When you speak to parents of disabled children, they all express one wish: people should stop staring at their children when they are out and about.

“Sometimes, people forget our children are human beings too,” said Irene Grech, mother of Matthew, 12, from Mosta.

At birth, her son was given only five hours to live as he suffers from a severe chromosome deficiency. He survived but is restricted to a wheelchair due to profound multiple learning disabilities.

There were cases where total strangers went up to Ms Grech to comment about her son.

They have said things such as: “God doesn’t give you more than you can carry” or “better this way because he might have caused you trouble”.

“You have no idea how painful that is. I love my son as he is and people’s comments are spiteful,” she said.

Katherine Farrugia, mother of Luana, from Żabbar, agrees. Her daughter was diagnosed with Dandy-Walker syndrome (a congenital brain malformation) and was originally only given five days to live.

Luana is now a happy eight-year-old but can only communicate in a very limited manner.

Ms Farrugia recounts a particularly upsetting incident at a playground where a toddler started stroking Luana’s hand, wanting to play with her. The boy’s mother, sitting on a bench across the playground, started shouting and called him back.

“Then she promptly got a wipe from her bag and cleaned his hands. I was shocked, I mean my child’s condition is not contagious,” said Ms Farrugia, the pain still etched in her eyes.

These mothers are venting their frustration at the lack of awareness and knowledge in society about how to behave by giving their all to promote the open day at their children’s school – San Miguel School in Pembroke – tomorrow.

San Miguel doubles up as a school and resource centre for about 27 children and 11 babies and toddlers with multiple learning disabilities.

It provides an education for children like Matthew and Luana so they can have a better quality of life and lessons include music and cognitive therapy, aromatherapy sessions, hydrotherapy and multisensory activities.

“I myself had never heard of the school before I had Luana and it’s a pity so many people are not aware San Miguel exists, let alone that it plays an important role in the education of our children,” Ms Farrugia said.

The school actively promotes inclusion of disabled children in society. San Miguel students attend mainstream schools on a part-time basis.

“Luana loves it on the days she goes to a normal school because she loves being surrounded by children,” her mother said.

San Miguel is also working on a reverse inclusion project: students from mainstream kindergarten and primary classes are invited there to join disabled students in multisensory activities.

“That way children are exposed from a young age to other children with disabilities and when they grow up they will be much more aware than the current generation,” Ms Grech said.

Both parents want to urge the public to attend tomorrow’s open day, so people would realise their children are no different than any other.

“Yes, they are unique but, like all other children, they have their good days and bad days, they love being cuddled, they are sometimes in pain, at other times happy...” trails off Ms Farrugia.

Ms Grech, in her soft voice, adds that she simply hoped it would help for people to stop staring at their children.

The open day at San Miguel Primary Education Resource Centre will be held tomorrow, from 11am to 4pm.