Fostering A Better Understanding of Disabilities for Youth
Dr. Angela Seabright
| 3 min read
For someone with a disability, whether physical or mental, something as simple as entering a building, using transportation or filling out a job application can be challenging. Those with disabilities may experience feelings of exclusion and physical, social or communication barriers.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law 35 years ago, bringing significant protections against discrimination for the disability community. The ADA “guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else” in daily activities such as employment, accessing public facilities, shopping, transportation and telecommunication.
But legislation doesn’t always change people’s attitudes or behaviors toward those with disabilities. Particularly in young children, whose natural impulses might be to stare, point or cower when encountering a person with disabilities. That’s why it’s so important to model empathy and understanding.
Children learn a lot of their behavior by observing the adults around them. In fact, young children often mimic the behaviors and emotions they observe in trusted adults, such as parents, teachers, and close family members. By modeling appropriate behaviors, children can better learn how to appropriately interact with and treat others.
Five tips for modeling
Here are five strategies for modeling behavior to foster understanding and promote empathy for people with disabilities in young children:
- Acknowledge and clarify. Children notice differences. It’s okay to acknowledge what a child sees, hears or observes. Validate what the child notices, then offer a simple, neutral statement. For example, “Yes, I see that man is using a cane. The cane helps him walk. Yes, he is walking slowly. Let’s give him some time.”
- Answer questions. Children are naturally curious. Allow them to ask questions and be open to answering them. Answer questions as appropriate for their age, directly and factually. For example, if a child asks, “Why is that girl making those noises?” an answer could be, “That is how she talks. We have many different ways to communicate.”
- Expose them to others. It’s human nature to respond with fear or judgment to unfamiliar people or situations. The more young children see and interact with people who have disabilities, the more comfortable and accepting they will become.
- Emphasize empathy. Help children think about how the other person might feel. Point out the ways in which a person with disabilities is similar to the child, and ask guided questions, such as, “How do you think he felt when he couldn’t play like the rest of his friends?” This helps children understand another’s perspective and develop empathy.
- Learn together. Together with children, read books and watch videos about people with disabilities. Talk about what is learned together. Ask children what they think and how they can use that information in everyday life.
By modeling these behaviors, young children can develop empathy, reduce confusion, and increase understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities.
Angela Seabright is a care management physician at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more parenting tips and information, visit AHealthierMichigan.com.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
