How to deal with people who don't accept my disabilities?

I know what you mean. My little brother is autistic and he looks totally normal, even cuter than most kids in my opinion (but I am biased LOL) but if he throws a fit in a store people will say "That child needs a good spanking" or to my parents "Can't you control your child?!". Once in a while someone will tell us we need to control him and once in a while someone will say to him "If you were my son I would blister your little butt". My parents (or just me if I am with him alone) will look at the person and say "Just because you cannot see a disability does not mean he does not have one. He has autism and he is doing the best he can. Perhaps reading up on it or taking some tolerance classes might benefit you. My brother might be autistic but he is not judgmental. Obviously the same cannot be said for you". If I say it people walk away but my father is rather stern looking if you don't know him (he is really a teddy bear though) and can put people in their place quite quickly". My sister says something similiar but sometimes add "Or did you just think that because we are Jewish we don't raise out children to behave? Well you were wrong!"

Most of the time if he does something a person won't say anything but might give us a look and all we say is "I am sorry. He has autism" and then we offer to pay for whatever he broke or whatever he ate or whatever he destroyed in some other way".

I would say you have to just be patient with them and take a "let me explain this to you once more time" stance.

Also if you are going to be walking or listening to something remind them before hand that you need to sit closer to hear or you might need to take more frequent breaks because of your need to rest your feet. Ask them if that is ok with them and if they say yes, then they really can't complain.

When my brother came along it was hard for people to want to come over because he was, at the time, a terror. He was 3 and voilent because he had no communication. Before that we just thought he was in his terrible twos and was in a really severe case of the terrible twos. When we found out it was severe autism we all pulled together to work with him.

Some people stopped visiting but most of our friends we enlisted to help us and they have been a part of his life and that made it easier. We took him out in the community. We made sure that people knew him. Once when he "escaped" our new neighbors brought him home by leading him back hom with a Barney toy that beloned to their little daughter. We had not met them yet but they were told about him and were happy to help. They are great friends now.

My little brother is every part of our community as I am, just in a different way.

Enlist the people to be your friends. Remind them of your disabliity when it is appropriate but don't use your disability as an excuse (I am sure you don't do that but I do know a person who does). Show them you want to do things despite your challanges but you might need their help. That should make a big difference.

You know as I read on here that people had mild hearing loss, it reminded me that sometimes people will shout at my brother something like "NICE TO MEET YOU". He is autistic. Not deaf. Neither disability can be seen but you know, one needs one thing and one needs another.

I have Aspergers Syndrome, and I deal with this every day. I'm absolutely atrocious with social skills, I can't focus well, and I have a lot of anxiety attacks. I often deal with it by scolding myself, but that's not a positive way to deal with things. If I were you, maybe I would just yell back about the hearing thing. Sit down even if others think it's unnecessary. Don't be self-absorbed, but if you know you NEED something, don't be afraid to take that liberty.

I also have a few 'hidden' disabilities - I know what you mean. Some people are distrusting because they don't trust themselves. You are not ever going to get them to understand - all you can do is have pity on them BECAUSE they will never understand.

I have autism and am tired of people looking at me like I am a bad person if I have a meltdown or something. I don't speak well and so I sign but I am not deaf. People accept me if they think I am deaf but once they realize I can hear they don't get me. I just think screw em'. If they can't understand me then they are not worth me worry about whether they understand or not.

Sometimes the person I am with might say something. I have a couple of t shirts that say thing like "I have autism. You're just weird" and other stuff.

I guess I just don't care enough about other people to care what they think.

Okay.

Usually, what I'll say is "Screw you.", but you sound like someone who wouldn't say that at all.

So, whenever you encounter one of these people again make it clear that you do have a disability and how you feel when people yell at you. I really hope that helps

I think that everone who has a disability deals with this, not just stranger but your own family. Nobody really knows your pain except those who have experience that, I really don't have a got answer but try talking to them. I think communication is primarly.

I know how you feel. It is just as aggravating when everyone around you, including family members, don't believe or keep or forgetting that people with disabilities are actually compatible of thinking for themselves and that we, the disabled, do have an I.Q. above a rock. I handle them by telling them "What ever. I don't know. O.K!!!!" Eventually, they want something out of me and when they do ask a favor out of me I say "Sorry, I can't help. I don't know how to do it." They look at me all dumbfounded because I simply refused to help them but forget them. They shot themselves in their own foot when it comes to me doing any favors for them.

Talk to them about Disability Etiquette concerning invisible Disabilities and how you want to be treated.

All I will say is this: everyone has a learning disability...

I have one...

It is called Aspergers Syndrome...(mild Autism as aspiegirl explained)

Mine gets in the way... but just tell them to accept it an move on... none of my old school enemies knew and now a few are my friends on facebook...

So...

I have told some and they don't mind it at all... they see that it explains why I was so lazy in school and why I couldn't do homework...

Bothe the teachers and everyone else just thought I was too damn lazy to ask for help... but I wasn't, I was unlike the other students... I was afraid to ask...

They still wouldn't accept it as a valid excuse even though I was diagnosed at the age of 13 - 15 (can't remember exact age...)

So you can see how my Aspergers has affected my learning...

I'm now being more creative by doing reading, writing and art... all in my own spare time...

HELL!!! I have all the time in the world!!! - I don't have a job it's complicated... they only want people working on computers, but... if I get anywhere near a computer I'd be doing my own thing...

If you saw me near one that's what I'd be doing MY STUFF!!!

And also be proud of who you are - but not too proud or others will hate you indefinately... believe me I know...

it depends what disability you have because if people can see wht your disablility is on the outside but they forget about it that means that they don't care about what is on the outside and that they care more about what is on the inside

Hello, this really happens to me all the time, i'm mild deafness in both ears and this is the part when people treat me differently and always shouting right inside my ears so i can hear properly, which doesn't because it just hurts my eardrums. Ignore them, don't pay any attention, i've coped, so you should too.