Health Benefits of Play for Disabled Kids

Disability in kids is one of the biggest challenges every country is facing today, and Australia is no different. There are many children in the country who are affected by disability. The disability of the kids makes a negative impact on the health of the child, mobility, communication, learning abilities, etc. This, in turn, can have a profound effect on social engagement as well as the education of the kids. According to a survey in 2018, 357,500 Australian kids (7.7%) of children below 15 years of age have some sort of disability.

The percentage of children with disability increased from 6.9% (295,900) in 2012. Parent of most of these kids does not want their kids to play because they believe that because of their disability, the kids won’t be able to cope with the game. However, the experts beg to differ. They believe that if kids with special need start to play, they will be developed, and that will help them in future to become independent.

Here are some health benefits of play for disabled kids. Let’s have a look!

1. It is crucial for every kid to play, but it is even more crucial for kids with disability. When such kids play, it brings out the best in every kid, and when a kid realise the positive changes, it can make a huge difference. You can see a drastic change in their behaviour. They will stay positive and improve their overall health. Make sure you design fun-loving games that can help them boost their confidence in the public place.

2. Many people believe in task therapy, but studied have shown that instead of talk therapy, play therapy can be way more effective for a kid with special needs. Playing can be a medium that can help such kids to not only heal and communicate in a better way but also grow and explore new things. They can express their feelings in a better way through games. Playing fun games can also give them opportunity to do what they love the most. You can look for professional sports that disabled kids can play.

3. When kids of all abilities get a chance to play together, they spend time knowing each other. As a result of that, the kids learn about the person-first language. This honours the individual before anything else, such as the disability factor. This is good for the entire society because everyone should know the survival and challenges of a child with autism. They will support them and gel up accordingly.

4. It is a scientifically proven fact that outdoor activity can lessen stress and anxiety, enhance mood, makes you feel happy and healthy. The deficiency of Vitamin D has increased in the past few years in children by 200%. That is why parents of disabled kids should motivate them to play and spend time outside the home. When your kids are less stressful, they can make the best out of their behaviour and you can see a huge improvement in them.

5. Another health benefit of play for disabled kids is it develops self-confidence. When they deal with any difficult situation on their own, it gives a massive boost to their confidence, and that can be beneficial in day to day life.

6. When your disabled kids play outside, they improve their problem-solving skills, and this particular skill can be beneficial in almost every sphere of life. From education to interaction with the peer group, this particular skill can be very motivating. Always remember that all kids can play regardless of their age, physical and mental restriction and other hindrance.

7. When such kids involve in some sort of sport and play it with passion, they feel not only happy but also get healthy. The biggest difficulty for such kids is that they do not get as much physical activity as they require. When the kids get physically active by playing, they will improve their flexibility and cardiovascular system.

According to UNICEF, playing is one of the basic rights of every kid, even if a kid is disabled. Therefore, you should motivate your kids to play outside. It can not only help your kids to develop the right skill, but it will also increase their physical strength and stamina. To talk to your kids about it and try to understand the points that can hesitate them. If you find it difficult to guide your kids to play, you can take help from professionals. They exactly know how to deal with such kids and how to make them play. The professionals design a program that will suit your kids.

Conclusion

When you are a parent of a disabled kid, you need to make every possible effort to make sure that your kids start to play. It can not only keep them healthy, develop their basic skill, but also allow them to have a future in mainstream sports of the country. The result of play deprivation can deteriorate the mental health and physical condition of such kids. Where you do it on your own or take help from professionals and trainers, make sure the job is done.