Hyperbaric Chambers and Autism

Last week when my Dad was here he told me that my Uncle and Aunt were thinking about buying a hyperbaric chamber for my cousin Conner. Apparently there has been a lot of research on these chambers with their benefits and treatments for individuals with autism. Even though Conner has cerebral palsy and severe brain damage and not autism, I guess the pressure from hyperbaric chambers would still help him. I had never heard of using hyperbaric chambers being used for the treatment of autism and disabilities before, so I found a couple videos and articles. I found that there are a lot of hyperbaric therapy centers across the United States. There is also a lot of controversy between where the little amount of scientific proof gives enough evidence that they work.  Here is one cite for a treatment center in California.  On ABC news health website, I found an article titled, “Hyperbaric Autism Treatment Show Possible Promise” .  Hyperbaric therapy is a procedure that has little scientific evidence backing it up for a treatment of autism but there are new studies that are ready to prove it has a valid treatment with replicated findings. 

Here is one more article

And a pretty neat video. You should definitely watch it!!

I think that having more research and studies with hyperbaric chambers will be very important for the future of therapy and treatments. Even though there is not a lot of scientific proof that these hyperbaric chambers work, the parents are seeing changes in their children. I do not think that they are not just a waste of time and money. If children with autism are showing even just the smallest amount of progress from these chambers, I think that researchers are on the right track. And if my family ends up getting one for my cousin, I will let you know what happens.

My questions for yall (you all) are if you have ever heard anything about these hyperbaric chambers? And what do you think about them? Do you think it will become the “new thing” for therapy? Do you think these chambers with further research will be able to benefit all children with disabilities? And have you heard of any other new technologies being used for treatments or therapy?

Animals and Special Education

For my blog post, I researched different ways that people use animals to teach and interact with children with disabilities. In trying to think of something interesting for one of our last blogs, I finally came up with something that had always interested me. My older brother, Dallas, has Down syndrome and had a difficult time learning to speak and communicate effectively until he reached his teenage years. It seemed that all at once he was talking up a storm to everyone he met and bearing his testimony every single fast Sunday. But during that time he preferred almost anything over strangers, he LOVED animals. He would go in our backyard and spend hours petting our dog, Coach, and following him around the yard. He would pick him up and put him on the trampoline and take naps with him and bounce him around while Coach sat patiently through it all. Interestingly enough Coach loved him just as much. He knew when Dallas would get home from school and would jump and wag his tail when he saw him through the window. They were, and still are, a mischievous pair. Not only have I seen this happen with my brother but many other kids with disabilities as well. I used to work at a horse ranch that did therapy on horseback for kids with autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. It was amazing to watch some of the kids as they struggled to concentrate while their moms spoke to them but as soon as they were brushing a horse and petting his nose, nothing could distract them from the horse. The horses could tell when they had someone extra special on them and would be gentler and slower. Some kids were scared of such large animals at first but once they had pet the horse and ridden them for awhile they usually calmed down and would be excited to try again the next week. My question is if you think that animals are a good “tool” to use in Special Education? Some people think that it is dangerous or a waste of time, but I think that one of our number one goals is to get the students engaged and excited about learning. This article, , shares the story of a dog named Chloe who went into different Special ed classes and interacted with the students and it became a very positive experience. Do you think that animals should be allowed in Special Ed classrooms? Besides allergies, do you see that many constraints? Even beyond utilizing the bond, understanding, and patience that a lot of animals have with children with disabilities, what ideas can you come up with of how to use animals to teach other lessons? Have you too had experiences where animals get through to someone when no one else could?

People with Disabilities in the Work Force

I read an article about hiring people with disabilities and how it is beneficial for both the employee and employer.It can be costly because the workplace will need to be adjusted in order to be accessible to people with disabilities. Besides the cost I think that it is a great idea to have employees with disabilities. Just think about the boost of confidence that it gives these employees. They feel useful and needed. Everyone likes to feel needed. Some children that I worked with when they had their own responsibilities they felt more confident and even just looked happier. It is natural for every person to want to feel needed and useful in any way. Some companies have even started support groups for their employees with disabilities. This allows them to express their specific needs that otherwise their employees would not recognize on their own. I think that this is a great program. It is a way to keep the building and environment in a condition that allows all their employees to feel safe and included.

The company can also benefit from having people with disabilities work for them. A lot of them are really bright and can bring great ideas and input to a business. Not to mention they can give input on how to aim their product towards the customers with disabilities. This other article really gives insight on how companies need to be exposed to people with disabilities in order to feel comfortable and realize how beneficial it can be to them.

I think that companies should start having a quota to fill with people with disabilities. I really think it would help the community to be more aware of this population and realize how wonderful they really are. It might even be what our country needs to be humbled and appreciative of our lives and what we have. When I work with children with disabilities it brings such a great light into my day. They are amazing people! So, I guess my questions are what do you think about integrating people with disabilities into the workplace? How do you feel about the support groups that some companies have? And how would this benefit the employee (with disabilities) and their employer?

Disabled Individuals in Adulthood

This article talks about individuals with autism in their later years. http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=8800. Because autism is becoming more apparent and well known the issue of transition from child to adult has become more of a concern. One of the main concerns is where the individual will live. There are a couple options: the person could be placed in a group or rehabilitation home, an institution, or stay with their family. Growing up, the house next door to me was rehabilitation home. There were only about 3-4 individuals that lived in the house at a time with a care giver there at all times. The patients who lived there had many different disabilities, not autism. From my experience with this home I saw that the care givers were not always the best and didn’t have the best interest of the individuals that lived there. Most of the people that worked there just needed a job and this gave them that and a place to stay. In this specific case, I feel there could have been better opportunities for the disabled individuals if they were living somewhere else. Also, I also had the opportunity to go to a larger group home for people with disabilities. It was for individuals over 50 and the people who lived there also had many different disabilities. I went there a couple of times to visit and the workers had different activities and things going on for the residents to do. In this case, the group home was run and operated in an efficient manner and I feel the residents benefitted from that. The next option would be for the individual with a disability to stay with their family. I have always thought that it would be hard as a parent to let your child go. In a way it could be like giving them up. However, I also understand that taking care of your child for the rest of their or your life could be very emotionally hard. Just last week I had a guest speaker in one of my classes that talked about her son who is 19 years old and how he lives in a group home. At first she was completely against it, but she now realizes that it is for the best. He is happy there and gets to come home on the weekends to spend time with his family. My question for all of you is to just discuss what you think the best living situation is for individuals with disabilities in their adult years. You can discuss a specific disability, like autism, or just disabilities in general. What’s your stance on group homes?

Do Kids With Disabilities Strain or Strengthen Our Schools?

For this week’s blog, I chose an article that opened my eyes a bit to the reality of people in this world. http://www.businessweek.com/careers/workingparents/blog/archives/2009/09/kids_with_disab.html

It discusses how some people view children with disabilities in schools as a waste of effort and tax money. Why would we waste our time trying to help someone with little to no potential? Why wouldn’t we give all of our attention to those children who are gifted, who are intelligent, and who will make a difference in the world one day? I mean they are going to be the ones becoming doctors and lawyers, and who are going to eventually run this country… right? Hmm… don’t think so. I know that everyone responding to this blog is in the same boat, and I know that we all have personally experienced the importance of special education. Like the article says, people are not limited by their disability, they are limited by a lack of opportunity.

And so that is not necessarily what I am asking your opinion on. In reading this article, I was very much taken back by Lilly’s bitterness and anger towards those with disabilities in the schools. Are people really that heartless? Are they really so concerned with their tax dollars that they’d go after handicapped children? Apparently some are. I have an older sister with profound disabilities, and she was able to attend a special school for the disabled for 18 years. My family was never encountered with issues of acceptance by other parents at the school. We were welcomed with open arms and taken in as family. Although there have certainly been other situations where people have judged and rejected us because of these disabilities, I never felt anything of the sort from her school setting. That place was a safe-haven. I am finding that the public school systems are not all sugar and spice though. The harsh reality is that many people do not appreciate those with disabilities and many people do not value the efforts of educators that want to maximize these students’ potentials. And so this is what I want to know from you… what do you think it will take from a school community to create a common appreciation for these students? Parent meetings.. Information pamphlets… More peer tutoring opportunities… Awareness assemblies? The article talks about Dan’s efforts in the form of a film, which reached millions by airing on television and receiving tons of press. And although I thought this was wonderful, I wonder what practical things we can apply in the schools that will also make a difference. Many of you have already worked in a school setting. How have you seen teachers try and break down these barriers? What ideas can we as future teachers bring into the schools to create a community of awareness and appreciation, so that all the "Lillys" out there will understand the real objectives of special education… Do you think that is even possible? Or do you think it’s not really worth trying because people won’t change?

Learning to teach, teaching to learn

The last few weeks I like many of you have been working on my application to get into the special education program. Something that I found very interesting was the autobiographical essays that we had to do. The one I found most interesting was the one about how we would respond when we don't agree with what a teacher does. As I worked on that essay I was not quite sure why this was a topic that we had to write on. As I thought more and more about it I came to the realization that maybe one reason they had us write it was to see what kind of attitude we have as teachers. I think they were trying to see if we are the kind of people that think we know it all and don't need help from anyone else or if we are the kind of people that try our best to learn and grow. I think in order to be a good teacher we have to always be a student. I am sure that throughout our careers we are going to experience differences in opinion with other teachers but I think how we react is a reflection on what kind of teacher we are. I think it is critical to avoid the attitude that we are better than everyone else or that we know more than everyone else. Many of you know that my mother is a special education teacher. Throughout the years she has had many student teachers. She has told me that many of them are good but also that many of them come right out of college thinking they know it all and they act like my mother is a horrible teacher just becuase they may have a difference in opinion. We are all in the stage now of learning how to become good teachers and someday we will have to be either a student teacher or a intern. I think that we always need to remember that even though we may have gone through the classes and gotten credit to be a teacher that does not mean that the learning stops. This article is about a young teacher that just started out on her first job. I think that this is something all of us are going to be going through and I think that her story is a good model for us to follow. After you read this article I would like to hear your opinion about the question that was asked in the autobiographical essay. As a brand new teacher that is always trying to learn from others and get better what is an appropriate way to solve a disagreement with another teacher? Do we act like know it alls and completely disregard the other teacher or do we try our best to learn from the teacher despite our differences? I think that there is always something positive to be learned from others. Life is a process and not an event and we always need to try to learn from others. Here is the link http://teachers.net/wong/MAR10/

Inclusive P.E. for Children with Special Needs

The article I chose is all about inclusion in physical education classes, called “Inclusive P.E. for Children with Special Needs.” (Found at http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46155.asp ) The article basically lists the positive benefits of an inclusive classroom. First off, she discusses some of the immediate thoughts of a parent when they have a child who has special needs. Then she discusses some of the benefits of having a child who has special needs in sports and in an inclusive classroom. Children who have special needs can indeed have some great influences in attitude and the positive fun atmosphere in games. There are so many positive reasons for teachers as well because they can learn strategies and new ways of teaching from those that have special needs.

In my own experience and research, there are so many reasons to have children included in the mainstream physical education class. It can first of all simply help with the happiness of the child, because no one wants to be left out. Also, what a child with special needs can learn from those children in the mainstream class is enormous. That’s why peer tutors are so great, because what a child can learn from their peers as opposed to their teachers can be huge. To go along with this, I received a link to a video that I loved called The Butterfly Circus. It really shows how people can have a great influence on those that have disabilities, and the huge worth of people with disabilities. I encourage you to watch it, because it’s wonderful and very inspiring, but I will warn you it’s 20 minutes long. http://www.thedoorpost.com/hope/film/?film=4dd298f102c77b625cf37a9e7744ac68

However on the flip side, a lot of us are in an Adaptive P.E. Class here at BYU where we work with students who are not included in their school’s P.E. Class but in an Adapted P.E. Class. With all these advantages to inclusion, why do we not include these children? I know we’ve learned about Least Restrictive Environment, and for some children perhaps they can’t be in a mainstream P.E. Class, but with all these benefits of inclusion, shouldn’t we try our hardest to include them? We read an article in our Adaptive P.E. Class that talks about how simply training our P.E. teachers with certain skills, we could include children with special needs in our mainstream P.E. classes.

In my volunteering for Adaptive P.E., there are a lot of kids in the class who if they were in the regular P.E. class, they would fall quickly behind the other students and eventually, the teacher would probably have to begin teaching two different skills. They honestly would not be able to keep up with the other children, and it could cause a great difficulty in the class. Also, some of the games children play in the mainstream class, the children in the Adaptive P.E. class just can’t understand the rules or the purpose of the game, and having them in the mainstream class could cause a lot of problems and could potentially take too much of the teacher’s time away from the rest of the class.

So after all this, my question to you is this: Should we try harder to include those that are in an adaptive P.E. class into the mainstream? The benefits are obvious. Or should we try harder to have more adaptive P.E. classes, because there are many reasons that having children in the mainstream class could have its downfalls?

The use of physical restraint in the classroom

The topic I chose is the use of restraint in a classroom as a punishment technique. This article http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2009/07/07/students-suffer-abusive-restraint-gao-says.html explains why restraint is not always a good idea. 

I agree with the article. Restraint is not a necessary classroom technique. The examples in the article are obviously extreme and would hopefully never happen under normal circumstances yet it has happened. I myself have found that there are times when the situation is made far worse by physically preventing the child from doing something, such as running away. I attempted to hold the student back because running away is a large ordeal, the police have to be called in and the student was terrified of the police which would exacerbate the situation. My restraint angered him so much that he began throwing items at me as well as flipping a table towards me and making motions as though about to strike me. All of this could have been avoided if I had let him leave the classroom. Later I learned that he was afraid to leave the campus and would walk around outside until he cooled off. If I had just let him go I could have saved myself a few bruises and could have talked to him calmly outside. 

I also agree that children should not be strapped into or onto anything. One of the students I work with has a disability that has held his IQ at about 18 months so, naturally, he acts like an 18 month old. When he came to our school a chair, that also looked like an electric chair, soon followed. It was used at his old school to prevent him from scooting away from the table when it was time to work. We did not like the look of the chair and soon got rid of it. Now the boy can sit for 20 minutes on his own. 

The question I have about this issue is should restraint be used at all in the classroom? I feel that if it is completely outlawed then any form of restraint will be outlawed including restraint that can prevent injury to the student or other students. The teacher could potentially be prosecuted for protecting one student from another. I feel that the law could go too far yet, some restrictions should be made to prevent injury, physically as well as mentally, to the students. It would be my opinion that dangerous holds, such as those in the prone position, be outlawed but mild holds in the sitting or standing, such as holding the hands to the side, only be used in extreme circumstances in which harm will certainly come to an individual. 

What do you think? Should restraint be used at all? If so what kinds and under what circumstances. If you do not think restraint should be used, why? 

February 5, 2010 Class Blog

The Benefits of Teaching Chess to Special Education Students
Chess has been said to improve the cognitive skills of children and teenagers. I wanted to know if chess would also help improve the cognitive skills of children and teens with special needs. I could not find any recent official studies on the matter, but I found some personal testimonials from teachers that it helped their students.
The first link I found, http://chessineducation-chessteacher.blogspot.com/2008/01/chess-helps-learning-disabled.html , describes some of the social benefits of playing Chess. If a student is enrolled in a chess program it allows them to meet others and even encourages those without disabilities to help those with disabilities. It is also a fun activity that can be a reward for learning disabled children. Being enrolled in chess would also let students play with their own skill level.
Another teacher described some more of the cognitive benefits and describes how well her students have improved. http://chessineducation-chessteacher.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-our-move.html . From what I’ve read in these articles I feel that teaching children to play chess in their spare time would be beneficial for the, social, concentration, and learning skills of the student.
I found one study that had been found on the effect of chess on special education students. Educators at the Roberto Clemente School (C.I.S. 166) in New York report that chess has improved not only academic scores, but social performance as well. In 1988, Joyce Brown, an assistant principal and supervisor of the school’s Special Education department, and teacher Florence Mirin began studying the effect of chess on their Special Education students. When the study began, they had 15 children enrolled in chess classes; two years later they had 398-
“The effects have been remarkable,” Brown says. “Not only have the reading and math skills of these children soared, their ability to socialize has increased substantially, too. Our studies have shown that incidents of suspension. and outside altercations have decreased by at least 60% since these children became interested in chess.”(http://www.knowledge-first.org/Chess%20Improves%20Academic%20performance.pdf )
Do you think that chess would benefit special needs children? If so, do you think teachers should teach it in the classroom? Or should there be programs outside of school that students can enroll in? If you don’t think chess would be any more beneficial than regular schooling, why not?

january 29, 2010 class blog

Autism and Robots

In our class this past week Sister Morse mentioned research being done recently to use robots in helping children with autism. This sparked interest in me, and so I decided to research it for my blog post this week.

I found an interesting video on the today show called “Can Robots Help Treat Autism?”. You can find and watch it at: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/30225368#30225368

I also found an article called “Robots to Fight Autism” at: http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-04/robots-fight-autism

When I first heard about robots being used to help children with autism I was slightly against it, but open to at least do the research and possibly change my mind. I thought that robot interaction would allow these children to become more and more comfortable with robots over time, but I did not see this leading to improved interaction with humans. After all, there is a huge difference between the two and autistic children are often described as robotic already. I worried that the technology was not really in line with the goal of helping these children become more social with other people. The whole topic really made me think back to the balance between technology, pedagogy, and content. I was skeptical that with the robot technology these three things would have good balance. My standpoint before my research was that you would not see a correlation between improved interaction with robots and improved interaction with humans.

It is a good thing I am not too stubborn of a person because after I watched this video and read the article my view has at least been shaken. I was grateful that my concern was addressed in both the video and article. With the evidence given in both it is obvious to me that robots have been beneficial to these children. It is amazing the increase in their speech and interaction with humans because of the interaction with the robots first. The most impressive example of this, in my opinion was the description of the little girl in the article. Although she began not wanting to have anything to do with the robot, she slowly became more and more used to it, eventually becoming quite affectionate. There was a flaw in this example however because it never mentions an increase in human social interaction to correspond to the increase in robot interaction. There was however convincing evidence in the video with the graph of proven increase in verbal expression due to robot interaction.

While I was once skeptical about this use of technology to help children with autism, I am now in agreement that with more research and testing robots could be beneficial. I do not think robots are ready to be implemented as a therapy yet, but perhaps sometime soon. I also would love to have more research done on these robots being able to tell the emotions of children with autism. I can say from personal experience that it is often difficult to know how a child with autism is feeling, and what caused those emotions. This could be very helpful in teaching strategies.

I would like to know your opinion before and after reading the article and watching the video. Do you believe robots being used as therapies are a good thing, or do you think that the use of robots is counterintuitive? Please explain why.

Approaches to NCLB - What would you change?

Click here to this webpage then click on the article titled "NCLB - A Crossroads for Special Education" to find out what Gloeckler and Daggett have to say about the issue on of NCLB in special education.

Rather than being a solely two-sided argument, the authors list things options that those involved in Special Education react to No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). These options are: (1) do not do anything about it and just let it be, (2) allow the students with disabilities different standards, or (3) pull students with disabilities completely out of NCLB. The authors' opinion is that NCLB and Special Education can operate together, thus taking the second approach about modifying some things about NCLB to make that happen, but also that some change their mindset about NCLB as well. My personal opinion is that I agree with what the authors have said about Special Education and NCLB working together. Most of my siblings are involved in education in some sort of way in their careers and have had to deal with NCLB. I remember one time while I was in High School when one of my brothers told everyone how much he hating NCLB and all of the problems that it brought with it. That was always the sort of vibe that I got from my teachers at school as well about the issue. I had never heard of anyone that said how great it was and were overjoyed there were when the bill passed. I admit that after reading this article, my opinion about NCLB has changed somewhat, at least for the realm of Special Education (not necessarily for education as a whole). What I like most about what the authors said is that Special Education has reached a point of accountability. In its history, that has never happened for Special Education, so I see progress toward greater things. I see accountability as moving towards having good, certified and qualified teachers in Special Education, putting more trust into those with disabilities, and most importantly, I see it as a focus on abilities rather than disabilities. I feel that we are moving towards a better view of those with disabilities. One of things that I agree most with the authors is their suggestion to have a different approach for Annual Yearly Progress (AYP). I like the idea of changing AYP for students with disabilities to improvement rather than reaching a certain number or figure. The reason I like this idea the most is that it goes hand-in-hand with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals that are the focus of Special Education. For these students, the focus should always be on reaching new heights and progress, so an approach for AYP that focuses on improvement would be perfect. One that I that I would change about what the authors suggested is to have Special Education teachers also be focused on a certain subject matter along with being trained for teaching those with disabilities. I the idea of it is great, but I do not see an actual implementation of it being carried out because it would be too difficult. Preparing for those with disabilities in and of itself is challenging. Having Special Education teachers also learn a subject matter on top of this would discourage more students to go into Special Education my opinion because the difficulty level would be higher. Do you agree with the author's point of view about making Special Education and NCLB working together or do you take the (1) or (3) as mentioned above, to NCLB? If you disagree with the authors', why do and what would you change about NCLB or why would you keep it the same? If you agree with the authors', what parts of their suggestions would you try to implement and which parts would you ignore or change and why?

Dating Services for the Disabled

Although it may be something that we do not ponder often, it is a very prevalent issue within the disabled community. I found it fascinating to read about the instruction provided for those who are disabled and seeking to date. It is such a natural human instinct that we have, to desire the love and company of another, so it seems like common sense that those who have disabilities would hold that desire as well. While I imagine that the dating websites would be convenient, I wonder whether it is just one more way our society ostracizes those with disabilities. I was glad to see that there are sites, and social events geared towards individuals with disabilities meeting others with disabilities, but I feel like it may send the message that they are only welcome to that one option which is, dating someone who has a disability like themselves. After reading these articles, what is your reaction to the services provided and the instruction given? Do you see them as beneficial or detrimental to the disabled community?

Reach Out For Dating Services For Disabled

Author: Peter Finch
There are innumerable dating services for disabled websites on the internet. They offer special services to their users or members. Many of these websites for the disabled also feature dating services for their members. They help and assist in bringing together like minded people who, besides companionship issues, need to deal with their disabilities.


As with normal people, the need to feel loved and wanted is very real for the disabled. The need for intimacy is very real, though there are many physical and emotional barriers that the disabled needs to overcome. The society sets a very high standard of virtue and beauty and some disabled people feel that they are unable to meet these standards.


Many times, these standards can be very challenging, especially for the disabled, as they do not fit into the mould. Many of the disabled have negative thoughts and feel inferior when they can not meet the standards that have been set for them by the society.


Since dating services for disabled websites offer services and resources for dating, it becomes much simpler for the disabled to look for companions. The advantage of the internet is that it makes people anonymous. They are not judged outright on their physical aspects. This gives the disabled singles ample scope for interaction without having to worry about their disability. The relationship centers more on making a connection and a bond. In this environment, relationships blossom. Inhibitions are reduced when online disabled people actually meet face to face. There would be no awkwardness when they meet offline.

The dating services for disabled websites help the disabled to voice their concerns. It gives a bouncing board and a chatting board to share their thoughts and feelings. Issues can be highlighted while tips are well appreciated. It is a meeting ground for people of like minds. Many problems are discussed and solutions are found from within the community.

These services provide a networking platform, not just for disabled but for those who are looking for relationships. Many of the dating services for disabled websites postings are ways through which people can vent out their feelings or just simply talk to each other. For many people, anxieties are overcome when they talk. It helps the disabled to combat the feeling of loneliness.

Many of those accessing these sites are able bodied. Or many are those who are living with disabled partners. These websites also offer them advice on how to cope with various insecurities and anxieties that are faced by both the able bodied and the disabled. There are many people out there who are also interested in dating the disabled.

These websites offer the opportunity to all sections of the society, where the society could not have given them these chances. There are so many sites and so many people, who are actively connected that the chances of finding a companion are greatly enhanced. Where earlier there were only friends and family who did the networking, now the disabled can also network with the help of dating services for disabled websites.

About the Author:
Are you looking for one of the best disabled dating sites on the internet? If so, visit Disabled Dating Club now. We have a huge database of friendly people who want to meet you. Disabled dating and disabled personals datinghave never been this easy!Membership of Disabled Dating Club is free, so sign up right now. You'll be glad you did!
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Reach Out For Dating Services For Disabled

Dating Disabled Woman - What You Should Know?

Author: Peter Finch
Do you know that the elderly disabled people are shocked when they hear about disabled people dating? This is because until recent time, the society considered disabled people as asexual beings. Disabled individuals are also human beings and they also crave for love and companionship just like anyone else. Disabled people had trouble finding potential mates before and those who had severe disabilities had little or no chance of finding potential mates. It is no wonder that elderly disabled people find it shocking to hear disabled men dating disabled women.

It was never easy for a disabled woman to meet people like the rest of the normal woman. Ever since the dating agencies and online disabled websites started to work together to eradicate this problem, it has become possible for disabled women as well as men to date.

Dating disabled woman is no different than dating a "normal" woman. This is because one would find the same amount of apprehension, excitement, fun and passion when dating the disabled woman as well as a normal woman. If the woman you are dating has been confined to a wheel chair then make sure that you take her to a restaurant that offers wheel chair facilities. There are these small but important things that you will need to look into when you are dating a disabled woman.

The introduction phase is very important while dating disabled woman. This is the moment when two people would get to know each other. Try to find out how sensitive she is about her disability when you meet her for the first time. You should do this because you need to understand her before deciding to carry your relationship forward. Do not say things that would hurt her feelings and you should also not completely overlook her disability.

There are a lot of people who feel over conscious about their partners disability and they prefer not to make any comments that might make the woman uncomfortable. This kind of attitude does not make the woman feel comfortable at all. It would only make her feel inferior.

While dating a woman with disability, you should make allowances for the disability that the person may have but do not make it too obvious. Try to put a balance between the two.

While dating disabled woman, it is always better to get a good understanding of the kind of disability she has; irrespective of whether you are a normal man or whether you are a disabled man. This will help you understand your partner and make you more tuned to her needs. With this kind of mature understanding, the whole process of dating would become much more fun and it would be a thoroughly enjoyable experience for both of you.

To make the dating disabled woman much easier and comfortable, dating agencies and online dating sites are working side by side. It is because of their efforts that the darkness of yesterday has faded away and tomorrows sun is going to bring an even better future.

About the Author:
Are you looking for one of the best disabled dating sites on the internet? If so, visit Disabled Dating Club now. We have a huge database of friendly people who want to meet you. Disabled dating and disabled personals datinghave never been this easy!Membership of Disabled Dating Club is free, so sign up right now. You'll be glad you did!
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Dating Disabled Woman - What You Should Know?

Top Concerns About Dating That Worry Disabled People

Author: Peter Finch
Dating can be a fun and exciting way to make new friends and find that someone special. But at the same time it can be stressful, worrying and quite difficult!

All men and women share some basic concerns. The same dating worries plague disabled people too. But in addition there are some special concerns that revolve around disability itself.

A glance at the message board of any disabled dating site reveals the host of anxieties that cloud the horizon. Dating presents a real challenge for disabled people and queries range from handling the first date to fertility issues.

Some of the common concerns are -

Self consciousness - Feeling that everyone-is-looking-at-me is quite often a constant companion of disabled singles. However, for a relationship to work, both parties have to like the other for themselves. So, while the dating partner has to look beyond the disability, the disabled person too has to stop constantly trying to assess the others reactions!

Companionship - Most singles share this concern and for those living with a limiting disability, it is one of the primary reasons for entering into a dating relationship. Finding the right partner and coping with the future as a single are a constant worry. Hence combating feelings of loneliness and a need for companionship rank high on the list of concerns.

Attitudes towards the disabled - When dating able bodied persons, disabled people are concerned about how their disability will be received. Two people may have been connecting online for a while but when they decide to meet in person, both are worried about the disability angle. They are conscious that believing something in theory and being able to live out those beliefs in reality are different ball games altogether.

And hence the fear of whether the impairment will prove repulsive and how it will affect the relationship surfaces. The dating site Lovebyrd advises -You are not defined by your disability, so do not let your disability represent you on your date.

Sustaining long term relationships - Many of those who are in dating relationships wonder whether they will be able to sustain them in the long run. For the disabled in particular, the worry is how their partner will cope with the day-to-day challenges of living with a disability.

Sexual desirability and performance - While dating, disabled people tend to be very conscious of how desirable they appear to their partner. Feelings of inadequacy and low self-image raise their ugly heads and if these thoughts are not combated successfully they can hamper the relationship and prevent both partners from having a good time.

Sexual performance can be hampered by impairment and problems like impotency and loss of libido are very real. How this will impact the relationship depends on the strength of the bond formed earlier.

Fertility issues - Fertility problems and the possibility of not being able to have children are issues that many disabled people are challenged with. The dating relationship can be affected by this and the reaction of the partner becomes vital to the continuance of the alliance.

The only solution to this is an open discussion. Do not be afraid to voice your concerns - only then will you know what the person at the other end feels. Be confident about yourself and it will all work out!

About the Author:
DisabledDatingClub.com has a huge database of friendly people who want to meet you. Disabled dating and disabled personals dating have never been this easy! Disabled Dating Club has many members and has many ways to meet through chatrooms, I.M.s and email. Membership is free, so sign up right now.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Top Concerns About Dating That Worry Disabled People

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