“Neurodivergent” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2019, the ultimate acknowledgment that the many-types-of-minds paradigm was not just a fleeting hashtag. Used for people with conditions such as ADHD, autism and dyslexia, it reflects how many see themselves: simply different, rather than disordered. The scientific understanding of ADHD has been shifting in this direction, too.

Neuroscientists have found that the formal diagnostic criteria for these conditions are ill-fitting, which explains why it is common for children to have more than one diagnosis. Schools in England are testing a new way to support neurodivergent pupils: focusing on their personal strengths, weaknesses and interests to help them thrive in the classroom—no diagnosis required.