From Confusion to Clarity and Understanding Neurodivergent Children – Part 1
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Catrina “Tri” Francis is the owner of LifeART Wellness Clinic in Glendale, WI, where she serves as an Integrative Frequency Specialist and Ayurvedic Practitioner. With deep expertise in energy medicine, neuroscience, and mobility, she is passionate about holistic healing and dedicated to creating welcoming, supportive spaces where clients can heal and thrive mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Navigating the world of neurodivergent children can often feel overwhelming and confusing. This article explores how understanding their unique needs and challenges can bring clarity, offering insights into ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental differences. Learn how to provide the right support to help these children thrive.
Why is he so jumpy? Why can't he stop moving and focus? Why does he jump from one topic to another? He learned this, I know he knows this, so why are reading and writing still so hard? He knows better. He can do it. Why can't he just do what I'm asking?
People told me, "He's just a boy," or "He'll grow out of it." But I saw the truth: the struggles at school, the frustration in his body, the battles he fought inside himself. We were both worn down, trying to fight something we couldn't name.
What neurodivergence really means
Neurodivergence is a term that's becoming more common in conversations about child development, yet many families and professionals still struggle to understand what it truly means. At its core, neurodivergence describes any non-standard way the brain processes information, including attention, learning, sensory input, communication, and emotional responses.
These differences are not deficits. They reflect natural variations in human neurobiology. A neurodivergent child's brain works in its own unique way. This wiring shapes how they think, feel, learn, and respond to the world around them. Neurodivergence is rooted in early brain development and is present from birth. It is not caused by parenting style, emotional trauma, or environment. However, early experiences can influence how strongly traits appear and how sensitive or reactive a child's nervous system becomes.
Common forms of neurodivergence
Neurodivergence encompasses a wide range of brain-based differences, including:
ADHD: Challenges with regulating attention, energy, and impulses are often described as having a fast engine with sensitive brakes.
Autism: Differences in communication, sensory processing, and routines.
Dyslexia: A unique way of processing written language, often paired with strong intelligence and creativity.
Dyspraxia: Differences in coordination, motor planning, and movement.
Sensory processing differences: A nervous system that takes in sensory information too intensely, too softly, or in a way that feels disorganized.
Tourette syndrome/Tic disorders: Sudden movements or sounds that are not fully within the child's control.
ADD: Difficulty with focus and organization without hyperactivity.
Each reflects a distinct neurodevelopmental pattern - not a behavioral problem.
The moment everything became clearer
"I can't read it because the thoughts won't stop!" he cried, both of us sitting there frustrated. I was proud that he could finally put his experience into words, a huge step from the meltdowns of the past, but heartbroken by the overwhelm he felt as he tried to push through his language arts work.
Looking back, none of this was new. We had been navigating behavior and comprehension challenges since he was a baby. He started out colicky, with delayed speech, sensory sensitivities, and motion issues that slowly grew into other struggles. We gave him emotional tools and did our best to support him, but we still didn't understand what was at the core.
This wasn't something he was going to "grow out of." It was time to understand what was really happening and finally get him some relief.
Drawing on my past experience working with children, and after weeks of research, I finally decided to have him evaluated for ADHD.
How early experiences shape sensitivity
Although neurodivergence itself is rooted in biology, a child's early environment plays a significant role in how their nervous system expresses itself. Certain experiences can heighten sensitivity, increase reactivity, or make regulation more challenging.
A few influences on early neurodevelopment include:
Stressful pregnancies: High maternal stress can prime a baby's nervous system to be more alert and sensitive.
Traumatic or medically complex births: Fast, prolonged, or intervention-heavy births may affect the vagus nerve, the body's primary calming pathway.
Environmental stressors: Noise, instability, or ongoing stress in the home can teach a child's body to stay on guard.
Early tension patterns: Tightness from birth or limited movement can affect how smoothly the brain and body communicate.
These factors do not cause neurodivergence. Instead, they influence how strongly traits show up and what types of support help a child thrive.
The diagnosis and the unexpected reality
We finally received the diagnosis, and I thought things would get easier. They didn't. Getting the diagnosis and even starting medication felt like being stuck in the middle of the ocean on a sinking boat, handed a life jacket, and told to swim to safety. You now have a name for what's happening and the reassurance that you're not imagining it, but you still have no idea which direction to go or how to navigate any of it. And you just have to hope the life jacket your doctor gives your child fits. For us, it didn't. And that's where the real journey began.
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Read more from Catrina Francis
Catrina Francis, Integrative Frequency Specialist and Ayurvedic Practitioner
Catrina "Tri" Francis is no stranger to burnout and its negative effects on the body. After facing stress-induced health challenges, including high blood pressure, obesity, TMJ, and migraines, she experienced neuro-exhaustion in the form of a stroke. Determined to heal, she immersed herself in complementary medicine, developing a holistic system that integrates Ayurveda, Reiki, Sound Healing, Chakra Attunements, Yoga, Assisted Stretching, and Neuroscience. Today, she blends her expertise in wellness and project management to empower others on their healing journeys, helping them achieve balance in mind, body, and spirit.
