHD people, etc.
Neurodiversity - the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, or behaving.
Neurokin - People who share one’s neurotype are considered to be one’s “neurokin.”
Neuronormative - Practices and expectations which assume or impose neurotypical standards, or focus on privileging the neurotypical over the neurodiverse.
Neurotypical (NT) - A person who does not experience a significant disconnect between their needs and ways of being, and the expectations in their society, may be called “neurotypical.”
Neurotype - an individual's specific neurological makeup and how their brain functions, including their cognitive strengths, challenges, and communication preferences. Specifically, people discuss having an Autistic, ADHD, or AuDHD neurotype.
Non-speaking - refers to people who do not use oral speech to communicate; they rely on other forms of communication, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. Note: non-speaking is the preferred neurodiverse affirming term as opposed to non-verbal, which suggests that a person lacks verbal skills and knowledge. Some other neurodiverse affirming terms for non-speaking people are “a person who doesn’t use mouth words,” “non-oral,” or “non-vocal.”
OT - Occupational Therapy/Therapist, can be extremely beneficial for gifted/2e children who are lacking physical coordination or experiencing sensory sensitivities.
PDA - Pathological Demand Avoidance, or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, is a particular profile of Autistic people who experience a survival-level instinct towards autonomy and freedom. PDA can be understood through the lens of a nervous system disability. People with a PDA profile have very sensitive threat detection systems (neuroception) which regularly detect threats where others do not, leading to frequent fight-or-flight behaviors. Low-demand environments help PDAers feel safe.
Person-first language - Referring to someone as a “person with autism/ADHD” rather than as an “Autistic person” or “ADHDer.” Identity vs. person-first language is controversial, and the language preferences of a specific neurodivergent person should always be respected. Person first language has been considered more respectful within the disability community in recent years, and many professionals including educators and doctors have been taught to use person first language. However, when Autistic people are surveyed, identity-first language is overwhelmingly preferred and should be the default when referring to Autistic people.
Sensory Friendly - An event or space deliberately designed to avoid excessive stimulation, especially auditory or visual stimulation; for instance, a performance where the lights are dim, music is played at a lower volume, or audience size is limited to avoid crowding.
SLP - Speech Language Pathologist, helps children with speech differences by providing speech therapy, may also help with social skills. As with any therapist, it is important to find a neurodiverse affirming SLP who understands a child’s strengths.
Special Interests, or SPINs - things that spark joy, often used in the context of monotropic people. See Intense Interests.
Stealth Dyslexia - a term used to describe individuals who experience common patterns of dyslexic mind strengths and challenges, yet have average to well above average reading abilities. Stealth dyslexia is much more common in 2e individuals who are able to use their advanced intellectual abilities to identify patterns in language and compensate for challenges in phonological processing (hearing and manipulating sounds in spoken language). Kids with stealth dyslexia often have challenges with spelling, rhyming, and writing.
Stimming - Short for “self-stimulatory behavior,” stimming refers to engaging in repetitive motions or actions to regulate one’s sensory and emotional input. It can include any type of repetition to help regulate and express emotions, communicate, understand, distract, or just for fun. Some examples include twirling hair, tapping a foot, rocking, pacing, looking at or manipulating a preferred object, spinning, vocalizing, listening to music, and more.
Twice-Exceptional - refers to a person who has high capabilities in one or more areas (see the definition for Gifted above) and also experiences learning differences or neurodiversities such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or anxiety.
Henderson, D. A., Wayland, S. C., & White, J. (2023). Is this autism? A guide for clinicians and everyone else. Routledge.
