She is a person, not a label

Both my parents have worked in disability services. My father has recently taken a job supervising a girl on a bus on the way to the local special school. He came home after the first day of this job looking exhausted, and at the dinner table he said to me:
"Did I tell you what she does?"
"No, you haven't spoken to me about the job yet."
I wait with bated breath, expected to hear something like "She hates all of her staff and attacks them with knives"
"She's a biter! And she bites EVERYTHING! The seats of the bus, pieces of wood..."
Oh no! The end of the world is at hand! This girl BITES THINGS!!!!
I take issue with her being labelled as a "biter." She is a person, not a behaviour. I tap my fingers against almost every avaiable surface, but noone would think of calling me a "tapper". If they did, I could defend myself against being shoved into such a narrow category. (No, really, I'm also a flapper, a rocker, a hand-chewer and a composer of symphonies...) This girl cannot speak to defend herself. It saddens me that she is (from what I can see) viewed as less of a person because of this.

My father went on to suggest that she wear a motorcyle helmet to stop her from biting. I suggested that perhaps people should try to find out the cause of her biting before they use a very visible solution that seems to be to be more like a punishment than an aid. He had no idea what had been tried already, but I suspect that it wasn't much. I bite things when I have a toothache or sore jaw, as the deep proprioceptive input eases the pain somewhat. My brother grinds his teeth when he is angry or under stress. My cousin bites the table and her plate when she is frustrated at not getting her food quickly enough. If a "normal" child was constantly biting things, every effort would be expended to find out why. However, it seems that this girl is only worth a throw-away solution. "Just put a motorcyle helmet on her, she won't be able to bite." True, but will she then be frustrated because of an irresistible compulsion to bite things that cannot be followed through on? I know! Maybe we could find out WHY she bites!
Oh, wait. She doesn't talk and she goes to the special school, she isn't even a real person.



She is a real person, and she does deserve to be treated like one.





Also, stop referring to her as "she". Her name is Susie, even I know that, and I don't work with her.