preview

Neurological Disability

Decent Essays

Everyone possesses an innate superpower; and some people just have a unique kryptonite. Regardless of what one's kryptonite is, everyone has something to offer the world. Rather than focus on someone's disabilities we should be celebrate and foster the growth of their abilities, as that is how we can close the gap. At six years old I was diagnosed with multiple, severe learning disabilities. The main concern of my parents, teachers, and doctors was Dysgraphia, a neurological disability that affects my ability to physically write. I attended weekly Occupational Therapy sessions, where for three years Cathy, my OT tried to help me form letters in an effort to teach me to write, it didn't work. After three years, Cathy told my parents that I had …show more content…

This contributes to a gap in the success rates of the neuro-diverse compared to their typically developing peers. In the medical community, they use the term; "Co-morbid", it refers to multiple disorders that are commonly diagnosed together such as, anxiety, depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with ADHD, Autism Spectrum and Sensory Processing Disorders. Thus, one wonders, is it co-morbidity or is it something else? When you look at the environmental factors that impact disabled people on a daily basis, the idea of naturally occurring co-morbidity seems a little far-fetched. Karen Clay, the mother of a developmentally disabled boy once said, "The greatest barriers that persons with disabilities have to overcome are not steps or curbs, it's expectations." Our society centers around socially constructed norms and as such imparts a threshold of expectation, which may be hard for those with disabilities to ascribe to. Ultimately this results in disabled people being viewed as less, society focuses on their kryptonites, and disregarding all the amazing superpowers they …show more content…

As a result they are often pushed beyond their limits. The reality is, people with disabilities often must work significantly harder to achieve the same outcomes, as their neuro-typical peers are able to achieve with minimal effort[2]. In this case, the hearing the sentiment, "if you just tried harder. If you focused more. if you really put your mind to it. you could do it" over and over is extremely discouraging, especially when you know you are trying your absolute hardest. Not only is it demoralizing, but also implying that disabled people can and should be able to do more, undermines their struggles and invalidates their identity as a disabled person. If lack of motivation were really the cause then it would be an easy fix, but it's not lack of trying that causes developmental disabilities, it's complex wiring of the

Get Access