Kids who are deaf or hard of hearing might not be able hear what's going on around them, but their eyes give them a lot of information about the world. Some people who are deaf or hard of hearing might wear hearing aids or have surgery to help their ears hear better, while others rely even more on their eyes for help. People who can't hear can understand a lot by watching people's actions and looking at the expressions on their faces. They might also be able to lip-read or they might use sign language to communicate. Being deaf or hard of hearing doesn't mean life is any less exciting and interesting!
Emotions can be tricky things. Sometimes, a person has lots of negative emotions, and he doesn't know what to do with them. Kids with emotional disturbance often don't know how to deal with the overwhelming emotions they experience, and sometimes they react in inappropriate ways, disrupting their own lives and the lives of people around them. This can be scary for both the person dealing with emotional disturbance and for the other people. For all the people in the situation, understanding what is going on is important.
People who can see with their eyes find it hard to imagine what life must be like for those with blindness or visual impairment. For thousands of kids, though, this is a reality. While some are born with blindness or some type of visual impairment, others lose their sight later on because of a disease, infection, or injury. For kids with blindness or visual impairment, life presents a unique set of challenges. Overcoming these challenges is easier with the help of adaptive technologies, but also with the understanding of friends and family who know that just because a kid is dealing with blindness or visual impairment doesn't mean he isn't still a regular kid.
Autism is something a lot of people talk about these days. Many kids with autism have trouble communicating and understanding how people relate to each other. Since autism is a spectrum disorder, however, some kids who have autism might only have a few symptoms, while others may have many symptoms. Some people don't know how to act around kids who have autism, but, even though these children might seem a little different than most people, these kids are still kids.
For kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, things like sitting still, paying attention, or focusing on homework can be huge challenges. Sometimes, people think kids with this disorder are "bad" or lazy and think they should just try harder. But, of course, it isn't that simple. Kids with ADHD aren't bad or lazy, they just have an extra challenge to overcome, and with help, that challenge can be overcome. Having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder isn't the end of the world, and kids with ADHD can still succeed in their lives, have fun with friends, and enjoy the world around them.
Kids with speech impairment sometimes find the world to be a very frustrating place. They can hear and see and understand what's going on around them, but it can be very difficult for them to communicate with other people. Depending on the type of speech impairment, they might have trouble saying certain sounds or the words might get stuck in their throat when they try to talk, or when they try to say a word a different word might come out instead. For kids with speech impairments, there are various treatments and therapies to help them speak more easily. For those who know someone with a speech impairment, learning why he has trouble speaking can help them better understand what he is going through.
Kids with intellectual disabilities too often have to put up with teasing and name-calling. Some people don't know how to talk to or interact with people whose brains work differently than their own. Kids with intellectual disabilities might have trouble remembering things or understanding how things work, but there are a lot of things they do understand. Things like friendship, love, and laughter are important to everyone, and that includes kids with intellectual disabilities.
Autism is something a lot of people talk about these days. Many kids with autism have trouble communicating and understanding how people relate to each other. Since autism is a spectrum disorder, however, some kids who have autism might only have a few symptoms, while others may have many symptoms. Some people don't know how to act around kids who have autism, but, even though these children might seem a little different than most people, these kids are still kids.