This week we learned that cerebral palsy is a neuromotor impairment. These impairments are abnormalities or damage to different areas of the body like the brain, spinal cord, or nerves which send impulses to the muscles of a person's body. Under the IDEA, cerebral palsy falls under that category of orthopedic impairments. The severity an Individual with cerebral palsy can range to either more or less severe involuntary movements of the body. From chapter 13 we learned the 4 most common types: spastic, athetoid, ataxia, and mixed. Spastic CP means muscles are tighter and cause an individual to experience uncoordinated stiff movements. Athetoid CP means movements are more contorted and abnormal. Ataxia CP causes a person to have poor balance. After watching Chris Klein talk about his experience with cerebral palsy and finding a different video about a woman with CP, I was fascinated to see the difference between the two individuals. Although they experience and talk about their lives differently, they strive for the same respect and understanding.
Like I mentioned, Maysoon Zayid takes a different approach to how she discusses cerebral palsy, race, and equality. The stand-up comedian, actress, philanthropist, and advocate for individuals with disabilities, uses humor to change perspective about individuals like herself. Just like Sue Austin and Chris Klein, Maysoon is able to use a different tactic when it comes to discussing her physical disability that people often feel uncomfortable confronting. Growing up, Maysoon was told by doctors she would never walk because of the cerebral palsy. In her TedTalk she enlightens the audience with her humor while making it clear that race as well as living with disabilities is an important topic of conversation. On a serious note, I admire the very good points she makes, but I throughly enjoyed her amazing sense of humor.
Like I mentioned, Maysoon Zayid takes a different approach to how she discusses cerebral palsy, race, and equality. The stand-up comedian, actress, philanthropist, and advocate for individuals with disabilities, uses humor to change perspective about individuals like herself. Just like Sue Austin and Chris Klein, Maysoon is able to use a different tactic when it comes to discussing her physical disability that people often feel uncomfortable confronting. Growing up, Maysoon was told by doctors she would never walk because of the cerebral palsy. In her TedTalk she enlightens the audience with her humor while making it clear that race as well as living with disabilities is an important topic of conversation. On a serious note, I admire the very good points she makes, but I throughly enjoyed her amazing sense of humor.
"…I have cerebral palsy, which means I shake all the time. Look. It's exhausting. I'm like Shakira, Shakira meets Muhammad Ali." -Maysoon Zayid