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For Media – A Way with Words and Images

Disability Stats

Easter Seals Mission & Values

Easter Seals Ambassador Profiles

Media Contacts

Cheryl McNamara
Manager of Development & Communications
cmcnamara @ easterseals.ca
(416) 932-8382 x 245

From Stats Canada

Table 1
Help with everyday activities received by children with disabilities aged 5 to 14, by severity of disability, Canada and provinces, 2001

Table 2
Parents’ access to help with housework, family responsibilities, and time off for personal activities, by severity of disability of children with disabilities aged 5 to 14, Canada and provinces, 2001

Table 3
Impacts of the child’s condition on the family’s employment, by severity of disability of children with disabilities aged 5 to 14, Canada and provinces, 2001

Table 4
Access to specialized aids and services among children with disabilities aged 5 to 14, by severity of disability, Canada and provinces, 2001

Table 5
Household income of children with disabilities aged 5 to 14, by severity of disability, Canada and provinces, 2001

Table 6
Household income of children with and without disabilities aged 5 to 14, Canada and provinces, 2001

• A disability is a functional limitation or restriction of an individual’s ability to perform an activity. The word “disabled” is an adjective, not a noun. People are not conditions. It is therefore preferable not to use the term “the disabled,” but rather “people with disabilities.”

• Avoid categorizing people with disabilities as either super-achievers or tragic figures. Choose words that are non-judgmental, non-emotional, and are accurate descriptions. Avoid using “brave,” “courageous,” “inspirational,” or other similar words to describe a person with a disability. Remember that the majority of people with disabilities have similar aspirations as the rest of the population, and that words and images should reflect their inclusion in society, except where social isolation is the focal point.

• Avoid references that cause discomfort, guilt, pity, or insult. Words like “suffers from,” “stricken with,” “afflicted by,” “patient,” “disease,” or “sick” suggest constant pain and a sense of hopelessness. While this may be the case for some individuals, a disability is a condition that does not necessarily cause pain or require medical attention.

• Avoid words such as “burden,” “incompetent,” or “defective,” which suggest that people with disabilities are inferior and should be excluded from activities generally available to people without disabilities.