Neurodiversity, ADHD, Autism, and AuDHD
Employers urged to recognise value of neurodivergent talent (Leaderlive.Co.Uk)
Summary: Employers are being urged to recognise the value of neurodivergent talent. Dr Faye Favill, a specialist in neurodivergent education and SENCO at St David’s College in Llandudno, will deliver the message at a business event in Wrexham on Thursday, October 1. She will speak at a Wrexham Business Professionals breakfast meeting at Hotel Wrexham on Holt Road, highlighting the potential of individuals with conditions such as dyslexia and ADHD. She will outline the strengths often found among neurodivergent individuals, including creativity, lateral thinking, attention to detail, and strong problem-solving abilities.
Why it matters: Dr Favill said: "For too long society has considered neurodiversity to be a hindrance rather than an asset. Our hope, as we go forward, is that more and more employers will come to understand that recruiting people on the neurodivergent spectrum can be a real advantage." Ian Edwards, a Wrexham Business Professionals committee member, said: "Neurodiversity is something businesses should be looking at as an opportunity rather than a challenge, because the right person can bring a completely different way of thinking to a business."
Context: She leads an 18-strong teaching team at St David’s College, which delivers tailored education to students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other neurodiverse conditions. The college provides one-to-one sessions—about 400 each week—and uses a multi-sensory approach to learning. She also believes that advances in artificial intelligence and technology are making it easier for neurodivergent individuals to succeed in the workplace. She is calling on North Wales businesses to follow the lead of global organisations that prioritise neurodiverse hiring, such as those in the intelligence and tech sectors.
"For too long society has considered neurodiversity to be a hindrance rather than an asset." — LEADERLIVE.CO.UK
Date: September 15, 2026 01:00 AM ET
URL: https://leaderlive.co.uk/news/26547942.employers-urged-recognise-value-neurodivergent-talent
Generated Analysis Tone: Positive (42%)
Source Registry Score: 7.0/10 — Medium
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.ADHD drug prescriptions soar sixfold since pandemic (Yahoo)
Summary: The number of adults prescribed drugs for ADHD in England has risen nearly sixfold since before the pandemic, NHS figures show. Around 268,000 adults were prescribed stimulants and other medicines used for ADHD in the latest quarter, compared with fewer than 47,000 in the same period in 2019. The increase of 474 per cent means that almost six times as many adults are now receiving the medicines as before the pandemic. The findings come in advance of a major government-commissioned review, which will say that symptoms of the disorder should not automatically lead to a formal diagnosis. The review is expected to recommend that those with symptoms attributable to ADHD be "triaged" under a "needs-based" system that puts greater emphasis on providing support than on diagnostic labels.
Why it matters: The review was ordered in December 2025 by Wes Streeting, who was health secretary at the time, amid growing concern about a sharp rise in the diagnosis of mental illness, autism and ADHD, and increasing numbers of people claiming sickness benefits. It is examining whether the current system places too much emphasis on obtaining a diagnosis in order to unlock help.
Context: Evidence gathered by the review suggests that the surge in the number of diagnoses in recent years cannot simply be attributed to overdiagnosis, with greater awareness and better recognition of the condition among the factors driving the increase. It suggests a complex picture, in which overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis could all be occurring at the same time. The interim report found that the number of ADHD diagnoses had accelerated sharply since the pandemic, with the increase particularly pronounced among young women. In women aged 20 to 24, the number of diagnoses was 159 per cent higher than would have been expected based on pre-pandemic trends.
"The number of adults prescribed drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has risen nearly sixfold since before the pandemic, NHS figures show." — YAHOO
Date: September 19, 2026 08:40 AM ET
URL: https://yahoo.com/news/us/articles/adhd-drug-prescriptions-soar-sixfold-124056177.html
Generated Analysis Tone: Positive (46%)
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.New Resource: The “Profound Autism” Label Hurts Autistic People (Autisticadvocacy)
Summary: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network made a new toolkit called The “Profound Autism” Label Hurts Autistic People. The toolkit talks about autistic community history and shares problems that happened before and how they are happening again now. It discusses the new label, profound autism, and how it hurts autistic people. The toolkit is available in a plain language version split into parts. A short survey is available for those who used the resource. The project was made possible by support from The International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL).
Why it matters: The source states that separating people with many support needs into a different group hurts them, hurts the people who love them, can also hurt people who don’t get put into that group, and hurts the autistic advocacy movement.
"Separating people with many support needs into a different group hurts them. It hurts the people who love them. It can also hurt people who don’t get put into that group. And it hurts the autistic advocacy movement." — AUTISTICADVOCACY
Date: September 17, 2026 12:00 PM ET
URL: https://autisticadvocacy.org/the-profound-autism-label-hurts-autistic-people/
Generated Analysis Tone: Neutral (33%)
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Are we diagnosing too many people with ADHD? (Spectator)
Summary: A government report is set to recommend changing ADHD diagnosis so that symptoms no longer put people on the road to a formal diagnosis. Wes Streeting ordered the review last December in response to rises in diagnoses of ADHD and other mental conditions. Professor Peter Fonagy is leading the review and has said people are being incentivised to get a diagnosis. Fonagy holds the view that incentives shape outcomes and that help should be available regardless of the presence or absence of a formal diagnosis.
Why it matters: The report could change how ADHD support is accessed, potentially directing people to non-clinical forms of support instead of formal diagnosis.
Context: More than 800,000 people are in a queue for assessment and diagnosis in Britain. A Lancet study in England said 1.19% of the population has an ADHD diagnosis recorded in their GP records.
"Professor Fonagy holds the sensible view that incentives shape outcomes. Incentivise people to get a diagnosis and that’s what they’ll do. His argument is not that they should be told to develop more moral fibre, but that help should be available regardless of the presence or absence of a formal diagnosis." — SPECTATOR
Date: September 19, 2026 08:40 AM ET
URL: https://spectator.com/article/are-we-diagnosing-too-many-people-with-adhd/
Generated Analysis Tone: Positive (40%)
Source Registry Score: 7.0/10 — Medium
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Autism Hero Walk brings thousands to Detroit Zoo to support Michigan’s autism community (Clickondetroit)
Summary: Families gathered at the Detroit Zoo Saturday morning for the annual Autism Hero Walk, described as the state’s largest gathering for families touched by autism. The event, hosted by the Autism Alliance of Michigan, doubles as a fundraiser to keep resources available for families navigating an autism diagnosis. Marc Berke, Chief Development Officer of the Autism Alliance of Michigan, said the organization connects families to pediatricians, insurance help, and therapy help. Patricia Kapler, whose granddaughter has autism, said this is their 7th year attending the event.
"This is the largest gathering of Michigan’s autism community,” said Marc Berke, Chief Development Officer of the Autism Alliance of Michigan. “Sometimes they don’t know where to turn. To have an organization like ours connect them to pediatricians, insurance help, therapy help. It feels so good to know we’re pointing these families in the right direction." — CLICKONDETROIT
Date: September 19, 2026 10:41 AM ET
URL: https://clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/09/19/autism-hero-walk-brings-thousands-to-detroit-zoo-to-support-michigans-autism-community
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Do ADHD Meds Stunt Growth? A New Stimulant Study Says No (Additudemag)
Summary: A new cohort study published in Pediatric Research tracked 64,775 children for up to 28 years and found that long-term stimulant use for ADHD negligibly affects adult height. The researchers used health records from a nationwide provider to assemble a retrospective cohort of 17,517 children with treated and untreated ADHD, plus 47,258 in a control group, all born between 1995 and 2003. Of those with ADHD, 11,846 received stimulant treatment, and 5,671 did not. The study measured the impact of ADHD and stimulant treatment on an individual’s adult height relative to their expected genetic height potential, based on their parents’ heights. The effect sizes were consistently very small, and the physical difference measured between the groups was less than a centimeter.
Why it matters: The study’s authors wrote that "clinicians and families can be reassured that decisions regarding stimulant therapy need not be driven primarily by concerns about potential reductions in adult height."
Date: September 18, 2026 04:30 PM ET
URL: https://www.additudemag.com/do-adhd-meds-stunt-growth/
Generated Analysis Tone: Negative (66%)
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Post ID: 99f46ca4