As a Latino with a severe disability, I often wonder what life would be like if my parents had raised me in Mexico. I have never known the hardships of living with a disability in a developing country. My parents are from Mexico, but my six siblings and I were raised in Texas.

I remember visiting Mexico when I was a little boy but I was too young to understand the effects of poverty on healthcare, quality of life and families. I do recall, however, the inconvenience of having to use the restroom in an outhouse. It made me thankful for indoor plumbing. But I never experienced the hardships for an extended period. I took many things for granted such as the medical and educational systems I have access to in the United States. Today I feel fortunate to have grown up in Texas.

Comparing experiences in Texas
I discussed the topic with my neighbor Anita Windle, a single parent immigrant, originally from Mexico, who lives in Texas. Windle is raising four children, one of whom has a disability.

Jennifer is Anita’s three-year-old daughter. She is a bright, sweet, energetic girl who has Spina Bifida. Jennifer enjoys playing outside of our apartment building with her older sisters. Jennifer uses a walker – her legs supported in tight braces – when she plays ball.

Sometimes I see Jennifer when I walk my dog, and she is eager to call out to me, “Hi Joe.” This warms my heart because I know sees me for who I am as a person, not for my disability.

I was especially moved when one of Jennifer’s sisters encouraged her to walk up a flight of stairs next to my doorway. Jennifer moved one foot after the next, up the stairs as her sister walked behind her to prevent her from falling. She slowly walked up the stairs and then back down to meet her walker.

This exercise might seem simple to other children, but for Jennifer it is a major accomplishment. Jennifer’s mom realizes that many things Jennifer has achieved might not have been possible in Mexico.

According to Windle, “If we were still in Mexico when Jennifer was born, I am not sure she would have lived through her first year.” She continued, “Since medical services are free or less expensive in Texas, my child will have a good chance at life.”

Windle told me her daughter received excellent medical care at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. The hospital is known for being the best facility for youth with specific medical needs. Nearly all the patients receive care at no cost to the parents. There are bilingual staff members in all areas of medical and social services. This helps parents like Windle who prefer to communicate about complicated medical concepts in Spanish.

How do I explain that my child is not sick?
She told me she had difficulty understanding and expressing Jennifer’s medical needs in English, but with repeated exposure to the terminology it has become easier through the years.

Windle acknowledges that as an English language learner it is difficult to explain her daughter’s condition to others. “How do I explain to other parents that my child is not sick?” Parents of other children sometimes think that Jennifer is sick, but she is not. She is a healthy child who happens to have a disability. 

I believe that mistaking disability for illness is common in many cultures, not just among Latinos. My parents were also not very good at understanding the complex medical terms of cerebral palsy but it got easier over time.

“At first I did not understand what teachers were saying about my daughter, but it is becoming easier now with the help of interpreters and my teenage daughters who translate for me,” said Windle.