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The Invisible Link: Hypermobility and Neurodivergence
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What happens when our bodies and brains are more connected than medicine has led us to believe? In this illuminating conversation, Jane Green MBE, founder and chair of SEDS Connective, unpacks the profound yet often overlooked connection between hypermobility and neurodivergence.
After decades of being dismissed as "dim and a hypochondriac," Jane discovered that her physical symptoms and neurodevelopmental differences weren't separate issues but deeply interconnected aspects of her experience. This realization led her to establish SEDS Connective in 2018, now a global charity bringing together conditions that have traditionally been treated in isolation. "For centuries we haven't had a diagnosis," Jane explains, highlighting how the fragmentation of healthcare has left countless people feeling invalidated and misunderstood.
The conversation reveals how common it is for people with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, and other neurodivergent conditions to also experience hypermobility, chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, and fatigue. Yet medical systems continue to treat these as unrelated conditions, sending patients to different specialists who rarely communicate with each other. This siloed approach not only fails patients but costs healthcare systems billions in unnecessary treatments and appointments.
Jane's community-led approach at SEDS Connective brings together people with lived experience, medical professionals, and researchers to advocate for more holistic understanding and treatment. Though she acknowledges facing significant resistance – "I feel daggers going into me" – from some in the medical establishment who resist connecting physical and neurodevelopmental conditions, progress is being made through research, conferences, and persistent advocacy.
Discover how this groundbreaking work is validating experiences long dismissed as imaginary and learn how you can connect with SEDS Connective's resources if you've experienced these interconnected conditions. Whether you're struggling with unexplained symptoms or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a new framework for understanding the complex relationship between our bodies and brains.
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Chapters
1. Welcome to Jane Green MBE (00:00:00)
2. Founding SEDS Connective (00:02:05)
3. Breaking Medical Silos (00:04:56)
4. Medical Backlash Against Diagnosis (00:08:20)
5. Community-Led Health Advocacy (00:15:14)
6. Access to Reliable Health Information (00:19:55)
7. The Unrecognized Value of Carers (00:22:55)
8. Finding SEDS Connective Online (00:24:35)
280 episodes
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