Epilepsy is most commonly treated with medication but treatment also can include use of medical devices, surgery, diet and emerging therapy methods. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid the use of mongoloid to refer to someone with Down syndrome. It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. Avoid describing someone as handicapped., See also Disabled people/people with disabilities, Background: The Society for Disability Studies defines the discipline as sitting at the intersection of many overlapping disciplines in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. Psychotherapist: An umbrella term for mental health professionals trained to treat people for their health problems. NCDJ Recommendation: Treatment is an acceptable term for medical interventions, and treatment center is acceptable for the establishment in which such practices take place. Psychologist: A mental health professional trained in the discipline of psychology and who often does psychological testing and research. 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. Tetraplegia is used interchangeably with quadriplegia.. Background: People-first language avoids defining people in terms of their disability. For example, addressing the functional needs of people with disabilities could be used when referring to a facility or program. It is characterized by new muscle weakness, joint and muscle pain and fatigue., NCDJ Recommendation: Use the term polio rather than infantile paralysis. The Genome Research Institute offers comprehensive information about different genetic conditions, genetic testing and other pertinent topics. The terms signer and interpreter often are used interchangeably but mean different things. It is a negative commotation. AP style: Disabled is described as a general term for a physical, mental, developmental or intellectual disability. Background: Schizophrenia is a serious chronic mental illness characterized by distorted recognition and interpretations of reality, affecting how an individual thinks, feels and acts, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.Common symptoms include visual and auditory hallucinations, delusional and disordered thinking, unresponsiveness, and a lack of pleasure in daily life and other social issues. Many chronic health conditions also are considered invisible disabilities, depending on their severity and impact on daily living. The terms also are misleading, as wheelchairs can liberate people, allowing them to move about, and they are inaccurate, as people who use wheelchairs are not permanently confined to them but are transferred to sleep, sit in chairs, drive cars, etc. NCDJ Recommendation: If youre an educator, consider alerting students ahead of time if content contains graphic descriptions of traumatic events. Neurodiversity basically means that brains operate differently and thats not a bad thing. Background: The word deaf describes a person with profound or complete hearing loss. AP style: Addressed in entry for Trauma, suggesting that traumatic brain injury is an acceptable use of the word trauma., Background: A caregiver is an individual who provides direct care to people with disabilities and others, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. If Full Deaf, call them Deaf. See also Insane/insanity/mentally deranged/psychopathology. "Hard of hearing" refers to a hearing loss where there may be enough residual NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid using hearing impaired or hearing impairment. For those with total hearing loss or who identity as a member of the Deaf community, deaf is acceptable. Use the term dissociative identity disorder, not multiple personality disorder, and avoid the acronym DID.. Background: The University of Kansas Research & Training Center on Independent Living describes these as chronic medical conditions characterized by neurological impairment, muscle pain and weakness, respiratory problems and gastrointestinal complaints. Background: Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by tics, sudden, purposeless and rapid movements or vocalizations, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders. Adults are also diagnosed with ADHD. Healthyplace.com has a good discussion of the differences. AP style:Not directly addressed, although the style book recommends avoiding using disability-related words lightly or in unrelated situations. Plain English looks and sounds like standard forms of writing. Another version, Easy English, aims at a lower reading level with short sentences often accompanied by pictures. Access the Spanish language translation of this guide here. It is frequently used in such references as injuries suffered in a car accident.. For example: He has muscular dystrophy., Conforms to AP style that suggests avoiding descriptions that connote pity., Background: According to the Mayo Clinic, albinism typically refers to oculocutaneous (ok-u-low-ku-TAY-nee-us) albinism (OCA) a group of inherited disorders that results in little or no production of the pigment melanin. The case for nonspeaking is outlined by the non-profit organization The Guild for Human Services. Background: The terms hearing impaired and hearing impairment are sometimes used to describe people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete. Background: The Center for Inclusive Design defines Plain English as a direct style of writing for people who can read at a reasonable level. For example, millions of Americans are hard of hearing but most do not use sign language and many do not use hearing aids. WebApraxia. Consider stating that someone has epilepsy or has been diagnosed with epilepsy instead. For example: He has muscular dystrophy, and avoiding characterizing those conditions as afflictions. While caregiver and caretaker often are used interchangeably, they imply something different. For a long time, it simply meant slow. Background: Non-disabled refers to someone who does not have a disability. For example, they might say that an individual with Down syndrome lives with minimal or no extra l assistance. ASL is acceptable on second reference. 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. AP style: AP medical stories tend to refer to a specific deformity or deformities rather than describing an individual as deformed., Background: Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life, according to the Alzheimers Association. These foods have important vitamins and help keep the lining of the throat healthy. Most are proud to be Deaf. NCDJ Recommendation: Both terms are acceptable, although many people prefer people-first language, stating that someone is a person with an intellectual disability rather than referring to the person as intellectually disabled. The term dyslexic is used by some organizations as a noun and as an adjective in a non-pejorative way; however, using the word as a noun (describing a person as a dyslexic) appears to be falling out of use. Thats OK. You may end up using a derogatory term in a direct quote, but be certain that its fundamental to the story. Uneven or abnormal speech rhythm. This takes years of intensive practice and professional training.. 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. AP style: Cripple is considered offensive when used to describe a person who is lame or disabled. People with these conditions often are referred to as quadriplegics and paraplegics, but these terms are considered offensive by some. NCDJ Recommendation: It is acceptable to describe a person as someone who uses a wheelchair, followed by an explanation of why the equipment is required. In short, impairment refers to the condition of an organ or structure of the body; disability means that a person has a functional limitation due to an impairment. Many experts classify autism as a developmental disability. Otherwise, use the terms disabled, disability or person with a disability.. AP style: The stylebook says birth defect is acceptable in broad references, such as lessening the chances of birth defects. AP style: The style book states that congenital disorder is acceptable and recommends being specific about the condition. The federal definition of a service animal applies to any guide dog, signal dog or other animal trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. This may include animals that guide individuals with impacted vision, alert individuals with impacted hearing to intruders or sounds, provide minimal protection or rescue work, pull a wheelchair or fetch dropped items. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid using the terms unless used in a direct quote. Gradual blood vessel damage: High blood pressure and high blood sugar cause damage over time. Psychoanalyst: A specific type of psychotherapist trained to work with both an individuals unconscious and unconscious mind. Bipolar disorder used to be referred to as manic depressive illness, but that is no longer the case. This style guide, which covers dozens of words and terms commonly used when referring to disability, can help. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid referring to an individual as a paraplegic. Avoid using terms such as suffers from or afflicted with in association with the condition. According to the University of Washington. 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. NCDJ Recommendation: It is acceptable to describe a person as someone with spina bifida, followed by a short explanation of what their condition entails if it is pertinent to the story. Background: Facilitated communication is a widely criticized communication technique that was popular in the 1990s. Even with the caveat that this does not apply to all, we have heard from many people with disabilities who take issue with that advice. Rapid speech that is difficult to understand. Sometimes people with paraplegia refer to themselves as a para. In those cases, use the word in quotes. NCDJ Recommendation: While it is acceptable to use the terms developmental disability and developmental disabilities, it is preferable to use the name of the specific disability whenever possible. Slow speech. 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. NCDJ Recommendation: Refer to someone as catatonic only if it is part of a medical diagnosis. Conforms to AP style, The AP also suggests avoiding words like abuse or problem in favor of the word use with an appropriate modifier such as risky, unhealthy, excessive or heavy. Misuse also is acceptable. If a medical diagnosis is not available, use quotes around the word and indicate that a diagnosis has not been confirmed. 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. WebIt feels like hearing impaired is the PC term that people use because they're uncomfortable saying "Deaf" and that they don't know how to talk to you or are focusing on your deafness, like they need to pick the right word or you're going to It is a common learning disability among children, although adolescents and adults with dyslexia often exhibit symptoms as well. The terms are considered derogatory because they equate symptoms of illness to filth. NCDJ Recommendation: Refer to someone as having depression only if the information is relevant to the story and you are confident there is a medical diagnosis. The AA program is focused on 12 steps to achieve sobriety. Be cautious about calling someone an ableist just as you would be cautious about calling someone a racist or a sexist. The phrase abnormal behavior reflects social-cultural standards and is open to different interpretations. Today, many government and private organizations in the U.S. and elsewhere use deafblind instead of deaf-blind. It is widely viewed as legitimate and important. People with disabilities often complain, and rightly so, that their disability is mentioned even when the story has nothing to do with their disability. It was first reported in 1866 by Dr. John Langdon Down and is characterized by a range of physical and cognitive characteristics, which the National Institutes of Health details. NCDJ Recommendation: When possible, avoid describing a person or condition as impaired. Alternative language for hearing impairment and visual impairment are offered under those entries. For example, a person may be able to describe having low central or peripheral vision. Slurred speech after a stroke is the most common NCDJ Recommendation: Neurodiversity can be used as a way of describing someone on the autism spectrum, but because its a relatively new term, consider offering the definition when you use it, particularly in work meant for a mainstream audience. However, symptoms vary across the spectrum. For example: Eds: Graphic details of the killings could be offensive or disturbing to some readers.. AP style: The stylebook refers, without comment, to albino, albinos. Melanin also plays a role in the development of optic nerves, so people with albinism have vision problems. NCJD Recommendation: Use person who has a cleft palate. Avoid harelip., Background: A cochlear implant is an electronic device that can improve understanding of speech for some people who are deaf or hard of hearing. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid using defect or defective when describing a disability. WebInclude plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in their diet. AP Style: The only reference relates to hyphenation. Patients may exhibit eye movements and other involuntary movements. If one method of communication fails to work, try another. There are many types of seizures, which range in severity. NCDJ Recommendation: Use augmentative and alternative communication on first reference, explaining what it means. It is considered highly derogatory to describe someone with Down syndrome as being mongoloid.. Limited vision: Acceptable when a person is not legally or completely blind, Low vision: Acceptable when a person is not legally or completely blind. 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. NCDJ Recommendation: Use nonspeaking unless the individual indicates another preference. Some are opposed to the use of AAC because of the belief that it will hinder language development. NCDJ Recommendation: It is acceptable to describe a person as someone with muscular dystrophy, followed by a short explanation of what the condition entails. Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. I legit ignore every notification with the word in it.. See also Epilepsy/epileptic/epileptic fit. AP style: Not specifically addressed, but the style book refers to mental health professional in an entry on mental illness. Webwhy is hearing impaired a slur. The BBC and The Conversation both have well-considered takes on it. It is important to understand that many people do not consider being deaf or having hearing loss as a disability. Brain damage. Medically assisted suicide is permitted in some states and countries. Reactions for those with chemical sensitivities are triggered by low-level exposure to everyday substances and products, including pesticides, solvents, cleaning agents, new carpeting and adhesives, and fragrances and scented products. Dont assume all people who engage in misuse have an addiction. 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. It is characterized by unusually intense shifts in emotion, energy, behavior and activity levels in what are called mood episodes. Such episodes are usually classified as manic, hypomanic, depressive or mixed episodes. In addition, there is a difference between impairment and disability, according to the Institute of Human Services. Disorder is ubiquitous when it comes to medical references; and the same is true for special when used in special education, so there may be times when its appropriate to use them. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid using the terms high functioning and low functioning. Instead, use medical diagnoses and describe an individuals abilities and challenges, rather than using less-specific labels. 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