|
|
The following are brief descriptions of some of the various types of disabilities and how they
affect the lives of those who have them.Autism: a disorder that severely impairs development of a person's ability to communicate,
interact with other people, and maintain normal contact with the outside world.
Cerebral Palsy: a range of neuromuscular disorders caused by injury to an infant's brain
sustained during late pregnancy, birth, or any time during the first two years of life. People
with cerebral palsy have a wide range of difficulties, from a clumsy walk to an inability to speak or swallow, caused by faulty messages sent from the brain to the muscles.
Blindness: a complete or almost complete absence of the sense of sight. Blindness may be
caused by any obstacle that prevents rays of light from reaching the optic nerve of the eye or
by disease of the optic nerve, or the part of the brain connected with vision. It may be
permanent or transient, complete or partial, or occurring
only in darkness (night blindness).
Cystic Fibrosis: disorder in which the exocrine glands secrete abnormally thick mucus, leading to
obstruction of the pancreas and chronic infections of the lungs, which generally cause death in
childhood or early adulthood.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS): a progressive autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own
central nervous system, gradually destroying myelin, the white, fatty substance that surrounds
nerve fibers, thereby damaging sites in the brain and spinal cord.
Poliomyelitis, Polio: infectious virus disease of the central nervous system, sometimes resulting
in paralysis. Also known as infantile paralysis affects children between the ages of five and
ten years.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD: a complex neurobehavioral childhood syndrome
characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and distractibility. It
sometimes continues into adulthood, but can usually be helped with medication and other therapies.
Epilepsy: Epileptic seizures occur when a group of nerve cells in the brain (neurons) become activated
simultaneously, emitting sudden and excessive bursts of electrical energy. This hyperactivity
of neurons can occur in various locations in the brain and, depending on the location, have a
wide range of effects on the sufferer from brief moments of confusion to minor spasms to loss of
consciousness.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Lupus: a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Lupus is
an auto-immune disease. This means that the body produces antibodies (which normally defend
against disease) that attack its own tissue. Lupus can be a life-threatening disease and may
affect every organ in the body. It strikes women far more often than men, and is most common
among women of child-bearing age.
Narcolepsy: a chronic lifelong condition of excessive sleepiness. It's commonly accompanied by
an abrupt and irresistible urge to sleep, resulting in frequent naps lasting from a few minutes
to an hour. Sudden muscle weakness, hallucinations, and a sense of sleep paralysis while awake
are also possible symptoms of narcolepsy.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): a potentially disabling condition that can persist
throughout a person's life. The individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of
repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to
overcome. OCD occurs in a spectrum from mild to severe, but if severe and left untreated, can
destroy a person's capacity to function at work, at school, or even in the home.