However, The National Association of the Deaf supports the identity-first approach. There is debate over how relevant IQ tests should be in making a diagnosis. When possible, refer to a persons specific condition. Dont say that an awards show, for example, was schizophrenic.. Background: Prelingually deaf refers to individuals who were born deaf or became deaf prior to learning to understand and speak a language, according to Gallaudet University, a university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C. Postlingually deaf or late-deafened describes people who lost their hearing ability after they learned to speak a language. Referring to someone as a paraplegic is offensive to some people as it implies that their condition defines them. The association recommends using people-first language to describe mental illness in order to avoid defining people by their disability. The term special education is still widely used when referring to public school programs, although some government entities use titles like exceptional student services.. However, advocates support the device for suitable candidates. 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. Background: People who use mobility equipment such as a wheelchair, scooter or cane consider the equipment part of their personal space, according to the United Spinal Association. Triggers can be hard to predict, and they vary from individual to individual, but communicating the nature of your content builds audience trust. Again, proceed with caution. Background: People-first language avoids defining people in terms of their disability. There are four types of spina bifida. Addiction often implies dependence on substances other than alcohol, although alcoholism is essentially alcohol addiction. More. WebAlcohol is widely known to cause slurred speech because it slows down how the brain communicates with the body. WebBackground: The terms hearing impaired and hearing impairment are sometimes used to describe people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete. Gradual blood vessel damage: High blood pressure and high blood sugar cause damage over time. Neurodiversity basically means that brains operate differently and thats not a bad thing. 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. At times, words that are considered outdated may be appropriate because of the storys historical context. The case for nonspeaking is outlined by the non-profit organization The Guild for Human Services. The terms intellectually disabled, developmentally disabled, cognitive disability and intellectual disability are acceptable when used in a people-first context to describe someone with Down syndrome, such as the person has a developmental disability. However, it is more accurate to refer specifically to Down syndrome when that is the medically diagnosed condition. For more information on mental illness, see the National Institute for Mental Health. AP style: Not specifically addressed, but the style book suggests not using such terms without asking for an individuals preference. combination of your inner ear and the nerves in your ear. Many people with chronic illnesses do not consider themselves disabled and thus may be offended by the term. NCDJ Recommendation: Consider using speech disability instead of impediment, disorder or impairment.. The BBC and The Conversation both have well-considered takes on it. Use the term dwarf only when applied to a medical diagnosis or in a quote. For example: He has muscular dystrophy, and avoiding characterizing those conditions as afflictions. While these often are technological in nature, such as speech-generating devices, interactive touch screens or amplifiers to boost volume, they also may include drawing, gesturing, signing, finger spelling or picture books, among others. Background: Quadriplegia is defined as the paralysis of all four limbs as well as the torso. It is considered highly derogatory to describe someone with Down syndrome as being mongoloid.. But why does their speech get sloppier? Nasal, raspy or strained voice. Those in Deaf culture have never seen themselves as disabled. There's nothing inherently negative about spasticity aside from the pain that can result from it but like many neutral words, people have used "spaz" to make Background: Diversability is a term coined by Tiffany Yu, a disability rights advocate. According to the National Institute on Aging, other dementias include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal disorders and vascular dementia. But according to deafblind.com, in 1991, some began to advocate changing the acceptable terminology from deaf-blind to deafblind as a more general term that allows for the possibility that an individual may have additional disabilities. People with cerebral palsy can exhibit a variety of symptoms. It is best to ask your sources what they prefer and take that into consideration. Background: Dwarfism is a medical or genetic condition that results in a stature below 410, according to Little People of America. NCDJ Recommendation: Ask the disabled person or disability organizational spokesperson about their preferred terminology. If a medical diagnosis is not available, use quotes around the word and indicate that a diagnosis has not been confirmed. Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological and developmental disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. She experiences symptoms of psychosis is preferable to She is psychotic. He has a bipolar disorder is preferable to He is bipolar.. Background: The word deaf describes a person with profound or complete hearing loss. Its best to avoid using clean and dirty with regard to drug test results, according to the Center for Substance Abuse and Treatment. 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. Use this guide. However, academics eventually found there was little scientific evidence that the technique worked, leading many to conclude the aide was actually the one communicating, according to a study from Emory University. 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. 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). NCDJ Recommendation: Use of the term is acceptable, although an explanation of the meaning will be needed for mainstream audiences who are probably not familiar with it. According to the University of Kansas Research & Training Center on Independent Living, post-polio syndrome is a condition that affects some persons who have had poliomyelitis (polio) long after recovery from the disease. NCDJ Recommendation: Ask your sources what term they prefer. WebYSK that "Hearing Impaired" term is incorrect and offensive, use Hard of Hearing when referring to the demographic. Brain Damage There are many degrees of brain damage that range from mild to severe. This takes years of intensive practice and professional training.. AP style: The style book suggests naming the specific condition when possible rather than making a general reference. Instead, define it as an electronic device that can assist a person who is deaf or hard of hearing in understanding speech. Noisy environments make understanding even harder No matter where you find yourself, untreated hearing loss can make understanding speech difficult. People with these conditions often are referred to as quadriplegics and paraplegics, but these terms are considered offensive by some. Symptoms include restlessness, difficulty in focusing or staying organized and impulsivity. However, only about 15% of those with eye conditions are totally blind. Until recently, the term deaf-blind was widely accepted, and it is still in use today. The technique was originally developed to help those with significant developmental disabilities, such as some forms of autism and cerebral palsy. 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. A note about person-first language. NCDJ Recommendation: Refer to someone as having schizophrenia only if the information is relevant to the story and youre confident there is a medical diagnosis. ASL is acceptable on second reference. 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.. 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. 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. AP style:Not directly addressed, although the style book recommends avoiding using disability-related words lightly or in unrelated situations. Instead, be as specific as possible. Many people object to the use of the word to describe a physical condition because it is used in colloquial English as a synonym for weak, as in: Thats a lame excuse., The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines lamebrain as a dull-witted person.. However, some people still strongly support the method. In those cases, attribute the term or note its historic use. Many people in North America who are deaf or hard of hearing use it as a primary means of communication. Mute and dumb imply that communication is not possible. Seizures are more common than you might think. Earwax buildup (cerumen) can occlude sound from passing through to the middle ear. Do not substitute slow learner or another derogatory term like retarded.. Your liver can only break down a little alcohol at a time, Some people with mild to moderate hearing loss may affiliate themselves with the Deaf community and prefer to be referred to as deaf instead of hard of hearing. Alternatively, some who are profoundly deaf may prefer the term hard of hearing.. The stylebook cautions against using mental health terms to describe non-health issues. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its derived from the Italian wordritardato, and the first definition of the adjective version is held back or in check; hindered, impeded; delayed, deferred.. Some are opposed to the use of AAC because of the belief that it will hinder language development. The appropriateness of the terms is disputed by those within and outside of the organization. Neurological Disorders. Background: An alcoholic is someone who has the disease of alcoholism. Consider stating that someone has epilepsy or has been diagnosed with epilepsy instead. Many feel that its never appropriate to use homebound or housebound.. Historically it was called mongoloidism, and people with it were called Mongoloids; this is now considered offensive. Others prefer it to disabled because dis means not, which means that disabled means not able. But particularly when it comes to referring to individuals, differently abled is problematic. NCDJ Recommendation: If youre an educator, consider alerting students ahead of time if content contains graphic descriptions of traumatic events. It is a negative commotation. AP style: The stylebook allows the use of vegetative state, describing it as a condition in which the eyes are open and can move, and the patient has periods of sleep and periods of wakefulness, but remains unconscious, unaware of self or others.. 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. They also are sometimes called assistance animals, guide dogs, or Seeing Eye dogs. Also, according to NOAH, the term albino has been used throughout history in a hateful way; therefore many prefer the people-first term, person with albinism.. NCDJ Recommendation: Hard of hearing is almost always acceptable. The condition is a neural tube defect that occurs when the spinal column does not close all the way in the womb. However, symptoms vary across the spectrum. As some advocates observe, we are all differently abled. NCDJ Recommendation: Caregiver is preferable to caretaker when referring to the care of people. Slurred speech without alcohol is linked to a variety of diagnoses that are cause for concern, including: Multiple Sclerosis Brain Tumors Lyme Disease Head Injury Cerebral Palsy Stroke Background: The terms mentally retarded, retard and mental retardation were once common terms that are now considered outdated and offensive. Background: Mental illness is an umbrella term for many different conditions that affect how individuals act, think, feel or perceive the world.. AP style: Not addressed except to recommend using hard of hearing without hyphens unless it is an adjective directly preceding a person. In general, there is no hyphen after inter, so interabled is the correct usage (not inter-abled). 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. Ear infections can do the same. 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. NCDJ Recommendation: Avoid referring to someone with a disability as sick or to their disability as a sickness. If a person is receiving medical treatment, then the word patient is appropriate; however, it should be avoided outside of a medical context. In the second case, the answer is maybe. If the hikers blindness contributed to him or her getting stranded, making note of that fact is relevant. Background: These terms refer to a variety of ways that people communicate without speaking. However, the word deformity has a negative connotation when used in reference to those with disabilities. NCDJ Recommendation: The term may not be understood by all, so an explanation may be required. Use treatment center in place of rehab or detox center. Whenever possible, specify the specific illness a person has rather than mental illness in general. Do not assume that a person who has had a seizure has epilepsy. NCDJ Recommendation: Someone with an amputation is generally acceptable. OCD may present as a fear of contamination, disarray or intrusion, according to the Mayo Clinic. Background: Cerebral palsy refers to a number of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement and muscle coordination, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. AP style: Avoid using committed suicide except in direct quotations from authorities. 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. Use the term dissociative identity disorder, not multiple personality disorder, and avoid the acronym DID.. Such events may include assault, war, sexual assault, natural disasters, car accidents or imprisonment. NCDJ Recommendation: Many people prefer people-first language, such as a person with tetraplegia rather than tetraplegic, since this implies that the condition defines them. If a medical diagnosis is not available, use quotes around the term and indicate that a diagnosis has not been confirmed. The center also recommends using the word misuse in place of abuse when describing harmful drug usage. Background: The terms hearing impaired and hearing impairment are sometimes used to describe people with hearing loss that ranges from partial to complete. And so we are no longer offering advice regarding a default. Dont assume all people who engage in misuse have an addiction. Be cautious when using the term abnormal behavior. Explain what it means in the context in which it is being used. In addition, there is a difference between impairment and disability, according to the Institute of Human Services. Journalists also may want to include such warnings in material distributed to a general audience. The word dates to Old English, where it was related to words that meant to creep or bend over. According to the blog grammarphobia.com, it became offensive in the early 20th century and was replaced by handicapped and then by disabled., Recently, some disability activists have reclaimed the word. A minimally conscious state is one in which a patient has some awareness of self and/or the environment. People with psychosis are described as psychotic. Instead, we hope you will double down to find out how people would like to be described. 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. Psychotherapist: An umbrella term for mental health professionals trained to treat people for their health problems. Hearing is a prerequisite for the development of normal speech & language. It has been criticized by some in the Deaf community who are concerned that the device could threaten Deaf culture. Physical deformities can arise from a number of causes, including genetic mutations, various disorders, amputations and complications in utero or at birth. NCDJ Recommendation: Blind may be used for people who have complete or almost complete loss of sight. However, use the term the person prefers if its possible to ask. Legally blind is a broad term for various eye conditions but generally refers to someone whose visual acuity is 20/200 or less even with corrective glasses or contact lenses. Some members of the disability community oppose its use because it implies that all people with disabilities lack able bodies or the ability to use their bodies well. Use obsessive-compulsive disorder on first reference; OCD is acceptable in second reference. Background: A chronic illness is defined by the National Health Council as a health condition lasting three months or longer and includes conditions such as cancer or heart disease. Many dislike the terms because hearing impaired describes a person in terms of a deficiency or what they cannot do. Post-traumatic stress disorder is correct on first reference; use PTSD on second reference. To use homebound or housebound against using mental health professionals trained to treat people their... 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