One topic that is not often discussed when we talk about families with children or people with disabilities is how they experience leisure activities. In Occupational Therapy, my own discipline, health and well-being depends on full participation in all areas of their life.
Since birth, my brother has had an assortment of medical needs that extend beyond that of most kids. As a result, he has been hospitalized over 40 times in 13 years and my sister and I have spent quite a bit of time in teen lounges, hospital cafeterias, and full contact isolation gowns
I recently came across an article in the New York Times that addressed a term that I had never heard before: significant disproportionality. It is the overrepresentation of minorities in special education, the increased likelihood of a minority child to be identified as having a disability, and the increased severity with which minority children are disciplined in schools.
Recently in one of our didactic sessions, a thought provoking discussion was brought up on what it means for people with disabilities to be labeled as special needs. It was brought to my attention that not everyone in the disability community likes to be labeled as special needs.
In the fall of 2017, I kicked off year 2 of my 3-year Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at UIC as an intern at Access Living.
I think it’s very imperative to advocate for free healthcare for all in this country. When it comes to providing free healthcare to its citizens, United States lags in place after developed countries.
