Life in lockdown for children with disabilities
One boy’s effort to overcome stigma and discrimination by addressing social norms during the pandemic
For 9-year-old Troy, who has a developmental disability, the last two years have consisted of on-screen interactions with friends, classmates, and his teacher. As a keen learner, Troy especially enjoys his Filipino classes and looks forward to getting a degree when he’s older. “But I like face-to-face school more than online; I want to see my classmates and teachers in person,” he explains.
“I went to kindergarten before the pandemic, and it was so great. There was a playground there, we could play basketball, soccer and play with my friends. I was so happy there,” he says. One of the things he looked forward to most was being able to play outside with his friends again as restrictions gradually lifted. “Most of the time, I play basketball with my friends and we imitate the famous players.”
“Sometimes when people are sitting outside relaxing or drinking, I will rap and perform for them. They like my rap; it makes them happy.”
“When I walk [around] with my friends, I can normally keep up with them. And if they walk fast, I just run instead.” Troy’s family have never been able to get a diagnosis for him, but they say he has delays in development, and his legs don’t have much strength in them.
Even before the pandemic, children with disabilities faced stigma and discrimination. “If people ask why I walk like this I just try to laugh,” Troy recalls his experiences. Overcoming stigma starts with addressing social norms and Troy is leading by example. “There is another child, Toto, here that doesn’t walk right and if people tease him, I help him out and tell the others not to tease him. I don’t know how old he is, but he is smaller than me,” he says.
Beyond his own experiences, Troy says the worst thing about the pandemic was how it impacted everyone, “I didn’t like that people weren’t allowed to go outside and do the things that they enjoy.”
How we recover and rebuild should take into consideration the rights and needs of everyone, especially the most marginalized, like children with disabilities. Only then will the world become a safer and more inclusive place for every child.
