Unheard Voices: An Ethnographic Study of Childhood Onset Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Society, and Medicine
Date
2016-08-31
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Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability among children, yet
little is understood about this disability throughout the lifespan, from childhood
into adulthood.
Young adults with CP are facing unprecedented challenges finding appropriate
medical care. There is a push to transition adults with CP out of the pediatric
medical system, while adult-focused practitioners often lack the experience to
properly treat patients with complex childhood conditions such as CP.
These barriers to accessing suitable medical care are important because, without
adequate treatment, it is difficult for people with CP to participate in the social
rights granted through legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act. This
study explores how the needs of people with CP and other childhood onset
disabilities are represented in American medical practices and society at large.
Description
Keywords
anthropology, disability studies, culture, health, and science, cerebral palsy, ethnography