Dr. Shaurya GargPsychiatristUrgent help

AAYAM Counsellors’ Hub 2026 · 25 September

Neurodiversity
and belonging

A place to revisit what we learnt, find words that help, and decide a useful next step.

Read the takeaway notes ↓Practical suggestions

The live session has concluded. These notes remain available to revisit and share.
Care Needs Courage · Heritage Xperiential Learning School, Gurugram
Keynote by Dr. Shaurya Garg, MD Psychiatry, AIIMS Delhi

01 / The main idea

Be curious before you reach a conclusion.

“Which part is difficult, and what would help?”

One unfinished task, a restless lesson or a difficult week does not establish a diagnosis. The same behaviour can have different explanations. A diagnosis can guide support, but it cannot describe everything about a person.

Neurodiversity describes variation in how human minds develop and function. It is not a diagnosis. ADHD, autism, learning disorders and intellectual disability are distinct clinical concepts that can overlap.

When is a concern worth looking into?

Pattern
Does it keep happening over time? Is it unexpected for the learner’s development?
Context
Where is it difficult, and where is it easier? What changes with the task or environment?
Impact
Is learning, daily life, wellbeing or participation being affected? Good marks alone do not answer this.
The learner’s view
What do they find difficult? What effort or help is already making success possible?

This is a conversation guide, not a diagnostic checklist. Significant distress, a sudden change or loss of skills deserves prompt professional attention. You do not need to wait for a diagnosis to offer ordinary classroom support. Clinical sources

02 / Four topics

Understand the difficulty. Discover the person.

Plain-language summaries, not complete diagnostic criteria. People with the same diagnosis can have different strengths and support needs.

01

ADHD

Attention, activity and impulse control

A developmental condition involving persistent, impairing inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity. Assessment considers childhood history, more than one setting and other possible explanations. It is not established by a questionnaire alone.

School example and what helps

At school: A learner may understand the task yet lose the first step, forget materials or find it hard to wait before responding.

Try: Make the first step visible, check understanding privately, divide long tasks and give timely, specific feedback.

NIMH: ADHD · CDC: classroom support

02

Learning disorders

Reading, written expression or mathematics

Persistent difficulties learning and using particular academic skills, with meaningful impact. A careful assessment considers the teaching received, language, sensory needs and other explanations. Dyslexia refers to difficulties with reading. It does not mean low intelligence.

School example and what helps

At school: A pupil may explain a science idea well but struggle to read the instructions accurately or put the explanation into writing.

Try: Provide explicit, targeted teaching. When the goal is scientific understanding, an agreed spoken or typed response may improve access. Continue teaching the affected skill.

NICHD: learning disabilities · DSM-5-TR / ICD-11

03

Autism

Social communication and patterns of behaviour

A developmental condition involving differences and difficulties in social communication and interaction, together with restricted or repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities. Sensory differences may be part of the picture. Language, abilities and support needs vary widely.

School example and what helps

At school: An unexpected change to a noisy group rehearsal may be difficult. Ask whether uncertainty, communication or sensory demands are contributing.

Try: Explain changes in advance, offer clear roles and an agreed way to request a break. Support communication without requiring eye contact as proof of listening.

NIMH: autism · NICE: support for under-19s

04

Intellectual disability

Intellectual and adaptive functioning

Significant difficulties in intellectual functioning and in adaptive functioning: the conceptual, social and practical skills used in daily life. These begin during development. Assessment goes beyond an IQ score to understand the support a person needs.

School example and what helps

At school: Learning a routine and using it independently in a new setting may require more explicit teaching and repeated practice.

Try: Teach manageable steps, model and practise them in real situations, and use accessible communication. Include the learner in meaningful, age-respectful activities.

AAIDD: definition · DSM-5-TR / ICD-11

03 / Put it into practice

Small changes. Specific help.

These are starting points to agree with the learner and review, rather than rules for everyone with a diagnosis.

Words that make the next step clearer

Instead of “Just concentrate.”

“Start with the heading. I’ll check back in two minutes.”

Instead of “I have told you three times.”

“Show me the first step, so I can check I explained it clearly.”

Instead of “You can do it when you want to.”

“What is different on the days this works?”

Instead of “Everyone else can manage.”

“Which part is getting in the way? Let’s choose one change to try.”

Original example phrases based on clear instruction, collaborative support and specific feedback. They are not a validated intervention by themselves.

For students & peers

You can ask for something specific.

  • “Could you write the first step down?”
  • “Can you tell me what will change in today’s activity?”
  • “Would you like help, company, or some space?”

Ask before helping. Don’t diagnose a classmate or share their private information. If a difficulty keeps getting in the way, speak privately with a trusted adult or counsellor.

For teachers & counsellors

Make the task easier to enter.

  • Put the goal, first step, group role and check-in time where pupils can see them.
  • Offer a predictable way to ask for help or a brief break.
  • Measure learning and wellbeing, alongside task completion.

Experiential learning can work well with structure. A clear project brief and flexible ways of participating can help pupils engage with the same learning goal.

For families

Choose one difficulty to work on.

  • Agree a workable routine and prepare what is needed.
  • Give one short instruction, then time to respond.
  • Notice the action: “You opened the notebook and started.”

Ask what got in the way before increasing consequences. Support, sleep routines and appropriate treatment can work together. The aim is a manageable day, not constant conflict.

Try it in an everyday situation

See what a small change could look like.

Choose an example to explore. Agree the support with the young person; these are illustrations, not a treatment programme.

Starting work: show one step, then notice it

Try saying: “Let’s choose the first question. Would you like me to show you how to start?” Model that step if needed, then allow time to try.

Notice the action: “You chose the question and wrote the heading.” Give feedback soon after the action, in a way the learner finds encouraging. Agree any incentive together; food, rest and needed breaks are not rewards to earn.

If it does not help: Check task difficulty, fatigue and whether the instruction was clear. Make the step smaller or change the support.

A change of plan: make the unfamiliar more predictable

Before: Explain what will change and what will stay the same. A short written sequence, picture or visit may help, depending on the learner.

Try saying: “We’re moving to the hall. Here is the plan. How would you like to let me know if you need help or a quieter space?”

Afterwards: Ask what helped and what needs changing. Include sensory demands, communication and possible pain or anxiety. Practise an agreed way to ask for help when the learner is comfortable.

Everyday independence: teach a skill that matters to them

Choose together: For example, packing for an activity or asking for help. Use an age-respectful task the learner wants or needs to manage.

Show and practise: Break it into manageable steps and use the learner’s preferred way of communicating. Practise in the setting where the skill will be used, with enough help to succeed.

Review: Is the task easier? Can some prompts be reduced without removing needed support? Make room for enjoyable shared interests and downtime too. Families may also need practical help and a break.

Principles checked against CDC parent training guidance, CDC classroom guidance and NICE autism guidance. Formal interventions should fit the learner’s age and assessed needs.

A shared support plan

One goal, agreed with the learner.

“I want to start my written work without feeling lost.”

  1. Agree the change. Written first step and a private check that it makes sense.
  2. Name who will help. Teacher puts the step on the sheet; counsellor coordinates feedback.
  3. Set a review. For example, after 2–4 weeks. Was the support used? Did starting become easier? What does the learner say?

Illustrative plan and review interval, not a standardised clinical protocol. Individual needs may require earlier review or additional assessment.

04 / A conversation with family

Begin with what you have noticed.

“We have noticed that starting written work is often difficult, even when the topic is understood. Do you notice anything similar? Several things can contribute. We can begin support and consider an assessment to understand the pattern.”

Observation → family perspective → explanation → next step.

Ask what worries the family. Use familiar language, allow questions and check understanding: “How would you explain our plan in your own words?” Include the young person in an accessible way.

A family may need reassurance that assessment is a way to understand and help. Avoid announcing a diagnosis from classroom observations or blaming parenting. Share only the information staff need to provide agreed support.

05 / Common questions

Let’s clear up a few doubts.

Does everyone get distracted? When does it become ADHD?

Everyone can be distracted. ADHD involves a persistent pattern that is developmentally inappropriate, impairs functioning and is present across situations, with evidence from childhood. Assessment also considers sleep, anxiety, learning difficulties and other conditions. Several explanations may coexist. A single behaviour is insufficient.

Can a student with good marks have ADHD?

Yes. Marks do not show the whole cost of getting through school. Ask about time taken, adult support, organisation, relationships and distress. Good marks alone neither establish nor exclude ADHD.

Is an ADHD student simply understimulated or looking for novelty?

That is too simple as a universal explanation. Attention can vary with interest, reward, task demands and context. Novelty may help some tasks, while excess distraction can make others harder. Try a clear first step, manageable work periods and feedback, then review what helps this learner. A dopamine diagram cannot diagnose an individual child.

Did phones or COVID cause ADHD?

Changes in sleep, routines, stress, teaching and device use can affect concentration. They can also make existing difficulties more visible. This does not establish that phones or the pandemic caused ADHD. Explore the timeline and context rather than diagnosing from recent distraction.

Is a different way of answering unfair?

Start with the learning goal. If the goal is understanding the water cycle, an agreed typed or recorded explanation may help a learner show that understanding. If handwriting or spelling is being assessed, the task needs a different plan. Formal examination concessions have separate eligibility and approval requirements.

Does autism mean no empathy, low intelligence or no interest in friendship?

No. None of those assumptions describes every autistic person. Communication, relationships, intellectual ability and support needs vary. Ask the person what works for them. Autism is developmental, not caused by bad parenting. Vaccines do not cause autism.

Does inclusion mean removing expectations or avoiding treatment?

No. Keep meaningful learning goals and safe boundaries, while providing support that makes participation possible. Acceptance and appropriate treatment can coexist. ADHD care may include family and school support, behavioural approaches and medication when clinically indicated. Treatment decisions belong in an individual clinical assessment.

Which screening tools can a school use?

A trained professional may use an age-appropriate tool such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire or an ADHD rating scale as part of a concern-led assessment. Choose the right age range, language, informant and permitted use. Include the learner’s account and information from home and school.

A score is not a diagnosis. Do not use classroom polls or informal online checklists to label pupils. Screening needs a plan for follow-up, privacy and communication with families. SDQ publisher information

What if a quiet student is struggling?

A pupil does not need to disrupt a classroom to need help. Gender expectations, language, resources and prejudice can affect whose difficulties are noticed and whose concerns are heard. Ask privately about effort, distress and participation. Do not assume a diagnosis from someone’s identity.

What should I do if I recognise these difficulties in myself or someone else?

Write down a few concrete examples: when it happens, how long it has been happening, what it affects and what helps. Speak privately with a trusted adult, school counsellor or qualified clinician. You do not need to decide the diagnosis first. If there is immediate danger, seek an adult’s help and urgent local care. Emergency help information

06 / A quick check

What would you say now?

Think of your answer, then reveal the explanation. This revision exercise stays on this page and does not send answers anywhere.

Aarav has not finished one project. Can we conclude that he has ADHD?

No. Ask privately which part was difficult and offer a useful first step. One incident has many possible explanations.

What changes when similar difficulties have lasted for years, occur at school and home, and affect daily life?

A fuller assessment becomes more important. Understand the developmental history, impact and possible explanations. Start appropriate support alongside the assessment.

Can support start before a diagnosis is confirmed?

Yes. Clear instructions, predictable routines and supportive conversations can begin now. More specialised interventions and formal exam arrangements may require assessment and specific procedures.

How do we know a support plan is working?

Ask the learner and look at life and learning. Was the agreed support actually used? Is starting easier? Are participation and wellbeing improving? A quieter classroom alone is not enough.

07 / Keep learning

Reliable places to read more.

These notes accompany an educational keynote. They are not a diagnosis, a complete clinical guideline or individual treatment advice. Clinical content checked on 24 September 2026. Practical dialogue and case examples are illustrative.

Privacy and the completed session

The takeaway page has no advertising trackers, sign-in, response collection or personal question box. Opening revision explanations and searching questions happen in your browser. Hosting services may keep ordinary technical access logs.

The live poll is now closed. During the session, it used Google Firebase with anonymous browser accounts. Students were not asked for a name, email or diagnosis. Responses were stored against a technical account identifier, and the presenter reviewed submitted words before displaying them. Retiring the poll pages does not delete previously submitted responses.

No new poll responses are collected on this takeaway page. General website information is in the privacy policy. For a concern about participation, speak with the session organiser.

Care Needs Courage

Support should make belonging visible.

Choose one useful change. Agree who will follow through.

Return to practical suggestions ↑