| Do not use or say |
Do use or say
|
Aged (The)
 elderly (The) |
SENIORS
Adjectives like frail, senile or feeble
suggest a negative image of seniors
and should not be used.
|
Birth defect
congenital defect
deformity |
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY
SINCE BIRTH, PERSON WHO HAS
A CONGENITAL DISABILITY
|
Blind (The)
visually impaired (The) |
PERSON WHO IS BLIND, PERSON
WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
|
Confined to a wheelchair
wheelchair-bound |
PERSON WHO USES A WHEELCHAIR,
WHEELCHAIR USER for individuals
with a mobility impairment, a
wheelchair is a means to get around
independently
|
Cripple
crippled
lame |
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, PERSON
WITH A MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT,
PERSON WHO HAS ARTHRITIS, A
SPINAL CORD INJURY, ETC. |
| |
| Do not use or say |
Do use or say
|
Mentally retarded
defective
feeble minded
idiot
imbecile
moron
retarded
simple
mongoloid
|
PERSON WITH AN INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITY, PERSON WHO IS
INTELLECTUALLY IMPAIRED
One can say, a person with Down's
syndrome, only if relevant to the story. |
| Normal |
PERSON WHO IS NOT DISABLED
Normal is only acceptable in reference
to statistics, e.g., "The norm". |
| Patient |
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY
Unless the relationship being referred
to is between a doctor and client. |
Physically Challenged
differently able
|
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY |
| She/he has a problem with... |
She/he has a need for... |
| Spastic |
PERSON WHO HAS SPASMS
Spastic should never be used as a noun. |
Suffers from
afflicted by
stricken with
|
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY
PERSON WHO HAS CEREBRAL
PALSY, ETC.
Having a disability is not
synonymous with suffering. |
Victim of cerebral palsy,
multiple sclerosis,
arthritis, etc. |
PERSON WHO HAS CEREBRAL
PALSY, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS,
ARTHRITIS, ETC., PERSON
WITH A DISABILITY, PERSON
WITH A MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT |
| |
| Do not use or say |
Do use or say
|
deaf-mute
deaf
dumb
|
PERSON WHO IS DEAF
Culturally-linguistically deaf people
(that is, sign language users) are properly identified as "the Deaf" (upper-case "D"). People who do not use sign language are properly referred to as "the deaf"
(lower-case "d") or "people who are deaf."
|
Hard of hearing (The)
hearing impaired (The) |
PERSON WHO IS HARD OF HEARING
These individuals are not deaf and may
compensate for a hearing loss with an
amplification device or system. |
| Epileptic (The) |
PERSON WHO HAS EPILEPSY |
Fit
attack / spell |
SEIZURE |
| Handicapped (The) |
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY UNLESS
REFERRING TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL
OR ATTITUDAL BARRIER
In such instances "person who is
handicapped by" is appropriate. |
| Handicapped parking, bathrooms |
Accessible parking, bathrooms |
| |
| Do not use or say |
Do use or say
|
Insane
lunatic
maniac
mental patient
mentally diseased
neurotic
psycho
psychotic
schizophrenic
unsound mind |
PERSONS WITH A MENTAL HEALTH
DISABILITY, PERSON WHO HAS
SCHIZOPHRENIA, PERSON WHO HAS
DEPRESSION
It is important to remember that the
development of appropriate terminology
is still in progress: however, the above
terms are currently in use. The term
"insane" (unsound mind) should only
be used in strictly legal sense.
Obviously, words such as "crazy",
"demented", "deviant", "loony",
"mad", and "nuts" should be avoided. |
| Invalid |
PERSON WITH A DISABILITY
The literal sense of the word "invalid"
is "not valid". |
| Learning disabled, learning disordered, the dyslexics |
A person with a learning disability or persons with learning disabilities |
