‘We want people to stop gawping at our children’

When you speak to parents of disabled children, they all express one wish: people should stop staring at their children when they are out and about. “Sometimes, people forget our children are human beings too,” said Irene Grech, mother of Matthew, 12, from Mosta. At birth, her son was given only five hours to live as he suffers from a severe chromosome deficiency. He survived but is restricted to a wheelchair due to profound multiple learning disabilities. There were cases where total strangers went up to Ms Grech to comment about her son. They have said things such as: “God doesn’t give you more than you can carry” or “better this way because he might have caused you trouble”. “You have no idea how painful that is. I love my son as he is and people’s comments are spiteful,” she said. Katherine Farrugia, mother of Luana, from Żabbar, agrees. Her daughter was diagnosed with Dandy-Walker syndrome (a congenital brain malformation) and was originally only given five days to live. Luana is now a happy eight-year-old but can only communicate in a very limited manner. Ms Farrugia recounts a particularly upsetting incident at a playground where a toddler started stroking Luana’s hand,...