Guides · Updated 25 September 2026
Autism, ADHD and neurodivergence, explained with the evidence.
Plain-English guides for parents and for adults working things out for themselves. Each one is built on published research and Australian sources, and every source is linked at the bottom so you can check it yourself.
Understanding neurodivergence
What is neurodivergent?
What neurodivergent, neurotypical and neurodiversity mean, where the words came from, whether ADHD counts, and what an online test can't tell you.
Read the guide →Autism
Signs of autism in children, from babies to teens
Signs of autism in babies, toddlers, school-age kids and teens, how autism can look different in girls, and what to do next in Australia if you are worried.
Read the guide →Autism levels
What autism levels 1, 2 and 3 mean in plain words, why a level can change, why high-functioning is not a diagnosis, and what levels mean for the NDIS.
Read the guide →PDA autism
What PDA (pathological demand avoidance) is, why it isn't a formal diagnosis, what the research shows, and how it comes up in an Australian autism assessment.
Read the guide →Stimming
What stimming is, why autistic and ADHD people stim, common examples, what research says about stopping it, and when it is worth getting help for your child.
Read the guide →Autistic burnout
What autistic burnout is according to research with autistic adults, the signs in adults and teenagers, how it differs from depression, and what helps.
Read the guide →Is autism genetic?
Autism is largely genetic. What twin studies show, the chance a younger sibling is autistic, each parent's role, pregnancy factors, vaccines and paracetamol.
Read the guide →ADHD
ADHD symptoms in women and girls, and why they get missed
How ADHD symptoms show up in women and girls, why diagnosis often comes years later, what is known about hormones, and what an adult assessment looks at.
Read the guide →Rejection sensitive dysphoria
What rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is, why it isn't a formal diagnosis, what ADHD research shows, overlaps with other conditions, and what helps.
Read the guide →Is ADHD a disability?
Is ADHD a disability in Australia? How your employer, your child's school, the NDIS and Centrelink each treat ADHD, and whether it is a mental illness.
Read the guide →ASRS (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale)
What the ASRS v1.1 adult ADHD screener is, its six questions, how the official scoring works, how accurate it is, and what your result does and does not mean.
Read the guide →The NDIS
How the NDIS works
How the NDIS works in plain English: who is eligible, how to apply, what evidence the NDIA looks for, how long it takes, and what changes from 2026 to 2028.
Read the guide →Thriving Kids and the NDIS changes
What Thriving Kids is, who it's for, when it starts, how families get support, and what the 2028 NDIS changes mean for children already in the NDIS.
Read the guide →ADHD medication
General information about the medicines used for ADHD in Australia. Decisions about medication are made with the doctor who prescribes it.
ADHD medication
The ADHD medicines used in Australia, how stimulants and non-stimulants work, what the research shows, common side effects and the Schedule 8 rules.
Read the guide →Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
What Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is, its approved uses in Australia, how long it lasts, side effects, Schedule 8 rules and how it compares with dexamfetamine.
Read the guide →Dexamphetamine
Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine) explained: what it is approved for in Australia, what the evidence shows, side effects, Schedule 8 rules and misuse risks.
Read the guide →Ritalin and Concerta
Ritalin, Ritalin LA and Concerta all contain methylphenidate. How they differ, what they're approved for in Australia, the evidence and side effects.
Read the guide →Not sure where to start?
For your child, your adult son or daughter, or yourself. The free screener takes about three minutes and tells you which assessment fits — or whether you need one at all.