Celebrating Neurodiversity: Listening to the Hidden Language of Our Children

Earlier this last month, I attended a beautiful and thought-provoking Neurodiversity conference here in Belfast.
I left feeling even more passionate about sharing an often-overlooked truth with parents: pregnancy, labour, and birth leave lasting imprints on a child’s nervous system—imprints that can shape their development, behaviours, and relationships well into adulthood.

We’re becoming more familiar with the word neurodiversity—a way of describing the wonderfully unique ways our brains work.
While all brains share a similar design, no two function in exactly the same way.
When a child is described as neurodivergent, it simply means their brain processes the world differently from what we call “typical.”
Different does not mean less.
It means unique, remarkable, and full of potential.

But here’s something we rarely talk about:
Sometimes the natural sequence of early development—the steps that help a child’s nervous system organise and grow—can be interrupted.
These early experiences, from life in the womb through birth and the critical first 1,000 days, can leave subtle imprints.
When a child seems “stuck,” resists certain tasks, or struggles to meet a milestone, it may not be defiance or avoidance.
It may simply be their body asking for understanding and support.

This is where Baby Body Language becomes a powerful guide.
By learning to read the cues and signals your baby naturally gives, you become fluent in their hidden language.
It’s not about labels or limiting a child’s potential.
Medical diagnoses—autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and more—are valuable for accessing services and support.
But a diagnosis should never define who your child is or cap their capacity to learn, grow, and thrive.

As a holistic practitioner with nearly 40 years of experience, I have seen time and again how a child’s nervous system blossoms when they feel safe, seen, and deeply connected—first with their parents or primary caregivers, and later with friends, teachers, and the wider world.
This sense of safety and belonging is the soil in which every child—neurodivergent or neurotypical—can flourish.

What parent wouldn’t wish that for their child, not just now but into adulthood?
When we honour the unique story each child carries, we create the conditions for them to become their fullest, most vibrant self.

With love and understanding,
Anne Matthews
Baby Body Language Expert & Reflective Parenting Coach