(It would be better not having CP, but 2019 is a good time to have cerebral palsy.)
Now that Dexter is at school, he has children who see him all the time. When they become familiar with him, they can see his personality and strengths.
There's something that we've often noticed...
Given the chance, a child will observe Dexter for a while, noting the differences between him and them... and then, they might come to Dexter.
Some will talk. Some will lie down and play next to him.
By lying down, they are coming to his level, which is very inclusive.
It's beautiful watching these children interact with Dexter.
These kids never say: You look funny.
These kids will grow up to be empathetic and supportive adults.
(Some kids still stare and some say things that really hurt.)
And its easy to teach a child to see kids like Dexter... not the disability.
How?
Take away the pity, and give age-related facts.
- His brain works a bit differently to ours.
- Sometimes, he has trouble telling his muscles what to do.
- He tries really, really hard to learn new things. It's like when you first tried to (*something your child is learning). That was really tricky, but you never gave up. Well, Dexter is like that with sitting up. He never gives up.
- Look at his eyes when you talk to him. Sometimes, his brain stops his eyes from seeing you, but sometimes, he can see you.
- He can hear you. He knows what you're saying.
- Oh, he liked that. (If they get a smile from Dexter)
Kids can be so accepting
and childhood is the perfect time to teach empathy and compassion.
Doctors advised many parents to place the children in homes... hinted that the children would be in a vegetative state and not worth taking home to be loved.
Life of the disabled was too difficult.
It was easier to leave the kids right from the start.
Many mothers refused to leave their children, preferring to take them home.
Those days, they didn't have the support networks we have now.
They didn't have the therapy gear we can get for Dexter.
They didn't have iPads or communication devices.
Dexter has fun using an eyegaze system, which will hopefully become a means of communication for him. He operates the device with his eyes. (video)
And sadly, children with cerebral palsy today, in developing nations, are often living in very similar situations.
But in Australia, we're becoming so much more aware of disabilities. We're more open to learning about additional needs of people with disabilities and we're learning to raise our expectations of what people with disabilities can achieve and accomplish.
Today's children are being brought up in a more tolerant and understanding world. They are being freed of gender stereotypes, and negative racial judgments are no longer tolerated.
Kids are watching television and seeing people with disabilities being portrayed in more positive ways. People with hearing impairments are presenters on Play School, and sign language is introduced as something cool and fun. Kids with vision impairments have access to all kinds of books and stories in braille.
People with disabilities are no longer being kept away from main society...
We see them. We hear their stories.
We learn about them and we make friends with them.
We are starting to see kids with disabilities in advertising and there are some toy figurines with disabilities.
We are lucky to live in a town with public access beach wheelchairs and several parks with swings for kids with disabilities.
Did you hear Becky was having trouble fitting inside Barbie's house?
She wasn't too fat... she was in a wheelchair. With the wheelchair, Becky didn't fit through the doorways of the house. It needed modifications.
A girl with cerebral palsy contacted Mattel and told them Becky did not fit in the elevator or through the doors.
And their response...
A new house was designed - one with wider doors and no stairs.
And, soon enough, today's kids will be the ones designing the TV shows, the advertising material, the books and movies and the toys and dolls.
And, they'll design the specialised equipment for the next generation of kids born with disabilities.
*Raising awareness of cerebral palsy
Little Fingers Reaching
Something to Say But No Words to Say It
And Then, They Whispered about Me
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Little Fingers Reaching
Something to Say But No Words to Say It
And Then, They Whispered about Me
Dexter’s Feeding Efforts Jan15
High Calorie Diet
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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