Processing Speed:
Slow Down!
Chapter 17 — At a Glance
Shay was a barista at the Cozy Cup, usually a quiet café tucked away in their small town. The gentle rhythm of regular customers and familiar orders typically suited her pace perfectly. But today, everything changed when an Estes rocket event brought a flood of unfamiliar faces through the door.
The line at the counter grew longer as Shay worked through each order. Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to sequence the steps she usually knew by heart. Steam the milk first? Or was it measuring the espresso? Each decision felt like solving a complex puzzle while the world spun too fast around her.
“Excuse me, I’ve been waiting fifteen minutes for my latte,” a customer called from the pickup counter. “Is it almost ready?”
Shay glanced at the ticket in her hand, then at the growing row of cups waiting to be filled. The numbers and instructions blurred together. Which order came first? She tried to focus on the ticket, but the words were starting to blur.
“My order was just a simple cappuccino,” another customer said, checking their watch. “Shouldn’t it be done by now?”
The familiar scent of coffee that usually brought her comfort was now mixed with the pressure of waiting on customers. Shay stared at the espresso machine, trying to remember the sequence of the next steps.
Her forced smile couldn’t hide her rising panic as she fumbled with the milk jug. The completed latte emerged with a lopsided caramel drizzling to one side. The customer’s wrinkled nose said everything words didn’t need to.
Heat crept up Shay’s neck as she heard the concern in her boss’s voice in the background. She knew she should slow down and take one order at a time, but her brain felt frozen between the pressure to move faster and her body’s inability to keep up with the demands.
Later that evening, utterly drained, Shay found herself at O’Reily’s garage, seeking comfort in the familiar routine of getting ice cream with Mantha, the shop owner. Mantha noticed Shay’s slumped shoulders and defeated expression. With the gentle understanding of someone who’d seen this before, Mantha gave Shay a look: “A penny for your thoughts.” (Story finished below)
Note: As caregivers, we cannot fix our children’s processing speed, but hopefully this chapter will give you tools to help mitigate it.
Picture your child’s brain like a sophisticated computer network. Processing speed is how quickly that network can receive information, make sense of it, and respond appropriately. Just as computers can be powerful and capable while still taking time to load programs or download files, your child’s intelligence isn’t determined by how fast they process information.
Processing speed refers to the time required for the brain to:
- Take in new information
- Make sense of what it means
- Figure out how to respond
- Actually carry out that response
Slow processing speed does not correlate with our children’s intelligence. Think of processing speed like loading a webpage: Fast internet → page loads quickly. Slow internet → same page loads slowly. Either way, the full page will display. The content quality doesn’t change, just the loading time.
Research shows that a significant portion of our neurodiverse children experience processing speed challenges that often affect their daily functions. This includes a variety of things, such as keeping up to understand conversations, completing tasks, and responding appropriately to social cues. When we as parents better understand that slower processing isn’t about capability but about a different amount of time needed to process information, we are able to better support our children.
Correlation between slow processing speed and intelligence. Our children can be highly capable while simply needing more time.
Aspect of daily life is affected — conversations, homework, social responses, and managing daily routines.
Time, not more capability, is what our children need. Understanding this shifts how we support them.
Research shows that with the right strategies, processing challenges can improve and task completion increases.
Ripple effects of not understanding these as symptoms: When processing speed challenges go unrecognized, they create a ripple effect of secondary emotional responses — like dropping a stone in a pond where the initial impact creates waves outward.
- Anxiety about being “too slow” or “falling behind”
- Decreased self-confidence from repeated difficult experiences
- Frustration when others don’t understand their timing needs
- Social withdrawal when unable to keep up with peer interactions
What looks like inattentiveness or lack of effort is often a sign that our children simply need more time to process and respond. The book highlighted a few key symptoms. This page gives you the full picture — seven categories commonly observed across ASD, ADHD, FASD, and trauma. Book symptoms are marked. Click each to expand.
This symptom is often the most misunderstood. What looks like ignoring or defiance is the brain simply needing more time to take in the question, retrieve the answer, and form a response. The delay is neurological, not motivational.
- Appears to ignore directions or takes too long to answer questions
- Repeatedly asks, “What?” or “Can you repeat that?”
- Struggles to keep up with conversations moving at a typical pace
- Takes extra time to process verbal information before responding
- Brain needs longer to retrieve and organize words for a reply
Support tip: Give the instruction once, then wait. Resist repeating it immediately — that resets their processing clock. Use phrases like “Take your time” instead of “Hurry up.” Count silently to 10 before prompting again.
When your child seems lost in conversations, it’s often because they’re still processing the first bit of information while new information keeps coming. It is like trying to read a book while someone keeps turning the pages too quickly, and they miss things — not due to inattention. Social conversations can be particularly challenging because they require simultaneous processing of words, tone, and non-verbal cues.
- Responds to the wrong part of a sentence or a previous question
- Frequently asks for repetition even in quiet settings
- Misses jokes, sarcasm, or contextual cues in group conversations
- Appears confused in group discussions where topics change quickly
- May seem to “tune out” mid-conversation
Support tip: Slow your pace in conversations. Pause between key pieces of information. Give one piece of information at a time and check for understanding before continuing. Face-to-face conversations are easier than side-by-side; eye contact helps their brain anchor your words.
Your child may seem slow or disengaged when they’re simply processing information at their natural pace. Like a computer downloading a large file, their brain needs time to handle each piece of information thoroughly. What looks like dawdling during homework or morning routines is often their brain working hard to process each step. Research shows this is particularly common in unstructured environments where sequential processing is required.
- Takes significantly longer than peers on comparable tasks
- Appears to stall or get “stuck” between steps
- Morning routines stretch far past expected completion times
- Homework takes hours when peers finish in minutes
- Struggles particularly in unstructured environments
Support tip: Build in extra time from the start — not as accommodation, but as expectation. “We have 20 minutes for this” instead of “This should take 5 minutes.” Accurate time estimates reduce the shame and pressure that can slow processing even further.
Our children may get easily upset during timed tests or games because their brain needs more time to retrieve information or make decisions. The added pressure of time constraints can actually slow their processing even further. This stress response creates a challenging cycle that impacts both academic performance and daily activities.
- Visible anxiety or emotional escalation when a timer is introduced
- Performance deteriorates under timed conditions compared to untimed
- May shut down or refuse tasks when time pressure is felt
- Emotional outbursts linked to rushed transitions or deadlines
- Timed tests dramatically underrepresent their actual ability
Support tip: Advocate for extended time accommodations at school. At home, remove time pressure from new skill learning. Use visual timers (Time Timer brand works well) so time becomes visible and less threatening — the unknown is more anxiety-provoking than the known.
Your teen may forget or miss steps, not because of inattentiveness but because their brain is still processing the first instruction while trying to hold onto the next ones. It’s like trying to catch multiple balls thrown too quickly — each one needs to be fully grasped before catching the next. This challenge often intensifies when instructions involve both verbal and visual components simultaneously.
- Completes only the first or last step of a multi-part instruction
- Asks to have instructions repeated multiple times
- Appears lost when given 3 or more steps at once
- Especially struggles when instructions are given during another activity
- Responds better to written or visual instructions than verbal
Support tip: Give one step at a time. Wait for completion before giving the next. Write down multi-step tasks. Use visual checklists. “Step 1, then come back to me” is more effective than listing all four steps upfront.
What appears as reluctance to begin tasks is often their brain needing extra time to plan and organize their approach. Like a computer with multiple programs starting up, they need time to process all the necessary steps. This delay in initiation is particularly noticeable when tasks involve multiple components or novel situations.
- Appears to avoid starting even tasks they are capable of and willing to do
- Long delays between being given a task and beginning it
- Particularly resistant to tasks that are new, complex, or ambiguous
- May appear to be doing nothing when actually internally planning
- Starts faster when the first step is broken down and made explicit
Support tip: Instead of “Go do your homework,” try “In five minutes, can you open your math book to page 14?” Then walk away. The framing reduces ambiguity, the time gap gives the brain a runway to prepare, and the single step removes the overwhelm of imagining the entire task.
Your teen might struggle to switch from one activity to another, appearing resistant when they just need more time to process the transition. Each shift requires their brain to completely disengage from one task and prepare for another. Understanding this need for additional transition time can help reduce frustration for everyone involved.
- Strong resistance to stopping activities, even enjoyable ones
- Emotional dysregulation around unexpected changes in plan
- Needs significantly more warning time than peers before transitions
- May appear “stuck” on a previous activity even after moving to a new one
- Transitions improve dramatically with advance notice and visual timers
Support tip: Use the “First/Then” approach plus a 10-minute and 5-minute warning before any transition. Preview what’s coming next so the brain can begin preparing while finishing the current task. “In 10 minutes, after the game, we’re going to dinner” gives far more processing runway than a sudden “Time to go.”
Comprehensive Symptoms of Processing Speed by Profile
| Processing Challenge | ASD | ADHD | FASD | Trauma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow response to questions/instructions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Taking longer to complete tasks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Difficulty keeping up with conversations / frequent misunderstandings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Frustration or emotional outbursts when rushed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Avoidance of complex / multi-step tasks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Struggles with timed activities | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Appears daydreamy / zoned out / distracted | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Struggling with multi-step instructions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Procrastination on starting tasks (task-initiation hesitation) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
| Difficulty shifting between tasks (needs extra transition time) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | L |
✓ = Common | L = Less common but possible
These interventions work with your child’s brain, not against it — providing the right structure, time, and support to allow processing to happen at its natural pace. Reducing the pressure to perform at neurotypical speeds is itself the most powerful intervention.
Break Tasks into Manageable Steps
In BookThink of this strategy as building with LEGOs. Instead of showing your child the finished picture and expecting them to recreate it, help break it down into small, manageable sections that build on each other. Breaking tasks into smaller steps helps our children’s brains process information in manageable chunks, much like eating a sandwich one bite at a time rather than trying to swallow it whole. When tasks get broken down, each piece becomes less overwhelming, allowing the brain to fully process one step before moving to the next. Research shows the overall issues of processing can improve and help them complete tasks.
Instead of saying “Get ready for school,” consider breaking the morning down into steps using photographs — clothes laid out the night before, breakfast items in designated spots, backpack packed in stages. This lowers stress, which directly impacts how well they process.
- Create custom visual schedules using free apps like Canva or Google Slides. Let your child help design them.
- Use templates found at: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
- Take photos of your child’s actual items and spaces for maximum concreteness
- Include clothes, hygiene items, breakfast setup, and backpack
- Print and laminate them for durability and portability
- Use color coding: green for start, yellow for in-progress, red for incomplete
- Add visual timers next to each step (analog clock faces work well)
- Write each step in concrete, specific language: “Pick up all socks on the floor and place them in this tub.”
- Place visual aids at eye level
- Keep backup copies of frequently used guides
- Plan celebrations for completed steps, no matter how small
- What feels like the easiest part to start with?
- What will help you get started?
- How will you know when you have completed a task?
- What will make things go easier?
- Reduced resistance to starting tasks within 1–2 weeks
- Fewer overwhelming moments; increased task completion rates
- More willingness to try new activities after 1–2 months
- Development of self-initiated step-breakdown strategies over 3+ months
- Enhanced problem-solving skills and improved self-confidence
Encourage Asking for Help via Pause-and-Reflect Moments
In BookOne of the hardest things for our children to do is ask for help. Maybe they don’t want to seem incapable, or maybe they’ve had experiences where asking for help didn’t go well. The truth is that asking for help is a skill — a powerful one that leads to confidence, resilience, and independence. Teaching our teens that it’s okay (and even smart) to ask for help starts with small, intentional steps and a lot of modeling on our part.
- Teach your teen to pause and reflect instead of powering through frustration. Narrate your own thought process out loud: “Whenever I feel stuck, I pause, take a deep breath, and ask myself, ‘What’s one small step I can take?’” Encourage your teen to do the same with these go-to reflection questions: What part of this is hardest for me? What’s something small I can do to get started? Have I been in a similar situation before — what helped me then?
- Share your own experiences to make help-seeking feel normal: “Whenever I’m learning something new, I look for someone with more experience to help me out. I don’t see it as a weakness — it’s how we all grow.” Role-play common situations where your teen might need help, like asking a teacher for clarification or getting assistance from a classmate. Help them identify trusted adults they can turn to — teachers, mentors, coaches.
- A quick conversation with their teachers can go a long way. Ask about: allowing your teen to raise a hand for clarification; setting up one-on-one check-ins before or after class; connecting your teen with peer mentors or study groups. At home, practice how they might approach a teacher with a question so it feels less intimidating in the moment.
- Metaphors can make abstract concepts click. Try: “Even the best athletes take breaks during training so they don’t burn out.” “A plane adjusts its route multiple times but still lands where it needs to go.” “Slow and steady wins the race.” When they see asking for help as part of the process — not a sign of failure — they’ll be more willing to do it.
- The first time your teen asks for help without prompting is a huge victory. So is the second, and the third. Recognize those moments: “I saw you ask your teacher for help today — that was a big step!” High-fives, verbal praise, or even a celebratory snack can reinforce they’re on the right track. Helping our children learn to ask for help isn’t about making them dependent — it’s about equipping them with a skill that will serve them for life.
- Pausing before getting frustrated — reflecting instead of reacting
- Asking for help in a situation where they previously would have shut down
- Using reflection questions independently without prompting
- Advocating for themselves with a teacher or peer
Additional interventions available on our website
We have additional processing speed interventions on our website, including Build in Extra Time for Processing and Use Contextual Learning to Build Processing Skills. Log in and navigate to Chapter 17 to access them.
→ Access Chapter 17 ResourcesGive me room to think, not “hurry up, don’t be slow” —Grace makes learning grow.
Shay shared her frustrations. “Perfect!” Mantha said, smiling. “Let’s make your barista tasks more manageable. What feels like the smallest, easiest part to handle?”
Shay thought for a moment, stirring her ice cream. “Well… I guess the hot chocolate orders are simpler than lattes.”
“That’s a great place to start,” Mantha nodded. “So what are the steps for making hot chocolate?”
Shay began counting on her fingers. “Heat the milk, add chocolate, stir, top with whipped cream…”
“Let’s write these down,” Mantha suggested, grabbing a napkin. “Breaking it into clear steps can help your brain process each part.” She drew small boxes next to each step, creating a simple checklist.
“Now,” Mantha continued, “when rush hour hits tomorrow, start with hot chocolate orders. Let’s break down a latte recipe the same way.”
Shay’s eyes brightened with understanding. “Start with the foundation?”
“Exactly! And here’s another trick,” Mantha leaned in. “When multiple orders come in, write them down and number them. First order, first box. Second order, second box. Process them one at a time, just like we’re doing now.”
Mantha smiled knowingly. “Sometimes the biggest tasks become manageable when we take them piece-by-piece — like eating this ice cream, one spoonful at a time.”
Chores at home: One of the largest shifts in our family came when I realized my son’s pushback to chores wasn’t about disrespect — it was when I learned it was about his processing speed challenges. Before I understood this, I’d ask him to do something like wash the dishes or vacuum. If he didn’t jump into action, I’d get frustrated. I thought he was being defiant. This led to arguments and more stress.
But once I understood he just needed more time to process instructions, everything changed. Instead of saying in the tone, “Do it now,” I learned to change the tone and frame the statement: “In five minutes, can you…?” Then walk away, even if he grumbled. These simple tweaks in tone and giving him time to disengage from his activity to do the chore provided more cooperation and less chaos. I’ll never forget the first time I tried this and it worked — I couldn’t stop smiling. It was such a small change, but it made such a big difference.
Advocating on the soccer field: We noticed our son starting to struggle to retain instructions from one practice to the next. I spoke with his coach and explained how his brain worked. The coach was understanding and made adjustments in how he worked with my son (which also made a huge difference). By the time he was 16 and playing on a U-18 team, he knew the pace was too much for him, and he made the tough but mature decision to step back from competitive play. It wasn’t a failure — it was growth. (Joel)
In the Book (3 Regions)
Thalamus
The Brain’s Sensory Gatekeeper
Its Role: The thalamus helps regulate sensory processing, attention, and focus — critical for maintaining emotional balance and organized behavior. It also plays a role in motor control and the sleep-wake cycle, making it foundational for cognitive and physical functioning.
- ASD: The thalamus may struggle to filter sensory input, which can lead to sensory overload or hypersensitivity. What feels like background noise to you may flood their system. Offer tools like noise-canceling headphones, dim lights, or a calm corner so their brain can reset.
- ADHD: Because the thalamus doesn’t always prioritize sensory input efficiently, attention and focus can be inconsistent. A small distraction can suddenly take center stage. Break tasks into smaller steps, reduce clutter, and give gentle supportive prompts.
- FASD: Disruptions in sensory integration make it harder for the thalamus to process and respond to incoming information. This can cause responses that feel “too big” or “too small” for the situation. Use predictable routines and visual cues to anchor their brain.
- Trauma: Stress can alter how the thalamus functions, making sensory processing heightened or inconsistent. Everyday sensations — like a door slamming — can register as a threat. Offer safety signals like steady eye contact, a soft tone, or a calm touch (if welcomed).
Help your teen’s thalamus regulate their sleep-wake cycle by establishing a calming bedtime routine — dim lights, reduce noise, and avoid screens an hour before bed to limit sensory overload.
Cerebellum
The Brain’s Timing and Coordination Center
Its Role: The cerebellar cortex is essential for motor learning, spatial awareness, and adaptive control. It helps our children make corrections in movements and actions, improving efficiency and accuracy over time. It also contributes to regulating attention and organizing information for decision-making through several key mechanisms: automation and control, working memory, and cognitive tasks.
- ASD: May show delays in motor milestones and challenges in fine motor skills, impacting handwriting or coordination.
- ADHD: Difficulty in sustaining attention and processing sensory-motor feedback efficiently.
- FASD: Impaired motor learning and control can affect everyday activities — simple things like walking steadily or using a utensil.
- Trauma: Chronic stress may disrupt cerebellar function, leading to imbalances in motor and emotional regulation.
Prefrontal Cortex
The Brain’s Pacesetter
Its Role: Regulates the brain’s ability to process information, shift between tasks, and respond to demands in a timely and organized manner. When this region is under strain, the gap between understanding and action becomes wide — the child knows what to do but cannot seem to begin.
- ASD: May show variability in processing speed, leading to slower responses during tasks requiring rapid adaptation or multitasking.
- ADHD: Struggles with processing speed, impacting focus, decision-making, and the ability to follow multi-step directions.
- FASD: Often requires additional time to process information or adjust to new tasks due to disruptions in executive function.
- Trauma: Processing delays may arise from heightened stress or disrupted neural pathways, which may make task initiation or completion more challenging.
Frame requests with time and a single step: “In five minutes, can you…?” This gives the prefrontal cortex a runway to prepare a response rather than demanding immediate action it may not yet be able to produce.
Quick Reference: All 3 Brain Regions at a Glance
| Brain Region | Role in Processing Speed | What Disruption Looks Like | Most Impacted In |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thalamus — In Book | Sensory relay and gatekeeper; filters, prioritizes, and transmits sensory information to the cortex | Sensory overwhelm; inconsistent attention; responses that are “too big” or “too small” for the situation | All 4 |
| Cerebellum — In Book | Timing and coordination center; fine-tunes motor and cognitive sequencing and response precision | Motor delays; difficulty with handwriting; challenges completing thought sequences; timing errors | All 4 |
| Prefrontal Cortex — In Book | Pacesetter; regulates task initiation, shifting between tasks, and organized response to demands | Slow task initiation; difficulty shifting; gap between understanding what to do and actually starting | All 4 |
Of the 10 brain domains covered across this book, the following 6 directly impact processing speed. Click each domain to understand how it connects to your child’s processing challenges and what you can do to support them.
Variations in neuroanatomy — such as differences in brain structure, neural wiring, and connectivity — impact how efficiently and quickly information is processed. For our children with slower processing speeds, it simply takes longer for their brain’s “hardware” to receive, organize, and respond to incoming information. This doesn’t mean they can’t understand — it means they need more time to get there. By starting with concrete, hands-on experiences, we give their brain the extra support it needs to process information effectively, eventually building toward more abstract reasoning.
- The efficiency of brain structures and neural pathways shapes how quickly your child can take in, organize, and act on information
- Children with slower processing speeds often grasp concrete concepts first, but require more time to process, connect, and move into abstract thinking
- Providing hands-on, multisensory experiences helps “speed up” processing by reducing cognitive load
Your child’s cognitive abilities are like the software running on a computer. While the hardware (neuroanatomy) sets the foundation, the software determines how efficiently tasks are completed — organizing, problem-solving, and reasoning. For your teen, this “software” might work at a different pace or require unique updates and patches. The program may need extra time to load, more steps to run, or a simplified interface to process complex information. Their software may be capable but benefits from structured routines, step-by-step instructions, and repeated opportunities to practice new skills.
- Cognitive load and processing speed influence how well our children mask their struggles and navigate demands
- Your child may require simplified steps, extra processing time, or repeated practice to effectively navigate cognitive challenges
- Support their cognitive growth by breaking tasks into smaller steps, providing clear routines, and offering encouragement
Imagine your child’s memory as a vast filing system where information is stored, sorted, and retrieved when needed. For our children, the filing cabinets might have unique labels, some drawers may stick, or files may not always return to the correct place. While the information is there, our children often have difficulty accessing it efficiently. It can feel like they are searching for a specific document in a room filled with scattered papers. Your teen might have trouble remembering instructions, facts, or being able to link past experiences to new situations.
- Memory acts as the brain’s filing system, organizing and storing information for later use
- Your teen may need external support — visual aids, reminders, and checklists — to access stored information more efficiently
- Repetition, predictable routines, and hands-on experiences help reinforce memory pathways, improving recall and learning
Picture your child’s executive function as the command center of a busy airport, directing planes to take off, land, and taxi safely. In our children’s brains, the command center may experience delays, communication glitches, or difficulty managing multiple instructions at once. Tasks like organizing homework, planning ahead, or shifting between activities can feel like juggling incoming flights without a clear plan or radar. This can look like missed deadlines, trouble following multi-step instructions, or difficulty starting and finishing tasks.
- Executive function acts as the brain’s command center, managing tasks like planning, organizing, and shifting between activities
- Your teen may struggle with starting, finishing, or organizing tasks without external tools or support in place
- Providing clear structures, visual schedules, and time-management tools helps improve their ability to manage daily responsibilities
Imagine your child’s attention as a spotlight operator in a theater, shining a beam of light on the stage. For them, the spotlight may flicker, move unpredictably, or struggle to stay focused on one performer at a time. Sometimes the light shines too brightly on one detail (hyperfocus), while other times it struggles to stay on task, wandering to distractions off-stage. When processing speed is slower, distractions can further overwhelm their brain, causing delays in responding, following directions, or completing tasks.
- Attention is like a spotlight, but for kids with slower processing speeds, it may take longer to shift focus between tasks, making transitions harder
- Overwhelmed attention systems struggle with multi-tasking, increasing the need to “look the part” while actually falling further behind
- Providing structured breaks, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and reducing distractions allows the brain more time to process information efficiently
Your child’s motor skills are similar to the control system of a car. Fine motor skills are like the precision of the steering wheel, allowing for small, detailed movements such as writing, tying shoelaces, or buttoning a shirt. Gross motor skills are like the engine and suspension, coordinating larger actions like running, jumping, or balancing. For your teen, this control system can sometimes be a bit out of alignment — movements can be slower, clumsier, or require more effort to coordinate smoothly. This might manifest as difficulty with handwriting, awkward posture, or trouble participating in sports and physical activities.
- Motor skills rely on the brain’s ability to process movement efficiently — when processing speed is slower, both fine and gross movements may take more effort and time to coordinate
- Slower processing speed can affect coordination, balance, and reaction time, making activities like handwriting, sports, or tying shoes feel more difficult and frustrating
- Providing structured activities, sensory supports, and movement opportunities allows the brain more time to process motor commands, improving control and confidence
Additional resources are available on our website. Log in and navigate to Chapter 17 to access expanded interventions, visual schedule templates, processing speed tracking tools, and more resources for home and school.
In the next chapter, we’ll examine the Core Conversation: Sensory Overload.
Continue to Chapter 18 →Give me room to think, not “hurry up, don’t be slow” —Grace makes learning grow.Chapter 17 · Embracing Hope · Carl Young & Joel Sheagren · © 2025 Embracing Neurodiversity LLC