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Berkeley student Daniella-Jade Lowe spent several weeks in the Bermuda Sun's newsroom this summer. Here she continues her series on issues facing the physically challenged.

Some people make assumptions when they see someone like me in a wheelchair.

Sometimes they look at you and automatically underestimate your ability because of your disability. Throughout my life, I have been asked some very silly and embarrassing questions.

Some people assume that I am totally helpless without even asking me about what my abilities are. Overall, I feel that when people look at me the majority of them see the wheelchair first and they feel uncomfortable and they act a certain way around me.

I feel that these assumptions are sparked by a lack of knowledge. What people don't know, they don't understand. When people make assumptions they feel like put downs to me and they can be offensive.

Assumptions can cause people to misuse certain names such as calling a wheelchair user a "paraplegic." I think that the most offensive name is when you call someone who cannot talk "dumb" or "mute."

I have had a few experiences of my own when it comes to assumptions. Whenever I am out with my family, some people will come up to us and say 'hi'. However, once they see me they get curious because of the wheelchair, and ask my parents questions about me even though I am right there. Sometimes other people in wheelchairs are asked questions like:

"How do you get dressed?"

"How do you get baths/showers?"

"Do you sleep in your chair?"

"How do you get in and out of your chair?"

"How do you get in and out of your bed?"

"Can you talk?"

"How do you use the bathroom?"

"Can you hear?

And the most embarrassing one is, "Do you wear diapers?"

When medical scientists and doctors do research on a specific sickness or disease they always come up with a name to define the disease or illness. Unfortunately, whenever the public hears these words and sees someone who is born with a medical problem they often use the wrong name to define that person or their problem.

Assumptions can be very hurtful at times, because they can make a person feel inferior to everyone else. That is one of the issues that make life hard for someone in a wheelchair.

Some assumptions have been made that if you use a wheelchair, then you are totally dysfunctional. For example, on one occasion there was a person who saw me and automatically assumed that I could not talk and asked my parents all of the questions about me such as my name and age.

While being in a wheelchair, another issue that I have noticed is, when someone sees another person in a wheelchair they assume that they are totally helpless and incapable of doing things for themselves. Yes, there are some people who cannot do anything unless they have a great amount of assistance. But for those who can do for themselves, sometimes they seem to be looked down upon and viewed by others as helpless and incapable of doing simple things - and so they do everything for them. I also feel that we are treated like babies at times even though we are highly capable of doing things on our own, so when people see us doing things for ourselves they seem a bit surprised.

I don't like people assuming things about me when they see the wheelchair. It makes me feel uncomfortable and less of a person. When people make assumptions, especially when it is done to me, it degrades me or other people that are in wheelchairs. People should be more careful about making assumptions.

What do you think? Send your feedback on this column to editor Tony McWilliam: [email protected]

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