Disability and Families
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Thank you for joining us for Spotlight. I'm Rebekah Schipper. Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
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May 15 is the United Nations International Day of Families. This year the United Nations deals with families and persons with disabilities. Today's Spotlight is about how disability can affect families. Voice 2
There are many kinds of disabilities. Some disabilities may make life very difficult, while others may not. But all disabilities have one thing in common. A person's disability affects the way he lives his life. Voice 1
Experts estimate that five to ten percent [5-10%] of all children born have some kind of disability. But what are some of these disabilities? Disability can come in many forms. It can include movement problems, blindness and deafness. But it also includes emotional and learning problems.
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So how does a person develop a disability? Well there are many ways that a person can become disabled. A person may be born with a disability. Or, they may develop the disability by being injured. They may develop it as a result of sickness. Disability can also happen as a person ages. However a disability happens, it always affects a person's life. A disability can affect how a child grows. It can affect how a parent cares for her children. It can affect the work of an adult. And it can affect the relationships in a person's life. Voice 1
Disability also affects families. Family members are usually the first people to help support and care for a disabled person. This can make a family stronger. But it can also put pressure on all the family members.
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When a person in a family becomes disabled, the positions in the family often change. Often, family members take on new roles. Lucia Paunescu lives with her mother. Her mother, Maria, is ninety-six [96] years old. As Maria became older, she became disabled. Today, Lucia cares for her mother. Maria suffers from severe heart disease. She also has arthritis, a problem with her bones and joints.
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Lucia feeds her mother. She cleans her mother. She has taken a new role in her relationship with her mother. When Lucia was a child, Maria cared for Lucia. But today, Lucia cares for her mother as if her mother was the child.
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But these changing roles do not just affect children and parents. Disability also affects the brothers and sisters of a disabled child. These siblings may experience feelings of anger, sadness, and guilt if they have a sibling who is disabled. A disabled child needs more care than a child who is not disabled. This can make the sibling feel like he is not getting enough attention. Sometimes, children feel different because they have a sibling who is disabled. But siblings can also develop special relationships with a disabled brother or sister. Learning to care for other people is an important skill.
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Disability can also affect a marriage. Having a disabled child can put extra pressure on parents. Parents often must spend more time caring for a disabled child. Sometimes this can harm a marriage. It is important that parents find time for each other, and extra support from their community. And it is important that parents deal with their anger. A parent should never hurt his or her family because of anger.
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If a husband or wife becomes disabled, it puts different kinds of pressure on a family. A husband or wife may have to become a caregiver. But he or she may also have to work to support the family. Children's responsibilities may change also. They may have to help with more jobs in the home. However, a husband and wife may also learn to care for each other emotionally. In this situation a family may learn new ways to care for each other. This kind of care can be a beautiful gift for families with disabilities.
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For disabled people, disability is a normal way of life. In 2004 the BBC interviewed Claire and Paul Dowdican. Both Claire and Paul cannot hear. Claire was pregnant at the time of the interview. They wondered if their child would also be deaf. Paul said that they would be happy if their child was also deaf.
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To some people this may seem very strange. But the Dowdicans believe that there are many good things about being deaf. Many deaf people feel part of “Deaf Culture”. This is the community of people who are deaf. Claire says that she and her husband lead a normal life, even though they cannot hear. The BBC talked with the Dowdicans again after their child was born. Their baby boy was born with a severe hearing problem. But Claire said that this was not a problem:
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“The [important part] is communication. I would expect some [people to judge us]. Deafness is still something people debate over. But to us, it is just the ears not working [correctly]. But everything else [is] still [working] well! But some see it as a disability especially [in] the medical [sense].”
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Claire and Paul knew that they could provide the best care for a deaf child. They know what it is like to be deaf. Claire and Paul consider being deaf as part of their identity. It is part of what makes them who they are. They want to be able to pass this Deaf culture to their child. Claire and Paul consider their disability as just another part of life, something that has good and bad parts.
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Disability is different for everyone. It affects more than the person with the disability. Families must work together to deal with the pressure, the problems, and the joys of living with disability. And communities must work together to support families. So, on this International Day of Families, what can you do to help someone with a disability? What can you do to help his or her family?
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The writer and producer of this program was Joshua Leo. The voices you heard were from the United States. Computer users can hear our programs, read our scripts, and see our word list on our website at www.radio.english.net. This program is called “Disability and Families”.
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We love to hear questions and comments from our listeners. If you have a question or comment, you can e-mail us. Our e-mail address is radio @ english . net. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!
