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Showing posts with the label Child & Adolescent Development

Define normal

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[Image Description: There is a red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple infinity symbol lapel pin with "Define Normal" in center-aligned black text over a white background. The pin is attached to a dark blue and bright yellow lanyard.]      "You look normal to me." "People with disabilities are not normal people." "Disabled people do not live normal lives." What is a "normal person?" What does this even mean? This language is outdated because there is no such thing as being not normal. There is no such thing as looking disabled. Every individual in the disability community experiences their disabilities differently and not all disabilities are obvious. This comment is even worse when it is supposed to be perceived as a compliment. In fact, plenty of people in the disability community actually take referring to people outside of the disability community as "normal" in comparison to them insulting. I will speak freely that t...

The Principles of Growth and Development

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[Image Description: The image shows a photograph of me as a toddler playing with a toy kitchen set. The toy kitchen is aqua, bright blue, bright pink, and white. There are a white pan and white pot with a pink lid on it on the pink play stove. I am smiling with my baby teeth showing, standing with my back turned away from the kitchen, and head turned facing the right. I am holding a plastic white play pan with a pink lid on it in my right hand with my left hand covering the lid. I am wearing a long sleeve light pink top with a light pink bow center-aligned along the neckline. My curly, dark brown hair was short. ] I would like to mention that I am not a medical doctor, psychologist, or therapist. All content posted on disability advocate/teacher influencer page is for educational purposes with no intent to provide any professional services. Social media should never be used as a substitute for mental nor medical health care advice.  If you suspect that your child is experiencing de...

Supporting Toddlers in the Disability Community

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[Image Description:  This image shows hemp with five clothes pins attached to it hanging down and across from a ceiling in a classroom. There is one autism awareness infinity symbol craft attached to each clothes pin. The infinity symbols are each white paper cut-outs with several red, yellow, dark green, and light blue paper cut-out puzzle pieces glued on each. These crafts were made by my former toddler students in my former 12-24 month old classroom for World Autism Day in 2021. ] CONTENT WARNING:   I would like to mention that I am not a medical doctor, psychologist, or therapist. All content posted on disability advocate/teacher influencer page is for educational purposes with no intent to provide any professional services. Social media should never be used as a substitute for mental nor medical health care advice.  If you suspect that your child is experiencing developmental concerns, it is okay to get help. I highly recommend seeking help from a medical doctor, psy...