Pectus excavatum is not a disability. It is a chest wall deformity in which the breastbone sinks into the chest and forms a dent.
It is a frequently asked question on Google, but you must remember that it is not a disability. Even with the chest malformation, we can still function optimally. However, if it is very severe, it can lower our lung capacity and interfere with how our heart operates.
Furthermore, the medical data doesn’t show a link between pectus excavatum and a significant disadvantage.
Knowing that disability is an experience of any condition that makes it difficult for a person to undertake specific activities or have fair access within a given society, we can say that pectus excavatum is not a disability.
Find the Good in the Bad
This deformity is not a disability for us, whether you use the word in its literal or metaphorical sense. However, everyone must understand that a disability is a normal part of being a human.
I know that this realization can be inspiring to someone who feels different from others because of the pectus deformity, but please try to find the good in your story.
This chest malformation does not limit our life experience. However, some of us struggle with it psychologically, which lowers our quality of life.
If we accept it correctly, we can socialize perfectly fine, enjoy playing sports despite its limitation on lung capacity depending on the severity, and live without significant restrictions.
Remember That There Is a Treatment For It
The fact that there is a treatment for this condition is the most easing thing to know. Understanding that we can correct our situation, whether it requires surgical or non-surgical treatment, is a very motivating realization.
Many people aren’t familiar with this and think there is no way to correct their chest. Our job must be to find a way out of the dark, unmotivated, and hopeless place.
We must use our abilities to live on our terms and achieve anything we want.
2 Sources
- [cited 2022 Dec 9]. Available from: https://www.va.gov/vetapp13/Files4/1331991.txt
- Disability - Wikipedia [Internet]. [cited 2022 Dec 9]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disability