Cyberbullying is one of parents' top concerns for their children's health and safety, and it's one of the most common dangers for young people online. And certain kids, namely those with disabilities, are more at risk for cyberbullying than others.
Most kids won't pick on the child with a physical handicap, but children with “invisible” disabilities such as Asperger's, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, ADD and ADHD, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are more likely to be victims of cyberbullying. What's more, these children may not even realize that they are being bullied or taken advantage of.
Why would bullies pick on someone for their disability? It's possible that they have misconceptions about the disability or people who have it. But more likely, they don't even know about the diagnosis and simply see the child's odd behavior as fair game for bullying.
When you think about it, though, it's basically the same thing that schoolyard bullies have always done: single out the kid who is different in some way and tease them about it. They have just notched it up a level by taking it online.
In our house, I have an introverted daughter who is into books and doesn't watch much TV. Is she at risk for bullying? You bet. She hasn't had an experience with cyberbullying yet (and I naively hope that she never will,) but I hope to soften the sting of potential future bullying by making sure that she loves who she is every bit as much as I do.
-Article Contributed by Jenny Evans
