Physical and mental impairments are a key concern in regards to many aspects of society and policy making today. Various aspects of everyday life of people with disabilities are influenced by models of disability in particular the medical model and the social model of disability. This essay will focus on comparing and contrasting the two models, explaining the ideology behind both of them. In addition to that, it will provide explanatory examples. This essay will elaborate on the effects on the general public as well as policies explicitly within the educational sector. It will also discuss the link between the models and labelling of children and the associated advantages and disadvantages.
The definition of impairment is a ‘characteristic or long-term trait which may or may not result from an injury or health condition which may affect a person’s appearance or function of their body or mind’ (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, n.d., p.2). Historically and traditionally impaired children used to be perceived as embarrassing to their families and were often institutionalised. They were considered as not “normal” and grew up and lived in an isolated world. Thus, medical intervention was commonly sought. The disability was understood to be ‘stemming from functional
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On the one hand, specifically in regards to learning disorders once categorised it becomes the focal point and everyone in the surrounding of the child needs to be aware of it. Expectations have to be adjusted and this can result in underestimating the disabled youngster’s capabilities. In additional, issues can occur regarding early diagnosis which possibly mistakes a child that is not quite up to peer standards yet with one having a learning disorder (In Understanding Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, The Open University). As a consequence, this mistake can prevent the minor from achieving their full academic
Society perceives disable people as unable of doing the daily duty’s that a normal person could do. But in fact, they are wrong. Nancy Mairs describes how she was able to teach writing courses and teach medical students on how to give neurological examinations, making reader able to see that although , she was a “cripple” , she was able to perform some of the work of a professional person in the work- field. According to Mairs’essay “with only one usable hand, I have to select my clothing with care not so much for style as for ease of ingress and egress, and even so, dressing can be laborious”(3). Making it almost impossible for Mairs to dress up, she was to put on the necessary clothes that she needed to be covered by a piece of fabric clothing.
It will depend on the type of disability that the child has. They may have a hearing or seeing impairment or a physical or learning disability. Children or young people may be subjected to prejudice or discrimination which could lead to them being bullied or treated differently, this in turn could affect their learning skills, self confidence and development. In the past the medical model of disability meant that opportunities for learning and development where few and far between. Today there is a different approach to disabilities and most settings look at different ways in which they can help with learning and development and to give children as many opportunities as possible.
People may consider it as what might bring peace upon societies, but on the other hand it can truly be destructive. According to the writer’s opinion, people with natural disabilities should be provided with help to aspire for them to reach the level of those exceptional people who improve society. Without inspiration, such a society will have a great
World Health Organization (WHO) has defined disability as an umbrella term for impairments. Disability is an individual with a health condition such as Down syndrome cerebral palsy and depression, body functioning or structure on activity limitation. WHO, (2016) supported that people with learning difficulties they deserve privacy and dignity like everyone The Health and community Care Act 1990 protect people service users from abuse or neglect so that deterioration can be prevented or to promote physical or mental health and to allow independence and social inclusion. It also to improve opportunities and life chances, to help families and to protect human rights around people in need of the services. It has been argued Department of health, (2015) state that “people are living longer, which means there are likely to be more people with complex
Disabled children have the same rights as any other child to feel safe and be protected from harm. According to ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ “Safeguards for disabled children are essentially the same as for non-disabled children. Particular attention should be paid to promoting high standards of practice and a high level of awareness of the risks of harm, and strengthening the capacity of children and families to help themselves.” Disabled children are increasingly vulnerable to abuse and neglect which is why attention should be paid to their well-being. The guidance ‘Safeguarding disabled children – Practice Guidance’ gives professionals advice on the indicators of abuse or neglect.
1.1 Describe the causes and effects of complex disabilities and conditions. Mental health issues ranging from the doubts and uncertainties have become a part of daily routine, towards serious long term situation which can be very complex for managing and having a diversifying impact on the overall live of the people. The usual child health leads to contribute towards overall development (Watson & Le Couteur, 2011). Therefore it is important to take special care of people with complex disability as they turn out to be sensitive enough about the situation and environment they are living in.
Within the school environment, there will be a variety of children and adults. Each child and adult will differ from the other. Some will come from different backgrounds, speak different languages and some may have additional educational needs or impairments. Children and adults from different backgrounds may speak a different language to the majority of the people in the school. Sometimes they may have English as a second language but some may only have their first language.
n Nancy Mairs essay, “Disability”, she illustrates the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the media. While disability plays a major role in Mairs’ life, she points out the various ways her everyday life is ordinary and even mundane. Despite the normalcy of the lives of citizens with disabilities Mairs argues the media’s effacement of this population, is fear driven. She claims, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about the disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life” (Mairs 14). Able bodied people worry about the prospect of eventually becoming physically impaired.
As the name suggests The Medical Model of disability mainly looks at the many varying causes of disabilities and searches for treatments within a structured, procedural and, some would say, very clinical manner. The Medical Model finds issues though rigorous testing done by specialists and relies on a definite diagnosis of a patient who can then be treated with medical and rehab. It places disability in the category of an illness or an incapacity and can be very broad in its thinking. “With the medical model, the ‘problem’ is seen to lie with the person with the disability” and “the person is seen by this model as abnormal and remains so until the condition is cured” (E. Flood, 2013)
The social model of disability, on the other hand, focuses on the environmental factors and the availability of support structures
This is not the case, although there can be an overlap between the two they are not the same thing. When we talk about a child being Disabled we are talking about them having a physical impairment that hinders them or a mental impairment, and although both of these can lead to developmental delays it does not mean a child has special educational needs. “research suggests that about 6-7% of children are disabled. Children and young people with the most complex needs will require specialist services. They will require support with their health, education or physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development due to disabilities including: • Multiple and complex health needs or chronic illness • Sensory impairment such as hearing loss, visual impairment or deaf/blindness • A significant and long term learning difficulty • A physical disability • Autistic spectrum disorder • A severe communication disorder, or • A
The reason for this is because the cause can be very difficult to determine. For socially constructed disabilities, it is important to determine if the cause is actually a disability or if the child is does not fit into the expected norms of society. In other words, is this a true disability or is it considered a disability due to social norms and standards. Furthermore, do these social constructs cause the exclusion of students from general education classroom or other situation that students would normally be allowed to participate?
The family’s visions of a typical life for their children can come true. All parents want their children to be accepted by their peers, have friends and live “regular” lives. Inclusive settings can make this vision a reality for many children with disabilities. Children develop a positive understanding of themselves and others. When they attend classes that reflect the similarities and differences of people in the real world, they learn to appreciate diversity.
According to (Ambikile and Outwater) in (2012) it were their view that mixing disabled children with children without disabilities would help them recover quickly. The search shows that disabled children have the ability to recover if they are mixed with normal children and that they will feel happy because they are recovering from the mental or physical illness that they contain. The beginning of any chronic illness in any family becomes a nightmare for them. What if they had a disabled child? But the believe that disabled children have the ability to recover quickly once they are supported by their families and the community in which they live and feel that they are heroes for trying to recover from the disease.
And a disabled person’s ambition is like all other human beings, the looks of pity and compassion negatively affect that ambition. People should embrace the disabled person and give them a helping hand, and they should have laws, which defend their rights, which should be respected. However, most societies do not have laws that ensure an equal life for the disabled population. It is a shame that the rights of the disabled people has turned many times to mere slogans.