Contents
- “People with Down Syndrome are cheerful, but people with ADHD are ill-mannered”: 10 most common myths about developmental disabilities
- 1. Autism is a disease
- 2. Autism is a very rare disorder
- 3. People with autism are immersed in their world and have no empathy for anyone, they cannot be friends
- 4. Children with Down Syndrome are born to parents who lead inappropriate lifestyles, such as alcohol and drug abuse
- 5. People with Down Syndrome are always cheerful and sociable.
- 6. Cerebral palsy – always with the prefix “children”
- 7. A person with cerebral palsy is unable to interact with other people
- 8. ADHD is a fictitious disorder
- 9. A visually impaired person is in the dark and sees nothing at all
- 10. All people with hearing impairments can read lips.
“People with Down Syndrome are cheerful, but people with ADHD are ill-mannered”: 10 most common myths about developmental disabilities
A wide variety of people can face limitations due to their acquired or innate characteristics. Society is now looking for the right language to accurately and ethically discuss the needs and lifestyles of people who are different from others. Everything unfamiliar and unusual can cause misunderstanding, but the more we rely on knowledge and not on stereotypes, the more benevolent and comfortable the world will become for all of us.
Diseases can occur in a person throughout life, a disease can be cured or complications can be obtained, or you can die. Features of development are associated with the non-standard work of some vital functions of individuals, and they, as a rule, arise during the formation of the fetus in the womb or at the earliest stages of the development of the newborn.
For example, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy remain with a person for life. They cannot be infected, they do not progress. Foundation experts especially for Healthy Food Near Me dispelled the most common myths about people with disabilities.
1. Autism is a disease
It is wrong to consider and call autism a disease. This is a developmental feature associated with disruption of the central nervous system.
The diagnosis “autism” is behavioral, that is, it cannot be detected by analysis or instrumental research. Specialists observe the child’s behavior, offer him to complete certain tasks, study his developmental history, talk with parents or other significant adults.
The main diagnostic criteria are considered signs of the so-called “autism dyad”:
Difficulties in social interaction
This means that the child in society behaves differently from his peers. He / she does not always address the interlocutor, is too close or too far during communication, has difficulty with games that require joint attention and sequence.
Repetitive, stereotypical behaviors and sensory features
Among them, there may be difficulties with changing activities, and food selectivity, and a craving for repetitive actions.
Some people mistakenly believe that uncontrollable manifestations of aggression or self-aggression are also unambiguous signs of autism, but this is not the case. Such violations, apart from the “autism dyad”, are the result of the lack of timely assistance from specialists.
2. Autism is a very rare disorder
Autism is a very common developmental disorder. According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism spectrum disorders occur in every 54th child (although the WHO cites softer statistics: one in 160 children). Moreover, boys are more susceptible to these disorders than girls.
3. People with autism are immersed in their world and have no empathy for anyone, they cannot be friends
People with autism feel the need for communication as much as anyone else. They, like everyone else, have something to say – with the only difference that it is often more difficult to do it. Therefore, sometimes people with autism need alternative communication methods that replace speech, or additional communication methods that will help develop speech and reinforce communication skills. The correct strategy in each specific case is determined by a specialist. His role is played by a speech therapist or behavioral therapist who has the necessary knowledge in order to understand that a tablet with a special program will help one person with autism to speak, and special cards will help another.
4. Children with Down Syndrome are born to parents who lead inappropriate lifestyles, such as alcohol and drug abuse
A child with Down syndrome can be born in any family. Ongoing research finds no connection between the birth of a child with Down syndrome and the lifestyle of the parents before conception or of the mother during pregnancy. The socio-economic status of the family also plays no role. Also, studies completely refute the existing misconceptions that the appearance of a child with Down syndrome is indicative of incest.
It is known that the likelihood of having a baby with Down syndrome is slightly increased in mothers over 35, especially if this is the first pregnancy. However, almost 80% of babies with Down syndrome are born to mothers younger than this age, as young women give birth more often.
5. People with Down Syndrome are always cheerful and sociable.
People with Down syndrome are very different. Communication and social life are important to everyone, and people with Down syndrome are no exception. They are familiar with the whole spectrum of emotions. They, like everyone else, are not only happy, but also sad, offended and upset. And it is no exaggeration to say that people with disabilities, including those with Down syndrome, are more vulnerable and less protected psychologically, which means they are more likely to be exposed to emotional overload. Studies show that depression is more common among adolescents with Down syndrome than among their peers.
6. Cerebral palsy – always with the prefix “children”
Cerebral palsy is a whole group of conditions in which it is difficult for a person to control his movements and maintain a certain posture. Indeed, such conditions develop in the fetus in the womb or in very early childhood, therefore, earlier in the vast majority of cases, the term “infantile cerebral palsy” – cerebral palsy was used. But cerebral palsy remains with a person for life, and in modern international practice it is now customary to say “cerebral palsy”, omitting the additional definition of “children”.
7. A person with cerebral palsy is unable to interact with other people
Some people with cerebral palsy really find it difficult to communicate due to severe motor impairments, their speech can be difficult to reproduce and for the listener to perceive. However, the vocal apparatus is far from the only form of communication in the modern world, and people with cerebral palsy today master a variety of devices and devices for communication, the list of which is growing.
8. ADHD is a fictitious disorder
The first reliable evidence of the existence of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) was recorded in the XNUMXth century. Like many other features of development, they began to be closely studied by medicine, psychology and pedagogy only in recent decades.
Children with ADHD have difficulty concentrating and controlling behavior, as well as thinking about reactions, as a result of which they commit impulsive actions. Symptoms of the syndrome in 80% of cases persist into adulthood, manifesting themselves in various problems of information perception.
This disorder is associated with structural and functional abnormalities of the brain and sometimes requires special approaches to teaching the child. In accordance with the current International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10), ADHD belongs to the group of hyperkinetic disorders. This is a real diagnosis, not a question of upbringing.
9. A visually impaired person is in the dark and sees nothing at all
According to the World Health Organization, about 217 million people are living with moderate to severe visual impairment. And only 36 million of them are totally blind. At the same time, people who have this feature from birth cannot say for sure whether they see only darkness, because they simply cannot convey their perception in clear descriptions and images.
With various loss of vision, even the most serious, many retain the ability to see large objects or distinguish colors. Also, blind people can distinguish light sources or have some kind of tunnel vision.
10. All people with hearing impairments can read lips.
Some people with hearing impairments are very good at reading lips, but one does not follow from the other. Such an undoubtedly useful skill is associated with the ability to recognize and analyze the most subtle movements, since a certain articulation corresponds to many sounds of speech. But even the best lip-reading masters cannot be guaranteed to “read” everything. This is due to the fact that sometimes lip movements are almost the same, for example, when you pronounce the sounds P and B, and the meaning of whole phrases can be lost. Therefore, only 26-30% of speech can usually be seen by lips, the rest is recognized by context. However, this is typical for any everyday conversational communication.
When communicating with a hearing impaired person, try to follow their choices if they are willing to lip-read. For example, don’t turn away or chew while talking, but speak clearly. In some cases, when specifics are especially important, it may be more convenient to exchange written messages.