{"id":3719,"date":"2020-07-09T10:43:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-09T10:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moonpreneur.com\/?p=3719"},"modified":"2026-01-20T07:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T07:46:20","slug":"sensitizing-children-about-differently-abled-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mp.moonpreneur.com\/blog\/sensitizing-children-about-differently-abled-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensitizing Children about Differently-abled Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Update:<\/strong> This article was last updated on 2nd September 2024 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Sensitizing\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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All disabled people share one common experience \u2013 discrimination: Patrisha Wright <\/i><\/strong>\u00a0Disability prejudice runs rampant over the world and there is very little or no social awareness about it. UNICEF is continuously striving to build a world where \u201cevery child can grow up healthy, protected from harm, and educated, so they can reach their full potential.\u201d <\/span><\/span>The UN Convention <\/span>on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 2006 says that children with \u201clong-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments\u201d should enjoy the same human rights and freedoms as other children.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0<\/span>How do you react when you see a differently-abled kind? <\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Do you cringe or empathize?<\/b> <\/span><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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How do you explain differently-abled persons to your children? What is your awareness level about children with special needs?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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If you are well-informed and aware of the prejudices against the differently-abled and their needs, consider yourself part of the growing community that is struggling to break the shackles of discrimination against the 93 million children suffering from different kinds of disabilities worldwide. Heartbreaking incidents of differently-abled children experiencing abuse and violence in schools are common. So are the reports of children with mental and physical disabilities being bullied and ostracized by their peer groups. The root cause of this discriminatory behavior is the lack of awareness about the needs of special children. It\u2019s awfully upsetting.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0A <\/span>World Bank review<\/span> from March 2021 states that children with disabilities lack access to basic amenities such as meal programs, assistive technologies, extracurricular activities, sanitation, and other vital programs due to schools closing down in the pandemic. According to a UNICEF report, at present, the world has over 93 million children with disabilities with a higher risk of physical abuse, lack of proper nutrition or humanitarian assistance in emergencies, lack of education, access to medical services, and most importantly, lack of opportunities to have their voices heard in society. \u00a0 UNICEF is not the only one. Several significant players are working for the rights of children with special needs and the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is one of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Patrisha Wright, the disability rights activist, co-founded DREDF in 1979, but what is worrisome is that the ratio of discrimination against differently-abled hasn\u2019t improved much in the last four decades if the data is anything to go by.\u00a0 Do you ever wonder why UNICEF or DREDF or hundreds of such groups and volunteers have been unable to get the kind of success they should or wish for?<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0This is because society, as a whole, is not participating. The World Bank and the World Health Organisation state that the likelihood of children dropping out of schools doubles due to a disability, where everyone-out-of-three school drop-outs are disabled. \u00a0 You must have heard that social responsibility is an ethical framework, where an individual should act for the benefit of society at large. It implies we have a duty to act in the best interests of society as a whole. For that, you don\u2019t have to be part of an organization. You can start at home by sensitizing your children.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0Remember, children are our future and children are great imitators too.\u00a0 As parents, take it upon yourself to sensitize your children about kids with special needs and disabilities and how to deal with them. While teaching appropriate social skills to our children, you must include lessons on how to <\/span>communicate with children<\/span><\/a> with special needs. As a parent, you don\u2019t have to go out of your way to sensitize children.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0A few minor changes in routine activities can bring the desired results. <\/b><\/span><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0<\/span>Create Awareness<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Create\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Sensitizing kids about disabilities isn\u2019t that difficult. Pictorial books to TV shows to interesting documentaries \u2013 plenty of resources are available to explain to them about it. Kids are curious and satisfying their curiosity is important, but in the right manner and with the right information. Share successful and inspiring stories of differently-abled people like theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, creative writer Gaele Sobotta, etc. However, the dose of information should be according to their sense and sensibility. Television has produced some groundbreaking shows on creating awareness about children with special needs like <\/span>A Word <\/span><\/i>and<\/span> Speechless,<\/span><\/i> and movies like <\/span>Wonder.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Inculcate Inclusive Attitude<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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UNICEF is also stressing the equity-based approach. The goals include mainstream disability across all of its policies and programs \u2013 both in development and humanitarian action \u2013 and to develop leadership on the rights of children with disabilities, building capacity among staff and partners.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Imagine the pain and suffering of the parents whose children face rejection and bullying day in and day out for being differently-abled. It indeed breaks the heart to see your loved one suffer. Inclusive social etiquette can be an answer to this problem. Inculcate inclusive social skills in your children. Explain the problems that exist in society and how to accept differences in others. The baby steps would be accommodating aging ailing grandparents in their daily activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Indulge in Role-Play Activities<\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Indulge\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Participating in role-play activities could be beneficial because it would allow children to get into other people’s characters. In return, the experience would help them in developing skills to look at things from others\u2019 perspectives and act accordingly. As they grow, the experience would make them understand the importance of patience and kindness and they would be able to make more informed decisions and choices. More importantly, they would be able to differentiate between empathy and sympathy.<\/span><\/p>

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