This is one of the most challenging things to do as a parent. You find it impossible to stand the trauma of your child disabled. Your heart screams in agony when you see your child dependent on you for day to day activities. For students with physical handicaps, self-image is extremely important. People around them have to be extremely sensitive about the positive aura around them. These children are well aware of the fact that they are physically different than the other children. Peers can be a bit cruel to them and become involved in teasing, casting insulting remarks and excluding them from the games and group time activities.

The focus needs to be on what they CAN do- not can’t do.
Strategies that help:

1. Physically disabled children long to be normal and be seen as normal as much as possible. Focus on what they can do at all times.

2. Find out what the child’s strengths are and capitalise on them. These children need to feel as successful too!

3. Keep your expectations of the physically disabled child high. This child is capable of achieving.

4. Accepting rude remarks, name calling or teasing from other children can act as a discouraging act for those children. Sometimes other children need to be taught about physical disabilities to develop respect and acceptance.

5. Compliment appearance from time to time.

6. Make adjustments and accommodations whenever possible to enable this child to participate as far as possible.

7. Never pity the physically disabled child, they do not want your pity.

8. Take the opportunity when the child is absent to teach the rest of the class about physical handicaps, this will help foster understanding and acceptance.

9. Take frequent 1 to 1 time with the child to make sure that he/she is aware that you’re there to help when needed.