Neurodivergent or Neurotypical? What These Words Mean in 2026

"Is This Some New Illness?" — No. And It Was Not Just Invented.

After my son's diagnosis, one of the first words I ran into was neurodivergent.

A few days later, someone asked me, kindly but honestly:

"Is this some new illness specialists have just come up with?"

I understand the question. The word can sound like the name of a newly discovered condition.

But it is not.

Neurodivergent does not mean ill. And the broader idea is not new either. The concept has been around for nearly three decades. One detail I find especially interesting: the researcher who coined the word neurodiversity was of Hungarian origin.

In this article, we will walk through what neurodivergent, neurotypical, and neurodiversity mean, in language that is useful for real life, not only for conferences.

Where Did the Word Come From?

The term neurodiversity was coined by Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist of Hungarian background, in the late 1990s. Singer herself is autistic, and she wanted a word that described different nervous-system functioning not as disease, but as natural human variety.

The word has two parts:

• neuro-: relating to nerves or the nervous system
• diversity: variety, difference, many forms

The basic idea was simple, but radical at the time: just as biodiversity is valuable in nature, diversity in human minds is valuable too.

Not a mistake.

Not a deficit.

A variation.

The Three Terms, Slowly

Neurodiversity

The natural variation in human brain function.

It means there is not one single "correct" way for a brain to work, sense, process, learn, or understand the world.

Neurodiversity applies to everyone, not only autistic people or people with ADHD. Just as people differ in height, personality, or hair color, we also differ neurologically.

Neurodivergent

A person whose nervous system works significantly differently from what society considers average or typical.

Common examples include:

• autism spectrum
• ADHD
• dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia
• dyspraxia
• Tourette syndrome
• sensory processing differences

One thing many people do not know: these often overlap. International research suggests that many autistic people also meet criteria for ADHD. That is one reason researchers increasingly talk about a spectrum of neurodivergence rather than neat separate boxes.

Neurotypical

A person whose brain function follows the patterns society usually considers typical.

Neurotypical people may find it easier to read subtle social cues, irony, humor, and unspoken rules.

Important: neurotypical is not better or worse than neurodivergent. It is simply different. And there is no hard border. Many people carry neurodivergent traits without having any diagnosis.

"So Is Everyone Neurodivergent Now?"

This is probably the most common objection, and it is a fair question.

Current reviews often estimate that roughly 10-20% of the population may be neurodivergent. That is a lot of people, but it does not mean everyone is suddenly being labeled. It means many people were always here, but we did not have words for them, or they did not feel safe using those words.

Today, three ways of thinking often appear side by side:

• Medical model: sees the difference mainly as a condition to treat.
• Social model: says the main problem is not the difference itself, but an environment that refuses to adapt.
• Biopsychosocial model: recognizes both: real internal challenges exist, but the environment can make them much easier or much harder.

In 2026, the most helpful view is usually the most human one. Neurodivergence is not "just society", and it is not "just an illness". Real people live in the space between those extremes.

How Should We Talk About It?

Many parents get stuck on language.

• Person-first language: "person with autism", "person with ADHD"
• Identity-first language: "autistic person", "ADHD person"

Research and community surveys show that many autistic adults prefer identity-first language, but there is no universal rule.

The best practice is simple:

ask the person what they prefer.

On kekszivvel.hu, we use both forms depending on context and on who we are writing about. A person's autonomy matters more than any grammar rule.

Why These Words Matter to a Parent

When I first met these terms, they felt distant and academic. They did not seem connected to the everyday reality of breakfast, meltdowns, school, bedtime, and worry.

Then I understood something:

these words are not labels. They are maps.

They help me understand that my son is not worse than other children. He experiences the world differently. They help explain that a meltdown is not bad parenting. They help grandparents, teachers, friends, and parents build a shared language.

And shared language matters.

Because once we have better words, we can have better thoughts.

Better thoughts lead to better actions.

Acceptance Starts with Learning

People often say acceptance is a matter of the heart.

It is.

But not only.

Acceptance also begins when we read, ask, learn, and refuse to settle for "something is wrong with the poor child". Precise words make our thinking more precise. More precise thinking makes our help more useful.

If you have read this far, you have already taken a step.

Thank you.

Sources and Further Reading

• Britannica: Neurodiversity
• EPALE / European Commission: What is neurodiversity?
• MARS Foundation: What is neurodiversity?
• Mindennapi Pszichológia: The phenomenon of neurodiversity
• Kölöknet / Rehabportál: Neurodiversity, neurotypicality, and neurodivergence
• Springer Review (2025): Thirty Years on from Sinclair: A Scoping Review of Neurodiversity Definitions

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How did you first meet the word neurodivergent? Was there a moment when understanding one word helped you see a person or situation differently? Share it with us in a comment or in the Facebook group. 💙