STUDENTS neu·ro·di·ver·gent : a non-medical term that describes people whose brain develops or works differently for some reason N E U R O D I V E R G E N T and your cafe
School Nutrition Coordinator, LunchAssist Angela Gomez, RDN, SNS
The amount of student debt I have will give you insight into how much I enjoy learning. Or how indecisive I was in my early 20’s. Either way… I like to learn. And I happen to be one of those people who enjoys professional development. My favorite type of professional development? The limit-pushing type where I can expand my perspective and grow personally and professionally. I live for those types of training. Mainly when they help me do less harm in the world while allowing me to work towards supporting all the students we serve. I will be very transparent, or “trays-parent,” with you right now. I’m no expert on this topic; matter of fact, I’ve barely scratched the surface. Although I’m not an expert, it’s a topic I believe we should bring to the forefront as School Nutrition Professionals. I’m referring to how we accommodate neurodivergent students in the cafeteria. Care and support for neurodivergent students doesn’t have to stop with Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists. That care can, and should, continue into the cafeteria. Let’s back up for a moment and talk about terminology. People often use the terms neurodiversity and neurodivergent interchangeably. However, these terms are not the same. Australian Sociologist, Judy
Singer, coined the term neurodiversity in the late 1990s. Sonny Jane paraphrases Judy Singer’s
definition, “Neurodiversity acknowledges diversity as a natural biological fact because individuals are diverse in their brains and minds just like we are diverse in our ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.” Kassiane Asasumasu defines neurodivergent as “an umbrella term for individuals who have a mind or brain that diverges from what is typical. It can be acquired or genetic, an innate part of you or not. Neurodivergence just means having a mind that functions differently to what is considered the norm, including learning, processing, interpreting, feeling, etc.” (Still, trying to wrap your brain around these terms? Check out Sonny Jane’s fantastic free printable .) You might be wondering what falls under the neurodivergent umbrella . Autism, ADHD, acquired brain injury, complex PTSD (CPTSD), dyslexia, Down Syndrome, epilepsy, mental health conditions, and sensory processing differences would be some examples. Pediatric Dietitian Naureen Hunani points out that neurodivergent traits often impact food choices and feeding abilities. What might that look like in the cafeterias? Let’s take a look at three examples.
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