Disability speak

A little lesson in disability speak. When referring to a person with a disabilty, you refer to the person first and then the disability.

A person in a wheelchair.

A person with MS.

A child with autism.

Not an autistic child. It makes it sound like autism is the sum of her entire being. Yet she is so much more. She is a child, a daughter, a fun kid, a sister, a grandchild, a student, a daisy girl scout. She may have autism but she is so much more than autistic.