Are we preparing our Autistic children for life? | Madhavi Adimulam | TEDxKPRIT

For 25 years, I have worked with Neurodivergent children and witnessed significant changes in our understanding of autism, intervention and neurodiversity. Yet, we continue to measure the success of many neurodivergent children largely through academic achievement. Can they read, write, count and succeed in school? But what happens when school ends? This talk invites us to broaden our definition of success and prioritise life readiness alongside academics. It explores six essential areas: communication, choice, supported independence, learning from mistakes, asking for help and applying skills in everyday life. Because school readiness matters, but life readiness matters for much longer. Madhavi is an Autism Specialist and Early Interventionist with extensive experience supporting children with developmental differences and their families. Her work focuses on understanding children beyond labels and behaviours, and creating meaningful opportunities for communication, participation, learning and independence. She has worked closely with children, parents and multidisciplinary teams, advocating for respectful approaches, evidence-informed and centred around the individual child. Madhavi is particularly passionate about helping families and professionals move from trying to change children to understanding what children are communicating and what they need to thrive. Her work is grounded in compassion, inclusion and the belief that every child deserves to be understood. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx