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Original poster

Could we have a disability board?

191 replies

Hazelnut5 · 29/04/2021 19:08

I know there are loads of us on here with disabilities, but there’s currently nowhere obvious to post about it.

There are lots of threads scattered across the topics: issues like applying for PIP, grants, mobility scooters, working / parenting with a disability, where to buy incontinence pads, frustrations, etc etc. But without a clear place to post, the threads tend to get lost amongst all the other concerns. That also makes it very hard to build any kind of community among the disabled users.

There’s a special needs board but that seems to be used mainly for threads about autism and ADHD. It would never occur to me to look there for threads about disability.

Lots of people with disabilities really struggle in their lives and can feel very isolated when everyone else seems to be getting along fine in their able-bodied worlds. I think a disability board could really address our isolation and make a positive difference to our lives.

OP posts:
BlankTimes · 04/05/2021 10:56

Would the 'chat' discussions disappear after a certain time?

If so, maybe DLA PIP UC and all other benefits queries would need to be directed to a different board where answers to enquiries would be kept, because the same questions about how to complete forms, be made appointee, shock at how can a disabled person be assessed with so few points, how to appeal come up over and over again as new enquiries.

A lot of the time, people 'in the system' just need reassurance that they can plod through the quagmire and achieve a good result even though it doesn't seem like it at the time. Seeing other peoples' 'how I did it' successes may help, rather than threads with helpful information being deleted after a certain number of days.

Original poster
Hazelnut5 · 04/05/2021 10:37

We could move the carers topic here too - it’s currently on the ‘Other’ board. I expect carers would want to read/post on all the topics, but a carers topic would give carers a place to discuss particular issues associated with caring.

Here’s another suggestion for a list of topics.

Disabilities

Disabilities chat
Children with disabilities
Teens and young adults with disabilities
Adults with disabilities
Wheelchairs and mobility aids
Legal/financial (disability)
Special Needs education
Recommendations (disability)
Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Disability Support sessions
Carers

OP posts:
RoisinD · 04/05/2021 07:54

Yes please

5zeds · 04/05/2021 07:48

So at present under the banner Special Needs , we have the following sections

Mumsnetters with Special Needs
Special Needs Children
Special Needs Legal/Financial
Special Needs teens and young adults
Special Needs wheelchairs and mobility aids
Special Needs Chat
Special Needs Education
Special Needs Recommendations
Special Needs Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Special Needs Support sessions

We could change the wording to,
Disability and Special Needs

Disabled Mumsnetters
Special Needs/disabled Children
Legal/Financial (disability)
Disabled teens and young adults
wheelchairs and mobility aids
Disability Chat
Special Needs Education
Recommendations (disability)
Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Disability Support sessions

Would that be more inclusive?

5zeds · 03/05/2021 21:52

The SN site is almost exclusively about autism. presumably that’s because for some reason people equate SN with neurodiverse children. It was never the intention to have an autism specific boards. If that’s what it’s become it should be rebranded or supplemented. I personally prefer disabled to SN/AN because my son IS disabled he is older. I genuinely don’t like the idea of having disability boards where some disabilities are excluded.

Moondust001 · 03/05/2021 21:40

I totally understand that the entire visible/ invisible disability spectrum is enormous and I have no interest in saying that someone is more or less disabled. But "special needs" has become a term with specific meaning. I have no special needs. I just don't walk good! There is nothing "special" about it. I'd participate in a disability board, but special needs says nothing to me as a person with disabilities.

thinkIamdone · 03/05/2021 21:40

@5zeds

I thought that’s what the SN boards wereConfused

The SN site is almost exclusively about autism.

CervixHaver · 03/05/2021 21:22

@5zeds

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability. though I still think just replacing SN with “disabled” in the boards we have would work??
Well no, because some of us have children with special needs and need that understanding place to go for support
busface999 · 03/05/2021 21:09

100%

5zeds · 03/05/2021 21:08

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability. though I still think just replacing SN with “disabled” in the boards we have would work??

BlankTimes · 03/05/2021 18:19

I agree a language change is needed, but I don't think people understand that there's no clear "split" with disability between SN/AN/Neurodiversity and what's usually seen as "only" physical disability. For many people, they don't exist as separate things, so a board for disabled adults needs to cater for ALL disabilities, surely?

As I said in my previous post, many adults who are neurodiverse also have one or more physical disabilities as co-morbid conditions, so it's pretty much impossible to have a board for solely physical disability.

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability.

Coolhand2 · 03/05/2021 18:04

Yes please, we have a quadriplegic in our family, so that would help.

Tealightsandd · 03/05/2021 17:57

I really hope this board happens. I agree too it should include all disability. It should anyway, but it's not uncommon for people with physical disability to also suffer from or develop disabling mental health issues (as is the case for one of my family members).

Original poster
Hazelnut5 · 03/05/2021 17:29

I agree with those who say it should include all disabilities. I don’t see any benefit in limiting it to physical disabilities.

OP posts:
Wheesplat · 03/05/2021 17:21

I wasn't saying that physical disabilities don’t go with invisible ones. I was saying if you title it physical disability I would not feel welcome.

Original poster
Hazelnut5 · 03/05/2021 16:58

This sentence from Wikipedia captures how I think of special needs:
The term Special Needs is a short form of Special Education Needs and is a way to refer to students with disabilities, in which their learning may be altered or delayed compared to other students.

The language of disability changes from generation to generation of course, with words like ‘handicapped’ coming in and then going out of fashion. ‘Disability’ seems to be pretty much universally used today.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hazelnut5 · 03/05/2021 16:45

BlankTimes oh dear, looks like I expressed myself badly. Sorry. Of course ASD, ADHD etc are disabilities - I really didn’t mean to imply that they’re not.

But it’s clear from this thread that lots of us with disabilities just don’t see the term ‘Special needs’ and think that it relates to us.

OP posts:
AzkabanPrison · 03/05/2021 16:38

Yes please! Fully onboard for this as someone who is getting to grips with pip and things that are available to me I think it would be helpful!

BlankTimes · 03/05/2021 16:22

There’s a special needs board but that seems to be used mainly for threads about autism and ADHD. It would never occur to me to look there for threads about disability

Maybe you need to define what you mean by disability?

ASD, ADHD and many other neurodiversities are disabilities.

It's also very common for people who are neurodiverse to have co-morbid conditions like hypotonia, joint hypermobility, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue/ME, severe digestion issues and many others.

DLA, PIP and Blue Badges are awarded to people with neurodiversity with or without co-morbid conditions.

I see no problem about anyone requesting a board for physical disabilities - if that's actually what you do want, but don't be surprised if you get input from the neurodiverse community because many of them have some form of physical disability too.

Could we have a disability board?
CervixHaver · 03/05/2021 16:20

Yes please!

Littlegreenparrot · 03/05/2021 16:09

Yes,please.
I would love somewhere to talk about the day to day with a disability/ chronic health condition in tow.

Pretty please.Flowers

BiBabbles · 03/05/2021 16:05

Great idea Smile

Alternista · 03/05/2021 16:04

I can’t quite believe there isn’t already one!

whatnow41 · 03/05/2021 15:57

Yes pls. I hate the way I have to say I'm disabled upfront in case I'm accused of drip feeding later if a topic seems irrelevant to my disability but takes a twist.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 03/05/2021 15:40

I would love a disability board. I have been disabled since my twenties and would never consider SN as applying to me. I also never liked SN for my disabled children even when they were younger and certainly not now that they are young adults.
As both disabled myself and a carer such a board would be great.
As an example of how random advice is now I was once able to tell another poster about some crutch adaptations on the Christmas board!