Who has a child that has cognitive/emotional/behavioral/neurological disability, and not physical?

[Elyssa414]

Do you ever feel like people don't take your child's disability as seriously as if they were physically disabled?

I've heard this from a few moms, and was just curious.

[jjamom]

My son has Down syndrome and so he has both cognitive and physical disabilities. For us, it is sort of the other way around. It seems that as soon as someone sees his face, they automatically treat him differently. Sometimes they don't give him the benefit of the doubt or the ability to prove himself before assuming he is incapable because of some preconceived notions about his disability.

I can see where it would be frustrating, though. It all stems from people being so uninformed/misinformed.

[epilepsymom]

Yep because on the outside they look "normal" .. I think with my daughter as soon as they hear her talk they know something is wrong because her speech is way off for a 13 year old..

Now yesterday we ran into an old classmate of mine.. She is friends of mine on facebook so she knows my dd has "issues."  Of course my daughter wears the seizure helmet.. My friend spoke to my dd and called her by name.. My dd looked at her didnt recognize her and freaked out because a stranger knew her name. I tried to introduce them to each other. My friend asked me what she did wrong. I said "She doesnt know you, and you tried to talk to her.I had to try and calm my dd and explain to this friend where she was wrong.. 

[natesmom1228]

Sometimes. I also have  the issue that my son is big for his age (very tall) so people expect him to be much more mature then he is. So when he acts out most people think I am more of a bad parent who can't control her child, then a child with a neuro disability.

[lifeisajoy]

My son has all of that but plus the physical disabilities like Michele said they try to treat him below what he really is able to perform--it is frustrating on what you say and on my situation-they are not educated.  I am always educating about my child.  

I also worked with children and teens for years on what you state in your question and definately true-they don't take the child's disability seriously-so frustrating-and again educating and reeducating people-it just seems like it never ends--

[letstalk747]

yes , i feel this way , some people  dont think of    what they cant see as being serious disability that it is

[willysmama]

I have all plus the phyiscal. But willy still gets looks and stares. And lately because he is signing more fluently than hubby and me people wonder and have been asking why he doesn't walk and talk. He looks completely healthy. So they treat him a little differently.

[mom2zachy122]

DS has ADHD and neuro feels he has PDD, psych feels he is more global delays and immaturity.   And DS is pretty sweet out of the house, so yes.....I do feel like people don't always understand.  Even the psych.  Just because he sat and played with you b/c you have a Thomas toy doesn't mean this is his behavior all the time.  He has difficulty at school (which I think the teachers downplay quite a bit) and he has trouble at home with ODD and sensory issues.

Still, I'm glad it is what it is and isn't worse so I guess there's a silver lining to everything.....

:)

[Siobhan69]

Yes! My son had PDD-NOS and ADHD. I am tired of friends and family saying "Well he looks normal" it makes me so angry. Plus I hate the word "normal" because my feeling is what is normal anyway. It has a different definition to everyone. Just because you can't see what is going on in his brain doesn't make him any different that any other special needs child. What upsets me most is when we are out in public and my son has sensory overload and goes into meltdown, I get those looks from strangers as to say "control your child" or I've even heard people say he's needs more discipline. It makes me so mad that just because you can't see his disability, he is still a special needs child goes to special ed and has OT, ST and social skills group daily. People can be so unkind and don't understand the daily struggles we have.

[sammygrl77]

Yes. My 2 dd's have invisible disabilities. Even my teen's dad doesn't take her learning disability seriously. We just had a huge disagreement on that. I feel helpless because she lives with him now.

My youngest has spd and trouble potty training. She is still in diapers at night. I hear it all the time that she should be night trained by now.

[gma12.1]

Lina doesn't look disabled but at 8 she has all the abilities of a 4 yr old. People think she is just a spoiled brat when she has a meltdown in public that I hadn't anticipated.