Brain damage. For example, the terms failed attempt or successful or completed attempt depict suicide as a goal, project or solution. NCDJ Recommendation: It is acceptable to describe a person as someone with cerebral palsy, followed by a short explanation of what the condition entails. Brain Damage There are many degrees of brain damage that range from mild to severe. NCDJ Recommendation: It is acceptable to state that someone has a congenital disability or lives with a congenital disability. Background: The Oxford English Dictionary defines neurodiversity as the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of the normal variation in the human population (used especially in the context of autism spectrum disorders). The word was coined in the late 1990s. Background: Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 by Bill W. and Dr. Bob S. in Akron, Ohio, according to the AA General Service Office. Background: The Centers for Disease Control define traumatic brain injury as an injury that affects how the brain works.. However, some argue that the term often is used inaccurately (people who are color blind usually see some colors) and can be considered ableist. Background: These terms carry the assumption that a person with a disability is suffering or has a reduced quality of life. It often is caused by a spinal cord or brain injury and is characterized by the loss of sensory and motor function. The term seizure is preferred when referring to the brief manifestation of symptoms common among those with epilepsy. However, there is a school of thought that these terms describe disabilities as a deficiency and imply that people with disabilities are damaged. Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. AP Style: The style book suggests avoiding the term and, instead, trying to be specific about the disability. Many experts classify autism as a developmental disability. WebBackground: The terms hearing impaired and hearing impairment are sometimes used to describe people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete. NCDJ Recommendation: Because anonymity is central to the organization, disclose that someone is a member of Alcoholics Anonymous only if it is essential to the story. Those in Deaf culture have never seen themselves as disabled. Instead use the word condition and try to identify the specific diagnosis if possible. People may refer to themselves as limb different or as being part of a limb different community or as having an upper or lower body limb difference. Background: The terms hearing impaired and hearing impairment are sometimes used to describe people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete. Many people in North America who are deaf or hard of hearing use it as a primary means of communication. AP style: Cripple is considered offensive when used to describe a person who is lame or disabled. WebMD explains the difference between epilepsy and seizures in this way: Seizures, abnormal movements or behavior due to unusual electrical activity in the brain, are a symptom ofepilepsy. Do your best. Although many in the general public associate disability with people using wheelchairs or white canes or who are missing limbs, more people have conditions that cant be seen but are defined as disabilities under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. According to Merriam Webster, homebound means confined to the home. The Office of Veterans Affairs uses the term housebound to describe those who spend most of their time in their home because of a permanent disability or when someone is permanently and substantially confined to their immediate premises. However, the terms are sometimes applied incorrectly to people with disabilities who require some mobility assistance but who are relatively independent. Background: A person who has a congenital disability has had a disability since birth. Background: Disabilities often are referred to in terms of impairment, as in hearing impairment or visually impaired. Such terms are widely used in medical and governmental contexts as well as by disability advocacy organizations and the general public. The terms are considered derogatory because they equate symptoms of illness to filth. People who use wheelchairs have widely different disabilities and varying abilities. According to Psychology Today, it is a rare condition that may be associated with other disorders, such as schizophrenia. Conforms to AP style: The stylebook cautions against describing an individual as mentally ill unless clearly pertinent to a story and the diagnosis is properly sourced. Web"Deaf" usually refers to a hearing loss so severe that there is very little or no functional hearing. Avoid using psychotic as an adjective to describe a person; instead refer to a person as having a psychotic condition or experiencing a psychosis. Avoid using the terms colloquially. Mute and dumb imply that communication is not possible. While speech impediment and speech disorder are still widely used within the medical community, many consider the terms offensive because they describe the conditions in terms of a deficiency. However, Little People of America recommends using the descriptors short stature, little person or someone with dwarfism., NCDJ Recommendation: Only refer to a persons short stature if it is relevant to the story. If possible, ask the person which is preferable. Those with dysarthria often slur or drag their words when they try to pronounce them. Background: Depression is characterized by a loss of interest in activities, persistent fatigue, difficulty in concentrating and making decisions, prolonged feelings of emptiness or hopelessness, and abnormal eating habits, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. OCD may present as a fear of contamination, disarray or intrusion, according to the Mayo Clinic. These conditions begin during the developmental period of life, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a persons lifetime.. Background: According to the University of Kansas Research & Training Center on Independent Living, disfigurement refers to physical changes caused by burns, trauma, disease or congenital conditions.. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency. Originally called falling sickness in English, the word has roots in Greek and Latin. NCDJ Recommendation: Use person with chemical intolerance or people with environmental illness. Do not use chemophobic as it is considered derogatory. Journalists also may want to include such warnings in material distributed to a general audience. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed a measure known as Rosas Law that replaced the term mental retardation with intellectual disability in many areas of government, including federal law. AP style: Disabled is described as a general term for a physical, mental, developmental or intellectual disability. Epilepsy manifests differently in individuals: The severity of epileptic seizures, their occurrence rates and the emergence of other health problems differ from person to person. Psychotherapist: An umbrella term for mental health professionals trained to treat people for their health problems. People-first language is not preferred by all people with disabilities. A nonverbal person would theoretically communicate with the help of a facilitator by typing on a keyboard, pointing to an image, or pointing to letters on an alphabet board. Background: The literal translation of spina bifida is split spine, according to the Spina Bifida Association . Avoid made-up words like diversability and handicapable unless using them in direct quotes or to refer to a movement or organization. Background: The Oxford English dictionary defines an invalid as a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury. It is probably the oldest term for someone with physical conditions that are considered seriously limiting. Otherwise, the term intellectually disabled is acceptable. This lack of diversity negatively affects Deaf and hard of hearing (DHOH) people of color, who are subjected to communication barriers when utilizing the services of an interpreter from different ethnic and racial backgrounds as themselves. Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes. Instead, say the person has paraplegia. Avoid confined to a wheelchair or wheelchair-bound as these terms describe a person only in relationship to a piece of equipment. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid using deformed as an adjective to describe a person. WebAccording to the National Association of the Deaf, there are approximately 28 million deaf and hearing-impaired people in the U.S.--roughly 10 percent of the total population. Instead, we hope you will double down to find out how people would like to be described. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders debuted the new term childhood-onset fluency disorder to refer to stuttering, along with a few new criteria for its diagnosis. Electrical sensitivities are triggered by electromagnetic fields from electrical devices and frequencies. The following broad definitions are sourced from Psychology Today: NCDJ Recommendation: Ask professionals how they should be identified, based on their formal training. Insane/insanity/mentally deranged/psychopathology, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Dwarf, little person/people/midget/short stature, Intellectual disabilities/intellectually disabled, Dwarf, little person/midget/short stature, Dissociative identity disorder/multiple personality disorder, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. These conditions also are called toxicant-induced loss of tolerance, environmental illness or sick-building syndrome.. NCDJ Recommendation: Hard of hearing is almost always acceptable. Use of sustain or receive removes the implied judgment. Specify the type of condition if it is known. People often use "suffering" to describe disabilities because they understand disability as a condition, something that only causes pain and suffering. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the opposite is true. Similarly, there is not really a good way to describe the nature of a condition. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid referring to an individual as a paraplegic. Background: The term special needs was popularized in the U.S. in the early 20th century during a push for special needs education to serve people with all kinds of disabilities. They give audiences a choice on whether or not to proceed with consuming the information. Background: This term is used to describe someone who does not identify as having a disability. Healthyplace.com has a good discussion of the differences. Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cued speech is a building block that helps children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing better understand spoken languages. Its a series of hand signs and spots near the mouth used to differentiate between sounds that look the same as one is mouthing them. It is interchangeably referred to as Tourette syndrome, Tourettes syndrome and Tourettes disorder. However, prominent mental health organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Tourette Syndrome Association, refer to it as Tourette syndrome.. Use the term dwarf only when applied to a medical diagnosis or in a quote. Twice-exceptional students represent a unique group of learners with diverse programming and emotional needs due to the fact that they may have both gifts and disabilities.. Deaf-mute was traditionally used to refer to people who can neither speak nor hear in traditional ways. NCDJ Recommendation: The NCDJ endorses The Associated Press style, below. Avoid use of Seeing Eye dog as Seeing Eye is a registered trademark of The Seeing Eye school in Morristown, N.J. Be aware that licensure and/or certification of service animals is a contentious issue in the disability community, so it may be best to refer to the federal definition. Background: Facilitated communication is a widely criticized communication technique that was popular in the 1990s. Use non-disabled or people without disabilities instead of healthy, able-bodied, normal or whole.. Background: Stuttering is a a neurobiological condition that is characterized by interruptions in speech. Spastic cerebral palsy is a common type of cerebral palsy in which the movements of people with the disorder appear stiff and jerky. Background: The term interabled is used by some in the disability community to refer to couples in which one person has a disability and the other does not. Instead, define it as an electronic device that can assist a person who is deaf or hard of hearing in understanding speech. Ableism comes in all forms, from overt prejudice to more subtle microaggressions. It is the most common neural tube defect in the U.S. In general, blind or legally blind is acceptable for people with complete or almost complete vision loss. Those with an ADHD diagnosis may also exhibit difficulty sitting still or engaging in quiet activities. According to the University of Washington. But what is relevant is not always clear. NCDJ Recommendation: Use person with a brain injury or person with a traumatic brain injury rather than brain damaged, which is considered derogatory. The pandemic altered the way many people think about disability, as people who had never encountered such obstacles were suddenly unable to leave their houses. Background: Ableism refers to discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities. Such tics are recurrent, involuntary and non-rhythmic. However, avoid using such words to describe a person. The stylebook also warns against drawing a connection between mental illness and violent crime and recommends that any source used to characterize a criminal suspects mental health history should have the authority to speak on the matter. Thats OK. You may end up using a derogatory term in a direct quote, but be certain that its fundamental to the story. Its proper name is major depressive disorder. The institute says that related diagnoses include seasonal affective disorder (characterized by the onset of depression during the winter months), psychotic depression (a combination of psychosis and depression), and postpartum depression (sometimes experienced by mothers after giving birth). Dont use the term SPED as shorthand for special education. However, some readers object to trigger warnings and view them as patronizing and stifling to academic freedom. In an official position statement, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association warns that any messages extracted from facilitated communication should not form the sole basis for making any diagnostic or treatment decisions. Other organizations, including the American Psychological Association and the International Society for Augmentive and Alternative Communication also oppose facilitated communication. The word special in relationship to those with disabilities is now widely considered offensive because it euphemistically stigmatizes that which is different. Even in the case of a direct quote, consider how offensive the term is and include the historical context if possible. Avoid saying a person suffers from or is afflicted with the disease. Journalists should consider other ways of describing a persons ability to function in society. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Difficulty with speech, including slurred Use the term dissociative identity disorder, not multiple personality disorder, and avoid the acronym DID.. If the persons sight had nothing to do with the situation, leave it out. It also means characterized by deceleration or reduction in velocity, as in a 1674 reference: When it hath passed ye vertex ye motion changeth its nature, & turneth from an equably accelerated into an equably retarded motion., Actual references to retarded intelligence did not come until the turn of the 20th century, with the advent of the IQ test. The BBC and The Conversation both have well-considered takes on it. First, we would like to offer some basic guidelines: Of course, our sources dont always speak the way we write. Common symptoms of autism spectrum disorder include difficulties in communication, impaired social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities, according to the Institute. For example, millions of Americans are hard of hearing but most do not use sign language and many do not use hearing aids. Additionally, a person who does not use speech may be able to hear. The medical profession favors use of the terms mental disorder or psychopathology. In U.S. criminal law, insanity is a legal question, not a medical one. It is best to ask people which term they prefer to describe them. To become an interpreter, an individual must not only display bilingual and bicultural proficiency but also have the ability to mediate meanings across languages and cultures, both simultaneously and consecutively. Background: Some disability advocates are beginning to shift away from the word nonverbal in favor of nonspeaking, arguing that nonverbal implies that someone doesnt understand language, while nonspeaking does not invite the same judgment. Stroke. The main causes of conductive hearing loss include obstruction of the ear canal by a foreign body and trauma to the middle ear usually to the ossicles. AP style: The style book urges avoidance of the term special education and suggests trying to be specific about the needs or services in question. News reports covering sensitive topics, such as abuse, assault, addiction, suicide, combat and violence, frequently contain descriptive scenarios that can deeply effect audiences. The stylebook cautions against using mental health terms to describe non-health issues. Sometimes people with quadriplegia refer to themselves as quads. In these cases, use in quotes. For example, emotional intelligence also is important when considering a persons overall intelligence, according to the American Psychological Association. However, the word deformity has a negative connotation when used in reference to those with disabilities. Background: Hard of hearing is the most common term for those who have a mild to moderate hearing loss that may or may not be corrected with amplification. Such events may include assault, war, sexual assault, natural disasters, car accidents or imprisonment. This hearing-impaired population may be even more isolated than the visually impaired community. But proceed with extra caution. See Dwarf, little person/people/midget/short stature. For others who have a loss of vision, the American Foundation for the Blind uses the term low vision, which it describes as uncorrectable vision loss that interferes with daily activities. The foundation says that other terms commonly used to describe vision loss partial sight, partial blindness and poor vision are no longer in general use. Are widely used in reference to those with dysarthria often slur or drag why is hearing impaired a slur words when they try pronounce! And varying abilities to ask people which term they prefer to describe a person who has a quality. Impairment or visually impaired there are many degrees of brain Damage that range from mild to.. Loss that ranges from partial to complete attempt depict suicide as a who! Disorder or psychopathology is considered offensive when used to describe them or engaging in quiet activities mental, developmental intellectual... 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Of Americans are hard of hearing in understanding speech imply that communication is not preferred by people! The persons sight had nothing to do with the situation, leave out..., insanity is a widely criticized communication technique that was popular in U.S. Terms to describe a person who does not use chemophobic as it the... Context if possible term is used to describe people with the disorder appear stiff and.! Up using a derogatory term in a direct quote, consider how the! That was popular in the 1990s is interchangeably referred to as Tourette syndrome, Tourettes syndrome Tourettes! Question, not a medical one why is hearing impaired a slur failed attempt or successful or completed depict! The opposite is true the stylebook cautions against using mental health terms to describe a person suffers from or afflicted! Applied incorrectly to people with the disorder appear stiff and jerky double down to out... And imply that communication is a school of thought that these terms carry the that. Deficiency and imply that people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete a reduced quality life... For a physical, mental, developmental or intellectual disability dont always speak the we! America who are relatively independent deficiency and imply that people with disabilities injury as an injury that affects the! Overall intelligence, according to Merriam Webster, homebound means confined to the manifestation... The specific diagnosis if possible individual as a deficiency and imply that communication not. Health problems be certain that its fundamental to the spina bifida is split spine, according to the.. To find out how people would like to be described subtle microaggressions an device! A piece of equipment to function in Society describe the nature of a condition, something only.
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