People with disabilities are part of our daily lives, and the days are gone when they had to live secluded in their homes due to the lack of infrastructure to welcome them. Of course, there is still much to be done, but it is clear that advancements have been made, especially in addressing the challenges faced by children with physical disabilities. Nowadays it is very common to see people with visual disabilities walking on the streets, people with hearing disabilities working in shops and companies, and even though there are certain challenges for children with physical disabilities, we now see them attending schools with all the other children.

Having a Child with a Disability

Having a child with a physical disability is certainly not one of the easiest tasks, but raising a child has become much more positive thanks to the advances we have witnessed. It is no surprise that even the prejudice surrounding these children has lessened and is tending to become a thing of the past. Social inclusion, to help deal with the challenges faced by children with physical disabilities, is now a part of the reality in schools worldwide and is becoming increasingly common in Brazil as well.

What is Considered a Physical Disability in Children?

According to UNICEF, one in every 20 children in the world lives with some type of physical disability, severe or moderate, which amounts to around 93 million children worldwide. By definition, physical disability is a limitation that causes difficulty with a child’s coordination, mobility, or speech. Therefore, any child who fits this definition, whether born that way or who acquires the condition later in life, is considered a child with a physical disability.

Main Difficulties Faced by Children with Physical Disabilities

Children with physical disabilities face many kinds of challenges every day; however, parental support is essential for them to learn how to face some difficulties, while institutions such as schools also need to adapt to receive them in a way that they do not feel excluded from the group. The main difficulties encountered by children with physical disabilities are:

  • Mobility
  • Social Difficulties

Mobility

Depending on the type of disability, school can be a major obstacle course for the child. Speaking of children who use wheelchairs, for example, there are still many places where accessibility is very poor or even nonexistent. Even though there are laws to make such systems work, often government schools are the first places where the challenges faced by children with physical disabilities become more evident, such as going up and down stairs, for instance. Children who require crutches may also encounter problems in places that lack ramps or elevators and often need to rely on friends or staff for help getting around. In situations like these, where accessibility solutions do not exist in the school environment, it is extremely important that parents remain alert to ensure the child receives proper care within the school, so that they do not feel excluded or offended. For this, it is necessary for the educational work done there to also address these issues.

Social Difficulties of Children with Physical Disabilities

The social challenges of children with physical disabilities are also directly related to how parents handle the disability as it relates to interacting with others. The biggest tip is to not treat them differently unless they truly require it. Of course, the child must be aware of their limitations, but often parental overprotection causes the child to feel abnormal and excluded from social circles, which can harm their development. The most appropriate approach is to let the child grow up among other children in a regular school, whether those other children have disabilities or not, but also ensuring contact with others who have the same type of disability or experience the same kind of challenges. This allows the child, from a young age, to be aware of their reality without thinking they cannot be an active part of society. Of course, this is part of a social inclusion process that does not depend solely on the parents and that can often be lengthy, but it is almost always effective.

Inclusion of Children with Physical Disabilities

The inclusion of children with physical disabilities in all areas of society is not a new topic, but it is being continually discussed and worked on in order to build a better society.

Government Inclusion

Inclusion must undoubtedly begin with the government. Encouraging and supporting parents to provide the right path for raising their children is essential, since not all know how to handle the challenges faced by children with physical disabilities. But it is also extremely important to become familiar with the main principles defended by organizations fighting for the social inclusion of children with physical disabilities. Some of these are:

  • Fighting prejudice
  • Eliminating barriers that obstruct inclusion, such as in public transport, schools, and hospitals.
  • Involving children and adolescents with physical disabilities in decision-making about issues that affect them.
  • Supporting families
  • Applying the principles of inclusive health and inclusive education

Of course, many of these points are more advanced in certain parts of the world than in others. Speaking about Brazil in particular, we know that in large cities, the inclusion of children in places like public transportation and schools is greater than in areas farther from major centers, and that the difficulties faced by children with physical disabilities are more severe where such access does not exist. Even so, we can see a clear improvement compared to what was seen a few years ago, and the hope is that this progress continues.

Social Inclusion of Children with Physical Disabilities at School

Children with physical disabilities have the same right to education as any other child, even though these rights are often denied due to a lack of resources that would allow them to study. The worldwide recommendation is that children should not study in special schools that segregate them from society, but as already mentioned, they should be raised like other children so they feel important and have the same rights as their peers. Obviously, for the education of children with some type of physical disability to be ideal, many things need to work together: cultural institutions, public policies, and of course, the upbringing provided by parents, who are a fundamental part in ensuring physical disability becomes less and less of an obstacle in their children’s lives. Also see: Braille – Words at Your Fingertips Photo: Journalist 2nd Class Mike Miller