One of the biggest challenges of testing people with disabilities is acknowledging those conditions which are not immediately apparent. This is why the focus of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities(December 3) is on conditions that are invisible, such as mental illness, chronic fatigue, diabetes, neurological disorders, learning disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and others.

There is a crippling lack of awareness about these conditions which stops people with disabilities to lead a full and healthy life. This problem is compounded by the stigma attached to many of these disabilities, such as physical impairment, mental illness and cognitive dysfunction.

For people with disabilities, the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has been especially hard. It has impaired their access to professional services and general household help. For many people, the isolation caused by the lockdown also aggravated their stress and anxiety, all the more if they are physically incapable.

Treatments such as Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Speech Therapy , Counseling etc,  can help people with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities to regain independence in their life. As we move towards normalcy, we must apprise them of various treatment options available, improve access to such treatments and therapies to ensure that everyone has the right to lead the life they want.

But there is nothing stopping people with disabilities from living a normal life. We must all work harder to educate ourselves and others on disabilities that are not immediately obvious and help everyone develop an ‘Inclusive’ approach.

Dr. Swati M. Sanghvi
Physiotherapy & Sports Rehab Department
Saifee Hospital,Mumbai

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