I have a patient, Sally (name changed for confidentiality), who has cerebral palsy. Sally has a great sense of humour and larger than life personality. She brings so much joy and energy into every room! But when people see her wheelchair, they will often ignore her and speak to her carer instead of directly to her.
Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It can lead to involuntary movements and poor balance, which may require the use of a wheelchair.
Many people with cerebral palsy do not have an intellectual impairment. In fact, I believe many have higher than average intelligence, because of their adapability and tenacity. They learn how to reach the same understanding of language, verbal and non verbal cues, and understand the world around them, in an education system and environment that puts up many barriers and isn’t designed with physical impairments in mind. So for them to reach the same level of understanding and communication of our language that people without physical impairments do, it shows how incredibly capable they are.
My life has been so enriched from connecting with people with cerebral palsy. The next time you see a person in a wheelchair, I encourage you to smile and say hello directly to them, instead of the person with them. We can all create a more inclusive world, one smile, and one conversation at a time!
I love this powerful and witty video and article by Janelle McMillan, she shares a very similar experience to Sally and reminds me so much of her! She also has cerebral palsy and is a fantastic advocate for non-verbal people to have their voices heard: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-28/janelle-mcmillan-non-verbal-on-being-understood-cerebral-palsy/101021122?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web