Disability is a reality that people, more specifically children, face everyday. And it does help if there are people around them that they can count on. However, those exact people who are trying to help them and those who are walking on eggshells around them might be stopping them from reaching their potentials.

According to a study, done by Professor Dan Goodley and Dr. Katherine Runswick-Cole, many disabled children fail to reach their full potential because they continue to experience discrimination, exclusion, and even violence.

The researchers pointed out that biggest barriers that disabled children face are the attitudes of other people and the widespread forms of institutional discrimination. Professor Goodley commented that disabled children are seldom allowed to play and act like other children because of concerns about their condition.

Based on their research, which came from interviews with disabled children and their families, the barriers that these children face are:

- Often perceived by educational and care professionals as "lacking" and as failing to fit with the image of "normal"

- Families who do not match the norm are frequently excluded from friendships, education, and work

- Complicated support system, especially during the transition to adulthood

- Physical access and transport barriers to sport and leisure activities result in segregation, while participation in art and creative activities is limited

- Widespread discrimination and bullying

- Families of children with life-limiting or threatening impairments often experience isolation and poverty

With these findings, the researchers called for a change of attitude towards disability, and that policies should prioritize enabling disabled children to break down barriers by supporting their participation in education, the arts, leisure, and their communities.

Since attitude is the key word in all of this, it is important to know how to deal with people with disability - that way, a person can avoid offending them or stopping them from reaching their potential. According to Wm. J. Diehm, of Seniors-Site.com, some things that should be remembered when interacting with people with a disability or those who are handicapped are:

- Not to use demeaning terms on them, like cripple, abnormal, or deformed

- Not to look down on them whilst helping

- Treat them in a normal way

- Let them do things for themselves

- Not to lecture them on how they should act