Before I begin talking to you about different types of disabilities, I want to talk about what disability is and how it effects people. Also, I would like to talk about how this new topic "A Peek Into..." will work.
What is a disability? A disability is a condition causing a impairment that limits a persons ability to interact with the world around them and certain activities. A disability can be physical, social, cognitive, and or linguistic. There is a wide range of disabilities. Some are server while others are minor. Others are super rare and others are common.
Did you know that in the U.S 1 in 4 adults (18 and older) and 1 in 6 children (3-17 years old) have some type of disability? Crazy! That means:
Adults with a disability
1 in 4 = 26% = 61 million people
Children with a disability
1 in 6 = 17.8%
These numbers are rising most likely due to better knowledge of disabilities. Here is a infographic showing statistics of adults with disabilities. Disabilities Impacts All Of Us
Something that is important to remember is that not all disabilities are going to be obvious. There are some out there that you wouldn't know a person had unless they told you about it. Another great thing to remember about disabilities is that it doesn't mean that person is incapable of doing things. It means they have a difficult time doing certain things.
If you are a parent, guardian, teacher, friend, or family member of a child with disabilities please head the advice I am about to give you. Do not hinder that child by doing things for them. Yes you may think oh poor Johnny can't... so I'll just do it for him. By doing that you are hindering him more than helping. You need to replace that oh poor pitiful Johnny with tools and skills that will help him succeed. If he struggles in social situations due to his disability help him find ways to over come those situations. Expose him to more social situations, instead of helping him avoid them or doing the socialization for him, and teach him that if he struggles with looking people in the eyes that he can look at their mouth or nose instead. By teaching him these skills and giving him these tools you are preparing him to be able to confidently go into a interview, go on a first date, and be a active participant in a school event without shuttering in fear of how to socialize.
About A Peek Into...
Through this topic I hope to educate and make ware to people about certain disabilities both rare and common. From Albinism, Autism, Tourette's, hearing impairments, to ADHD. You will find in each post a peek into what that disability is, facts and misconceptions, signs of it, possible cures, tools they might use to help them succeed, resources you can use to learn more about it and much mor. Posts will be ever 4th Wednesday.
Resources used:
Disability and Health Overview. (2020, September 16). Retrieved October 09, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html
Increase in Developmental Disabilities Among Children in the United States. (2019, September 26). Retrieved October 09, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/features/increase-in-developmental-disabilities.html