Neurodiversity, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, is increasingly viewed as part of a whole child experience. Infant and toddler development screenings assess milestones related to social interaction, communication, behavior, movement, and emotions. Depending on the results, it may be a good idea to conduct an autism assessment.
Neurodevelopmental conditions are known to impact various aspects of daily functioning, bodily systems, and identity. Furthermore, each of these things is experienced in highly individual ways. Choosing a holistic assessment strategy enables practitioners to balance the four following tasks:
- Identifying the unique pattern of features that are linked to a specific neurodevelopmental condition
- Figuring out if any co-occurring conditions are present
- Sequencing interventions to allow for maximum benefits for children and their families
- Suggesting further testing to highlight any related health effects
Mind and Body Together Build an Individual’s Personality
When using a whole child assessment, it’s vital to take a person’s mind and body into account. In fact, the mind and body influence each other. Brought together, they co-create the life experiences, personality, and capabilities of a child.
If a child displays signs of a learning difference or a health condition, these should be thoroughly explored. After all, these learning differences or health conditions overlap. By influencing and interacting with each other, they create feed-forward and feedback loops. This is what shapes a child’s growth.
For instance, ADHD and autism have similar neural and genetic features. However, they have differing neurocognitive profiles (Schachar et al., 2023). Taking a holistic approach enables determining which specific behaviors and characteristics are likely linked to ADHD or autism.
It’s essential to individually sequence and tailor interventions, support, and instructions based on each individual's condition. Considering a child’s entire lived experience will help you avoid one-dimensional intervention plans and reductive labels.
What Are Feed-Forward and Feedback Loops?
Feedback and feed-forward loops exist in each person’s brain and are crucial for action, prediction, and learning. Feed-forward, or FF loops, anticipate sensory input. Meanwhile, feedback loops correct errors.
Autistic individuals may experience challenges with these loops, which can lead to motor issues, sensory overload, and difficulties with specific social and language development skills (Therrien, 2025). However, a whole child approach includes therapeutic interventions to retrain FF and feedback loops. Enriched environments, sensory integration, and rhythm can all help with retraining these loops.
More specifically, FF loops are used to predict future acts before feedback is given. Feedback loops can adjust your actions in response to sensing a specific outcome. Autistic children can overpredict, causing jerky, stiff initial movements and/or sensory overload. Language and social growth aren’t processed well. Additionally, they may miss opportunities to learn from their mistakes.
Therapeutic Approach to Feed-Forward and Feedback Loops
A whole child assessment may include finding the appropriate approach to dealing with feedback and feed-forward loops. Fortunately, there are three therapeutic tools that have helped many people in the past:
- Sensory integration – Learning to process sensory input more effectively by using tailored activities
- Musical and rhythmic therapies – Building new, flexible loops by engaging the ‘vitality’ and ‘pulse’ in sounds and movements
- Behavioral/cognitive – Taking a mindfulness approach to identifying triggers for distraction and thought loops; focused self-care can help manage repetitive patterns (Glock, 2024)
Whether a child exhibits challenges due to feed-forward and feedback loops or something else entirely, it will provide another clue to their inner world. Piecing the clues together is a vital component of a whole child assessment. Remember that it’s equally important to discover what a child does and why they do it. This requires a more in-depth approach, but it can also help unveil who an autistic child truly is.