Where Are All the Disabled Kids? (Spoiler: They’re Out There—The World Just Doesn’t Make Room for Them)
People sometimes wonder why they don’t see a lot of disabled kids out and about. Grocery stores, the mall, playgrounds… you might think they’re just not there. Spoiler alert: they are. They’re very much here. But the reason you don’t see them isn’t because they don’t exist, it’s because the world often makes it too hard for them to be included.
Simple Errands & Family Outings Take Coordinated Planning
Take something as ordinary as grocery shopping. For most families, it’s a quick errand. For families with disabled kids, it’s complicated. What happens when your child is too big to sit safely in a cart? You can’t exactly push both a wheelchair and a shopping cart at the same time. That means grocery trips require two adults, extra planning, or leaving someone at home. Something that should be simple suddenly becomes a stressful equation. And yes, sometimes that means my child sits in a shopping cart that wasn’t “meant” for kids their size. Occasionally, strangers feel the need to point this out (as if I hadn’t noticed). Funny how the people with the loudest opinions never seem to be the ones offering to help.
Accessible carts, like the one pictured at the end of this post, are designed to solve this problem, but most stores don’t have them unless parents specifically ask. Families shouldn’t have to fight just to access something so basic, but too often they do. If you want to help make these carts more available, you can submit a request through Caroline’s Cart request form.
Crowds add another layer of difficulty. Moving through tight, busy spaces with a medical stroller or wheelchair isn’t just overwhelming…it can be quite unsafe if the people around you aren’t paying attention. And when accessible parking spots are taken by people without tags, or accessible bathrooms are used by people who don’t truly need them, it adds additional unecessary barriers.
And here’s something rarely talked about: older kids who are still in diapers. Where do parents change them? Most public spaces don’t provide adequate facilities, so families are left with impossible choices…leave early, skip the event, or make do in ways that don’t honor their child’s dignity.
Disabled kids aren’t invisible because they don’t exist, they’re invisible because the world wasn’t built with them in mind. And sometimes, including them in certain experiences means forcing them to sit on the sidelines while everyone else gets to participate. That isn’t always worth it. Sometimes you have to choose not to do everything, so you can save your energy for the things that truly matter.
What is Universal Design and Why Does it Matter?
This is why universal design matters. It’s the idea that spaces, products, and systems should be created to be usable by everyone, right from the start. Ramps that are built in, not added later. Bathrooms that meet the needs of all families. Playgrounds where every child can play. You can read more here: What is Universal Design?
Here’s my Challenge to You…
Start noticing. Look around your daily life and ask yourself “who is this space designed for?” “Who’s left out?”. Having the privilege of not needing to think about accessibility is exactly that…a privilege. And once you start to notice the gaps, speak up. Bring it to someone’s attention. Push for better. Because change doesn’t happen when we look the other way.
At WolfPups on Wheels, this is what drives us. We provide equipment, therapies, and support so kids don’t have to sit on the sidelines. But advocacy is just as important and that’s where you come in. Every child deserves to be part of the world. And together, we can make sure they are.
