Understanding with Cerebral Palsy
and other related disabilities
My name is Chantelle and I am Karen’s best friend. She has asked me to post this blog as she has a lot on her plate already. Today I want to bring up the topic of other people understanding Cerebral Palsy and other related disabilities. Like Karen I also have C.P. however I do have a speech delay.
People get the misconception when they see a person in a wheelchair or a walker. They see the person as being disabled and they look at what they can’t do. What about not focusing on what they are able to do and not what they can’t do. Personally in my vocabulary the word “can’t” or “can not” is not in it. Okay for the sake of arguing we might not be able to do it as everyone else but, we always find a different way of doing it. For example we may not be able to do up our button on our jeans because of the lack of our fine motor skills, but we can use a button hook and still be able to lead independent lives. Focus on the abilities. If you see people with disabilities struggling in a store or in your community don’t assume that they need help ask them. Even if they are non-verbal please be patient and look for a sign of a yes or no.
In my opinion there is no such thing as “normal”. Everyone is disabled, weather you have a learning disability or you just where glasses, we all have a disability. Having said that the next time you run into a person with a disability remember we are just like you and we can be as successful as the “average” person. We just work a little harder and we take a different path to get there.
I was honored to write this for Karen. She is an inspiration to me and being eighteen I look up to her a lot!!!
