Doctors and researchers might be thinking about childhood neurodevelopmental conditions the wrong way, according to a study published in Molecular Psychiatry. Instead of treating autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and similar conditions as separate, distinct categories, the authors suggest it may be more useful to think of them as part of one broad “neurodevelopmental spectrum.”
The study was led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Royal Holloway, University of London. It’s the largest study of its kind so far, using data from more than 10,000 children in the UK as part of the long-running Twins Early Development Study.
Why One Big Picture Might Work Better Than Separate Labels
Around 15% of people worldwide have at least one neurodevelopmental condition. Right now, these conditions are diagnosed and treated separately, with different specialists and different services for each one.
But there’s a problem with that approach: most people with one neurodevelopmental condition actually show traits of several. Treating each condition in isolation risks missing important overlapping needs. The researchers argue it makes more sense to look at the whole pattern of traits together, rather than sorting children into one box or another.
Using this approach, the team identified what they call the “neurodevelopmental spectrum,” a shared underlying pattern that captures traits across multiple conditions as children grow. By combining genetic, environmental, and developmental data, they were able to see how this broader spectrum connects to emotional and behavioral difficulties, and how well it predicts real outcomes like school performance and special educational needs support.
A Strong Predictor of Real-World Outcomes
Dr. Giorgia Michelini, senior lecturer in Neurodiversity and Mental Health at Queen Mary and the study’s lead author, explained that this broader measure of neurodevelopmental traits turned out to be a powerful predictor of academic performance and related challenges, accounting for as much as 21% of the differences seen between children. To put that in perspective: a child who scored high on the neurodevelopmental spectrum at age 7 was more than twice as likely to have a special educational needs and disability (SEND) statement by age 12, and higher scores throughout childhood and adolescence were strongly linked to worse school performance overall. Notably, these patterns held up even after accounting for other emotional and behavioral difficulties that neurodivergent children often experience.
Backing Up a Growing Movement Toward “Neurodivergence”
The findings also line up with a broader shift already happening outside research labs. In recent years, advocacy groups and communities have increasingly used the term “neurodivergence” as an umbrella covering many different neurodevelopmental conditions. Dr. Michelini noted that despite this shift in language, the actual professionals who diagnose and support these conditions, such as child psychiatrists, pediatricians, and speech and language therapists, still tend to work separately from one another. She suggested that a more joined-up approach across these fields would likely give a fuller, more useful picture of what each child actually needs.
Dr. Kaili Rimfeld, associate professor at Royal Holloway and co-lead author of the study, added that these findings could shape how special educational needs support is provided, how conditions are classified, and how care is personalized going forward. She emphasized that shifting toward broader, needs-based assessments, rather than relying strictly on traditional diagnostic labels, could lead to more inclusive practices in both schools and clinics, and ultimately better outcomes for neurodivergent children.
Michelini, G., Liao, W., Lu, S.D., et al. (2026). The neurodevelopmental spectrum: phenotypic architecture, etiology, predictive utility, and specificity across development. Molecular Psychiatry.