Disabilities can mean more than meets the eye ASCENSION’S ALICIA BARLOW SHARES SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM HER DAUGHTER’S TRIUMPHANT EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY DEALING WITH DYSLEXIA
A
t Ascension, our ABIDE hallmarks (Appreciation - Belongingness - Inclusivity - Diversity - Equity) serve as constant reminders that encourage us to cultivate inclusive, welcoming and accommodating environments resulting in equal opportunity for all — especially for those of us living with unseen challenges. According to the Invisible Disabilities Association, nonvisible disabilities are those that are not immediately obvious. They include, but are not limited to, autism, mental health conditions, and cognitive impairments such as dementia or learning difficulties. Without the presence of physical supports such as a wheelchair, walker or splints to indicate a disability, individuals challenged by nonvisible impairments are sometimes misunderstood and, as a result, often go without necessary support. Alicia Barlow, ABIDE Council Lead for Ascension Indiana,
28
Manager of Community Development at Ascension St. Vincent and mom of four, understands this dynamic quite well. Her daughter Morgan Anderson, now a straight-A eighth-grade middle school student who plays three sports, initially struggled with schoolwork during preschool and kindergarten before being diagnosed with dyslexia in the fourth grade. “Very early on, I could tell something was different about the way she was connecting with numbers, letters and sight words,” Alicia said. “People would tell me, ‘Oh, it’s only preschool, she’ll get it. She is still in kindergarten. Give her time. Give her grace.’ Some
even suggested that I was unfairly comparing her progress to that of my high-ability son, Camren.’’ Alicia said that despite the feedback from others, she had a deep sense that something wasn’t right. “I was spending two to three hours each night on homework with my daughter that should have taken us about 20 minutes,” she said. “I’ve always been hands-on with my children’s education, but this situation caused me to take my involvement to even higher levels.’’ In addition to doubling down on the individual time spent with her daughter, Alicia increased outreach to Morgan’s teachers and school
“We may work alongside leaders or colleagues every day who suffer from challenges we don’t know anything about.” — ALICIA BARLOW, ABIDE COUNCIL LEAD FOR ASCENSION INDIANA, MANAGER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ASCENSION ST. VINCENT
G O O D DAY A S C E N S I O N / A S C E N S I O N .O R G
