The name “invisible child” is both a descriptor of and a dedication to our children, who are invisible in the sense that their disabilities, though often severe, are hidden from view. Brain disorders, though biologically based, often are not obvious physically, so the invisible child looks like any other child. In addition, children with these disorders usually have normal intelligence. In fact, many are gifted, sometimes to a high degree, and because of this they are able to develop coping skills that further hide their differences, the result being that they may either not be identified or their struggles will be misunderstood. Because it typically takes such a long time for children to be diagnosed and receive appropriate treatment, they are particularly susceptible to falling through the cracks, dropping out of school, becoming suicidal, or entering the juvenile justice system. http://www.invisiblechild.org/About.htm . . .This is the beginning of an article by Matushka Wendy Cwiklinski, which can be found in its entirety in the Orthodox websites section. She speaks as a mother of a number of children with invisible disabilities.
http://oca.org/resource-handbook/familylife/church-and-the-child-with-invisible-disabilities
When persons with blindness, or in wheelchairs, or with Downs Syndrome features come to our Church, its easy to identify them as people to help. But its a little harder to see them as people who can help. And its much harder to see, as Matushka Wendy writes, children with invisible disabilities, who look like everybody else, as image-bearers of Christ who just need extra patience. The article and the website are a good place to start educating one’s self toward this goal.
