How to talk to a child about children and adults with special needs

one of the difficult topics to discuss with a child is people with developmental disabilities and health problems. As a rule, children immediately note their dissimilarity from the rest, so they ask questions and have the right to receive exhaustive answers. 

We will tell you how to discuss with a child a rather complex topic of tolerance in society and instill in him an adequate attitude towards people with disabilities or special needs. The problem of tolerance in modern society

The lack of tolerance for people with disabilities or special needs is a problem that still remains relevant.

Their positive image as full-fledged members of society is not formed in the minds of healthy citizens. People with disabilities are considered dependent, flawed. Any health defect, according to society, deprives a person of the opportunity to live a full life, raise children, build a career.

The root of the problem is that there is still no systematic work on integrating people with special needs or health into society. Not all state institutions can boast of a barrier-free environment, not every elevator will be entered by a wheelchair user, and so on. Disabled people lead a closed lifestyle. And if they appear in public, they suffer at best sympathetic glances, from which you want to hide behind the doors of your house as soon as possible. 

In order to make tolerance to all members of society the norm of life once and for all, without exception, it is necessary to instill its foundations from childhood:✓ teach children to accept other people as they are;

✓ to form such moral qualities as altruism, mutual assistance, sensitivity, tact;

eliminate the myth about the limited opportunities of people with disabilities or developmental disabilities. These are just health features, they do not limit, but modify a person's way of life and his communication with others.

Do you want to learn how to form qualities in a modern child that will help to become a successful and happy adult? Then register - at Dmitry Karpachev's transplant-free online master class "What every parent should know". Uncomfortable situations:

how to react to parentsKids are inquisitive and at the same time not burdened with complexes.

They can loudly admire something and just as loudly comment on what caused their surprise. A person in a wheelchair, a child with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy is not the most typical picture for an ordinary baby. Therefore, he will certainly take a closer look at them. And he will definitely share the result of his observations with his parents.

If this happened in the presence of a person with disabilities or developmental disabilities, do not scold the child. It is indicative to start educating and sprinkle your head with ashes is also not necessary. It is better to calmly apologize and switch the baby's attention to something else.

Manifestations of intoleranceIt happens that children are intolerant of people with different health and development characteristics.

They insult with words or actions. Here we need to act more harshly, but again not publicly. The task of parents is to eliminate manifestations of discrimination of other people on any basis in the child. 

Projection on yourself will help in this. It is worth asking the child this question: "And if you were teased like that, would it be nice?". And do not forget to remind you that health problems can also occur in an initially healthy person. Therefore, theoretically, everyone can end up in a wheelchair. How to form a child's tolerant attitude towards people with special needs

Children, like sponges, absorb information that comes from the environment.

The most authoritative people for them are relatives — parents, grandparents, etc. If you demonstrate by your example a tolerant attitude towards people and children with special needs, then the child will treat them in the same way.

Your task is to make it clear to your child that people who are unlike him have exactly the same rights. You can and should communicate and be friends with them.

Where to start:Don't avoid talking about people with special needs.

2. Answer as clearly as possible: a disease or a feature of development has led to the fact that a person cannot walk / talk / think the way others do. 
3. The child should know that all representatives of society are different: skin color, eyes, religion and health status are not a reason to single out someone, especially in a negative context. 
4. If there is a child with developmental disabilities in your environment, explain to your baby the reasons for his atypical behavior. For example, swaying from side to side, sudden screaming, etc. is a sign of stress. Prepare for such reactions so that they are not unexpected for your child.
5. Tell us about different diseases and innate features of people (autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy). How they manifest themselves, how to communicate with such children and adults. Explain that everything is very individual — the syndrome / disease can be expressed moderately or strongly. 
6. Children with preserved intelligence can communicate, play and make friends in the same way as your child's ordinary peers. Therefore, they do not need to be shunned. On the contrary, in the person of a special child, your baby can get a devoted friend. 
7. Teach your child to see others as a person first of all. To notice their individuality, to be interested in their opinion. And only then pay attention to physical disabilities or developmental features.
8. Strictly prevent the use of offensive epithets concerning people with health problems.
9. Teach your child the correct definitions: "a person with a disability/ autism / Down syndrome", and not "disabled", "retarded in development", etc.

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The system of inclusive education in different countries

Since 2017, a system of inclusive education has been operating in Ukraine.

Its essence is to create classes in which children with special needs study together with healthy children. The goal of the program is to ensure equal rights and access to education for all children, regardless of their health status. Co-education helps special children develop social and communication skills, learn in a real environment, and find friends.

In the USA, the integration of children with special educational needs into regular schools took place even earlier. Since 1973, the "Inclusive" program has been operating, according to which children with disabilities are taught in classes with normotypic children. 

In Russia, the system of inclusive education is developing rapidly. Today in Moscow alone, more than 300 schools operate according to the principles of inclusion. Children with disabilities have access to individual curricula, adaptive visiting schedules, etc.

How to explain to a healthy child the nuances of learning in an inclusive classroomThe standard curriculum is adjusted to the capabilities of a particular child with special educational needs.

And it is important to explain to the rest of the children in the class why some students have an assistant (tutor), why they do not always answer in class and do not teach what others do. 

Start with the benefits:inclusion allows children with different health conditions to communicate freely;

• this is how tolerance is fostered in society and respect for the rights of all its members;
• you have the opportunity to make friends and help a child with special needs. This will teach friendliness, attentiveness, empathy.

How can a healthy child interact with special classmates:first of all — treat with understanding, respect, patience;

• calmly perceive the peculiarities of behavior, reactions, manner of speech;
• try to find contact with such a child, establish communication and make friends;
• provide all possible assistance (explain the task, submit the fallen pen);
• do not make fun of physical shortcomings, do not emphasize that the child is not like the others.

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By personal example, demonstrate to your children how to communicate with people with health or developmental disabilities. Be tolerant, understanding and friendly to them. And not only to them, but in general to others. So you will set the right guidelines and make an effective "vaccination" against intolerance.