Dealing with neurodivergence

Moving from adolescence to young adulthood is a time of change for any individual with physical, cognitive, social, sexual and emotional developments all occurring within a short space of time.

In the UK one in seven children are neurodivergent, meaning that their brain works and processes information in a different way. Neurodivergent people can have a range of different conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or sensory processing differences. 

Some neurodivergent people may prefer different communication styles (e.g. written communication rather than verbal). Having a quiet area to allow for thinking space and an option to read information away from others can also help neurodivergent individuals who may find a busy community pharmacy environment over-stimulating.

Things to consider

When assessing how to make your pharmacy friendly and accessible to a variety of young people with different needs, the following questions could be considered:

• How does the community pharmacy’s environment appear to a young person?
• Is the environment and the pharmacy team welcoming and reassuring if they need to seek advice?
• Are there any adaptations to the environment that can make it more appropriate to a young neurodivergent person?
• It is important for young people to feel confident in accessing health and care services, and likewise for pharmacy teams to feel confident when engaging with young or neurodivergent people. This can be achieved by investing in training for pharmacy team members, which could include:
• Completing modules of the Adolescent Health Programme (e-lfh.org.uk)
• Enrolling on Psychological First Aid: Supporting Children and Young People (futurelearn.com)
• Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians completing the CPPE Consulting with Children and Young People e-learning
• Safeguarding training
• Becoming a Healthy Living Pharmacy leader or ambassador – training offered in-house or from an educational provider.

The skills of pharmacy teams – listening, explaining, advising and questioning – are relevant when meeting the needs of young and neurodivergent people. However, staff may need to change their approach when conversing with young people or those with additional health needs. This includes but is not limited to:

• Help with reading or understanding new information
• Explaining symptoms
• Remembering information that is shared 
  with them
• Paying for goods and services or accessing help to do so.

Service users who are neurodivergent may need more time to take in and process information in different formats. There may also be a need (with permission sought from the young person) to involve carers or family members. 

It is important that a young person feels empowered to make decisions regarding their care and the people they choose to have as part of that decision-making process.