A founder of a Facebook support group is pleading for increased understanding and awareness of hidden disabilities in the island.

The group, ’Disabilities and mental health Isle of Man’, was established in 2021 as ’a safe place for Manx residents to talk openly about their disabilities without judgment’.

Alicia Corlett hopes the group can shed light on the daily issues those with hidden disabilities face.

She said: ’I do my best to try and raise awareness about hidden disabilities.

’I am a big supporter of the sunflower lanyard scheme and have recently provided free sunflower lanyards to many of our Facebook groups members.’

According to the Hidden Disabilities website, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower was designed and launched in 2016, when London Gatwick Airport asked ’How can we identify that one of our passengers may have a non-visible disability?’.

They created a simple sunflower design on a green background for a lanyard - a subtle but visible sign to enable airport staff to identify that the wearer (or someone with them) may require some extra help, time, or assistance when moving through the airport.

The success of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and the positive response it has received has increased awareness of the challenges adults and children with hidden disabilities can face.

Globally one in seven people live with a disability. Of those, 80% are invisible.

Hidden disabilities include (but are not limited to): autism, Asperger’s syndrome, dementia, mental health conditions, speech or visual impairments or hearing loss.

They also include respiratory and chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chronic pain and sleep disorders when these significantly impact day-to-day life.

Some people living with hidden disabilities have assistance dogs, or other support measures in place.

Miss Corlett has experienced various encounters with people who are not aware that her dog, Wilfred, is an assistance dog.

She said: ’I have a seizure disorder called PNES (psychogenic non-epileptic seizures) and I’m also autistic.

’I personally have had things said to me that I have found very upsetting.

’I have a seizure alert/response assistance dog and I recently had a woman come up to me while I was in Deals shouting at me that dogs aren’t allowed.

’I politely explained that my dog is an assistance dog and pointed to his assistance dog vest and she replied with "but you don’t look disabled, what’s wrong with you".

’I had another woman come up to me in Tesco while my dog was quietly standing at my side. She pointed at my assistance dog and said "what is that thing doing in here" and when I again explained that he was an assistance dog she said "you don’t need an assistance dog, you can walk".

’This kind of thing just shows that there needs to be more education and awareness on island of both hidden disabilities and assistance dogs.’