She's Just Spirited: Parenting a Neurodivergent Child and the Diagnosis That Changes Everything

A much-needed, empathetic guide for untangling the complex world of parenting a neurodivergent child

One diagnosis can change everything. That is what Nefertiti Austin discovered when she was told her daughter Cherish had ADHD and SPD. After much learning, on both their parts, Nefertiti and Cherish finally found the letters that worked for them, chief among them M-O-M.

In She's Just Spirited: Parenting a Neurodivergent Child and the Diagnosis That Changes Everything, Nefertiti captures the failures and triumphs of raising a neurodivergent child. Alongside relatable anecdotes from her own experiences, Nefertiti offers insight from experts and easy to digest strategies she wishes she had had from the start. She also shines a light on why many neurodivergent children and teenagers are overlooked and undiagnosed-often due to hurtful stereotypes, gender bias, racism, and homophobia in the healthcare and education systems-and what parents can do to ensure their child is evaluated by the right people at the right time.

With tips for navigating the mental health and educational systems, deciphering psychological jargon, advocating for your child, and encouraging family and friends to get on board, She's Just Spirited is an invaluable and relatable guide that empowers parents to fully love and support their neurodivergent child in all aspects of life.

Author: Nefertiti Austin
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Published: 10/02/2025
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.92lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.60w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9798881805555


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 10/01/2025

About the Author
Nefertiti Austin is a writer and memoirist. She wrote about the erasure of diverse voices in motherhood in the critically acclaimed Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America (2019) and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Huffington Post, The Nation, Romper, Parents Magazine, and many other publications. She was the subject of an article on race and adoption in The Atlantic and appeared on numerous shows, podcasts, and radio programs, including The Today Show and multiple NPR outlets. Nefertiti is the proud adoptive mother of two children and lives in Los Angeles.