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Learn about invisible disabilities with PBS Wisconsin
October 23, 2024 Leave a Comment
The time period between October 20-26 is designated Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week, an initiative to broaden the understanding of disability rights and what it means to build an anti-ableist society. An invisible disability is defined as a physical, mental or neurological condition that is non-apparent from the outside, but can impact a person’s movements, senses, activities and daily life. It encompasses a wide-ranging set of conditions. Just a few include: ADHD, anxiety, asthma, autism spectrum disorder, chronic pain, diabetes, dyslexia, epilepsy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recurring migraines and schizophrenia. Some advocates include deafness and hearing loss, blindness and low vision as part of the larger category of invisible disabilities.
People living with invisible disabilities not only confront ableism, but are often forced to explain their disability to others, exacerbating stress, causing feelings of isolation, even provoking them to mask or hide their disability out of fear their peers, educators and employers won’t understand their experience.
Selections shared here from the PBS Wisconsin Voices – Disability Pride collection include programming and resources that convey stories of the lived experiences of those with invisible disabilities, including how advances in understanding of these conditions are improving lives and communities.
How Adult ADHD Goes Undetected | Vitals
Through two seasons of the PBS Digital Studios series, Vitals, producers have gone beyond the headlines to answer your questions on the latest health topics. Amid episodes on long COVID, the diagnosis of adult autism, and Lyme Disease, they take a close look at undetected and undiagnosed ADHD in adults, and the complex diagnostics associated with identifying this multi-symptom condition that holistically impacts the lives of those who have it.
Not Enough Apologies
Advances in the science of trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) prove that, when experienced in childhood, trauma can have lifelong ramifications for the mind and body. And it is increasingly understood as a cause of many disabling conditions. PBS Wisconsin produced an hour-long, in depth documentary which explores the lasting effects of traumatic experiences, such as abuse and neglect, on children and adults. The film also shares responses to advocating for and assisting trauma victims. Throughout the documentary trauma survivors share their stories in their own words.
Name Me Lawand | POV
The 2024 season of POV brings us one of many affecting documentaries, Name Me Lawand. Deaf from birth, Lawand seeks a fresh start with his family in the UK after a traumatic year in a refugee camp. At Derby’s Royal School for the Deaf, he learns sign language and discovers a way to communicate with the world. As he thrives, his family faces deportation, challenging their stability. The film is a love letter to the power of friendship and community.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness
In 2022, Ken Burns delivered a two-part series following the journeys of more than 20 young Americans from all over the country and all walks of life, who have struggled with thoughts and feelings that have troubled — and, at times — overwhelmed them. Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness presents an unstinting look at the seemingly insurmountable obstacles faced by those who live with mental illness and the hope that many have found after that storm. Watch the full documentary series with PBS Passport.
Actor and writer Henry Winkler on his dyslexia | PBS News Hour
Beloved veteran actor and children’s book author Henry Winkler sat down with PBS News Hour‘s John Yang to talk about his personal experience with dyslexia, a learning disability that affects how the brain processes language. He shares the the challenges of dyslexia and his advice for young people experiencing similar struggles.
Series preview | Carl the Collector
Finally, PBS Wisconsin can’t wait for the November premiere of the brand new animated PBS KIDS series, Carl the Collector. Featuring a neurodivergent cast of characters, the 2D animated series for children ages 4-8 follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted raccoon with autism who enjoys collecting things and loves his friends and family in Fuzzytown. Read our Q&A with the series creator, and meet Carl and friends on Thursday, Nov. 14 on PBS Wisconsin and streaming on the free PBS KIDS app.
PBS Wisconsin Voices Disability Pride invisible disabilities Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week
