“Their needs are fundamental, though they are being called special needs”!?

People use various terms like “intellectual disabled,” “mentally challenged,” or “slow learners” to describe different conditions, depending on their preference. Despite our efforts to explain “mental health” and diminish stigma, parents of these children with special needs still face the same challenges. At times, they may feel like they don’t quite fit into society. We express sympathy for them as a society, but we often struggle to truly empathize. This is because, despite the rapid changes in our lives and trends, our attitudes toward certain issues, like mental health, remain unchanged.

The problem lies in our unwillingness to discuss mental health and illnesses or alter our perceptions about them. Despite considering ourselves forward-thinking and open-minded, we update our phone software but not our mental outlook. So, when we refer to a “special needs child,” perhaps we should ask ourselves: Who truly has special needs, us or these children? Upon closer examination, these kids require basic affection and care, while we burden ourselves with demands and unique needs, needlessly complicating our lives.