Helping young students learn empathy and understanding of disabilities
A group of passionate medical students recently took part in a unique opportunity through the NEOMED Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Advocacy (NADIA) group. NEOMED students shared stories written by authors with disabilities and featuring protagonists with disabilities to elementary school students at Bio-Med Science Academy. The goal was to promote empathy, understanding and inclusion from an early age by introducing children to characters who navigate the world differently.
NEOMED students split into groups to work with both first and second graders, tailoring discussions to the students’ age and curiosity levels. The NEOMED students read aloud stories that celebrated diverse experiences and abilities, sparking conversations about what it means to live with a disability. A few of the books featured were Leo and the Octopus, The Remember Balloons, and I Talk Like a River. After reading the stories, the children were engaged with questions like, "Do you know what a prosthetic leg is?" This sparked their natural curiosity, and it was amazing to see how eager they were to learn more about people who are differently abled.
The young students asked questions about how someone with a prosthetic leg could run, or how they might put on pants. These questions opened up great conversations about the capabilities of people with disabilities and helped the children see that being different doesn’t mean being limited. Their excitement to understand how prosthetics work or how someone who uses a wheelchair navigates daily life showed their openness to learning about diversity in a very hands-on, personal way.
This curiosity and engagement made it clear how ready children are to accept and understand new concepts, especially when those concepts are presented in a compassionate and interactive way. The experience demonstrated that books and stories can be powerful tools to break down barriers and open minds, helping shape a future generation that values diversity and respects others, no matter their abilities. Planting the seeds of empathy and understanding at a young age contributes to building a society where everyone is viewed through a lens of equality and compassion, helping to foster a culture of inclusivity.
- submitted by Alison Pryor, M2, co-president of NADIA