Stocking Your Neurodivergent Tool Chest
The neurodiversity runs deep in my immediate and extended family. From ADHD to autism and sensory processing disorder, I've learned to navigate the sometimes wild world of living with my own and parenting other brains that experience the world differ...
Ideation Station
Whether you have an ADHD brain, autism, or another neurodivergency, your thinking may be just that…divergent. High ideation is wonderful, but getting those ideas and thoughts organized and under control so that you can harness them can be a challenge...
I love that my brain can come up with so many new ideas and process concepts faster than I sometimes even detect, but this ability can also quickly get away from me and turn into overwhelm. Making a brain dump is one great tool for reclaiming and tam...
These Japanese notebooks are the best I've found for a brain dump. The “soft spirals” are jelly-like rings that make it easy to flip pages back and forth. The perfectly-sized pages are lined and micro-dotted to make writing easy, and the paper is so ...
I actually designed these PDF digital pages to remind myself to not take myself so seriously. There are pages for daily and weekly to-do's and plenty of space for a quick, on-the-go brain dump. I can print them, but I often use them in GoodNotes to take notes on my iPad.
If you prefer a hardcover option to write in, this brain dump journal is sturdy and so cute.
This visual timer is so helpful when I need to rein in the divergent thinking. It comes in a bunch of cute different colors, and I like that you can see at a glance how much time you have left. You can turn the buzzer on or off. This is great for so ...
Infodumping and a brain dump should not be confused. But a brain dump can actually be a good tool to help manage infodumps. When my autistic loved ones share an infodump about something their passionate about with me, it's actually a form of love lan...
My best ideas always seem to come when I'm either in the shower or ironing. Waterproof notepad? Yes, please.
Managing Sensory Overload
One of the hallmarks of many different neurodivergencies is the tendency to experience sensory overload. Here are some of my favorite tools to help calm the overwhelm and reset my nervous system. (may contain affiliate links)
Sensory overload can be scary and overwhelming, especially if you haven't developed your toolbelt to manage it when it strikes. Thankfully, there are increasing number of resources available to help manage it.
Sound sensitivity & hypersensitivity can be overwhelming and distracting for those who are neurodivergent. Loop earplugs are comfortable, discreet, and dampen noise just enough to make it more comfortable.
Some of the most important skills you can learn as a neurodivergent person is how to self-soothe when input gets overwhelming. This poster is a handy cheatsheet of sorts to get back to basic calming skills.
One of my kids likes to wear noise-cancelling headphone but doesn't like ear buds. These lightweight, comfy noise-cancelling headphones have been a great option.
When you have sensory issues, your feet can be a particularly oversensitive part of your body. Finding a pair of socks without seams to dig and poke can feel like a miracle. Here are a good pair of kid socks.
For myself, I've found that actually wearing socks designed for people with diabetes has provided the best sock option. They're not binding, the toe seam is as smooth as I've found, and they're very soft.
Being under- or over-sensitive to temperatures is a frequent issue with neurodiverse people. I tend to feel overly cold, so I have quite a few comfy items to help keep me more comfortable.
Weighted pads, blankets, and clothing can be an extremely helpful tool for dealing with sensory overload. I especially like that this weighted eye mask can be used cold or hot and has both lavender-scented and unscented varieties (for those sensitive...
Using weighted pads was one of the first tools that we discovered as a family to help with sensory overload. I love the portability of the weighted lap pad for both school and work.
Compression can be very calming for sensory overload. These shirts (also available in long sleeve) are a great option and are well-designed with extra length in the torso
Weighted blankets are one of my biggest weapons against sensory overload. They provide deep, calming pressure that can be very soothing to your nervous system.
I can't say enough about these wonderful little devices. TouchPoints provide a soothing vibration alternating between the two sides of your body called “bilateral stimulation” that is clinically proven to quickly calm you during times of anxiety and ...
A fabric swing is one of the best investments we made. It's like a little cocoon. I actually got a removable doorway pull-up bar to hang it from, and it works great, but they can easily be mounted from the ceiling or a specially designed hammock stan...
This is a great, thorough compilation of activities to help calm your central nervous system.
Another weighted calming object. This has the added fun of being a cute stuffed animal that kids will love.
Compression socks are another type of sock I enjoy, especially if I'm needing more proprioceptive feedback on my joints to help calm me.
This is my favorite background focus music to listen to while writing. It truly helps me to get into a flow state.
Many classrooms have “calm down corners” to help kids have a spot to self-regulate, and they're a great addition to a home, too.
This “calming canoe” provides pressure and a cozy pod to help calm the nervous system.
Your phone is a potential hotbed of sensory overload. One way to make it less so is to turn the screen greyscale or black-and-white. I wrote this quick tutorial for how to switch your phone to b&w on iOS phones, but you can easily google it for o...
Positively Proprioceptive
Proprioception is often called the “hidden sixth sense” (which is funny as we have a lot more senses than five or six. It's often an area that neurodiverse folks have challenges, so it's a great area to build your toolbox. (may contain affiliate link...
A good, brief explanation of proprioception and why it's so important.
These chair bands (or “kicky bands”) are great for bouncing feet and giving an outlet to proprioceptive-seeking behavior at school or work without distracting others with your bouncing feet.
These stretchy “body pods” are a great way to get instant pressure and proprioceptive feedback on your joints.
There's a very good reason that you'll see a trampoline in most occupational and physical therapy offices for kids. Nothing beats it for intense proprioceptive feedback. It's fun and relaxing for adults, too!
If you don't have the space or flat land for a full-sized trampoline, a mini trampoline is another great way to get intense proprioceptive feedback, and you can have it inside year-round.
This doorway swing mount system is great! Easily removable and easy to switch out the components (including a fabric swing from the section above).
Great proprioceptive feedback with compression bands, and they're very versatile.
My kids LOVE to be burrito-wrapped when they're proprioception-seeking.
Super versatile wobble board. I actually like to use it myself to practice balance.
Crossing the Midline
“Crossing the midline” is a concept in occupational and physical therapy, and it's so important to both development and building connections within our brain. (may contain affiliate links)
A good, brief intro to “crossing the midline”
Some great crossing midline activities.
There are a ton of fun crossing midline activities you can do! Toss & Catch is a great one, and this is a fun set.
Fidgets
“Stimming” is an activity common to many neurodivergent people. While it's very normal, it can be a hard time finding healthy, non-damaging outlets for stimming. Here are a few I've found. (may contain affiliate links)
Great “fidget” for people who stim by skin picking. (And better for your skin). The squishy texture is more pleasing than a picking stone, but some people prefer the harder texture.
It's not much to look at, but the picking stone is super-satisfying as a fidget or stimming tool.
These are such fun fidgets and great for working on visual field observation.
Squishy and useful. These are a great option for school.
Slime comes in all different textures, colors, scents, and even with embedded items to pick at. It's a great fidget or stim device!
You use your fingers to guide the internal marbles through these felt mazes. A nice, quiet, and calming fidget.
These are like the ultimate fidget toy for adults. Discreet and sturdy, and you can manipulate them endlessly and mindlessly to help you focus.
An infinity fidget cube that lets you keep your hands infinitely busy.
Not a fidget, but for anyone who struggles with chronic skin-picking (or other body-focused repetitive behaviors), these super thin hydrocolloid patches are practically invisible and can cover the spots that you find yourself picking at. (affiliate l...
This super soft and squishy (yet not sticky!) modeling clay is perfect for sensory averse kids who want something to squish and fidget with but don't like getting their hands messy or icky. My son loves it, and you can get it in a bunch of different ...
This shapeshifting fidget is so satisfying and calming.
Oral stimming can be a great way to self-regulate, but also a great way to hurt your teeth or ruin clothes if you choose the wrong object to chew. These silicone “chewelry” chew stims are a great solution!
Learning About Neurodivergency
Education around neurodivergent individuals has grown over the years, and I'm so thankful for that. Here are some great resources to educate yourself.
A great TED talk from Temple Grandin, a vocal advocate for autism and neurodivergency education.
Another great TEDx talk focusing on education and the autistic brain from Temple Grandin.
This is a YouTube channel that I really enjoy, with lots of concrete hacks, tools, and tactics with those who have an ADHD brain.
A lot of great info about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
KC Davis is a licensed counselor who teaches tools and tactics for performing care tasks for people who are struggling (for many reasons, including challenges involved in neurodivergency).
Words matter. I love the more accurate terminology of switching ADHD (which doesn't describe it for so many…there's no shortage of attention in my case, just challenges on how to focus it) to VAST (Variable Attention Stimulus Trait).