Adults with Learning Disabilities are Often Treated like Children

Many adults with learning disabilities are not being accorded the respect and dignity that is their right due to the fact that they are treated like children. This article will explore some ways in which people unknowingly do this.

1. Hairstyles

One way in which people unknowingly treat adults with learning disabilities like children is in the subject of hairstyles. I remember one particular occasion when my former employer became highly indignant because she noticed a middle aged client with her hair in two bunches. I shared her sentiments. The point is that my colleagues had styled the client's hair in an inappropriate way for her age range without considering the fact that the client was not a 10 year-old, but a mature woman.

2. There's a Good Boy/ Girl

An adult with learning disabilities is just that, an adult. As such, they should not be referred to as a "good boy" or a "good girl". While this may sound harmless, it actually reduces them to helpless children. It does not empower them. Rather, it takes away their dignity. A 30 year-old man or woman should not have to continue as a child for the rest of their lives, however mild or severe their learning disability is.

3. Talking About Them within Earshot

Many relatives and carers make the common mistake of talking about adults with learning disabilities within earshot without thinking about what this really means. It is not a good idea to take liberties in this regard. Everyone is entitled to their privacy and one way in which this can be achieved is to discuss confidential information in the most appropriate setting and that is behind closed doors. If you are guilty of this practice, this can easily backfire. Some adults with learning disabilities who suffer from echolalia (repeating what they have heard) will repeat the information they have heard and this can prove detrimental.

4. Choice