I’m hoping that this will help you and/or someone else understand members of your community better.
Only through understanding can we reduce fear, prejudice & increase tolerance, love and openness. 🙂
This information was provided by Ameera Waheed.
Asperger Syndrome:
This condition was discovered in 1944. It is a less severe form of Autism. The difference between individuals with Autism and those with Aspergers is that, although they display many of the same characteristics, those with Aspergers are more intellectually able and can perform well academically. They are able to use language to communicate but are unable to respond to complex social and emotional stimuli.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
This condition has not been around long enough for there to be a mass of expert knowledge about it. However, some of the symptoms exhibited are difficulty in concentrating, impulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, excessive talking, being unaware of danger and so on. This is often controlled with medication but there is much controversy about using medication to help children with ADHD.
Autism:
Leo Kanner first described this in 1943. The word Autism comes from the Greek word, self’. Autism has also been associated with certain characteristics. Some of these are, keeping themselves good company and disliking change.
Cancers and Leukaemia:
Cancer is caused by an uncontrollable increase in the number of cells in a part of the body.
Leukaemia is a disorder, which affects the white cells in the blood. These are essential for protecting the body from infections.
Cerebral Palsy:
This is caused by damage to the brain of the child during pregnancy. The area of the brain, which controls movement, is severely affected, resulting in all or some of the limbs being disabled. Damage to other areas of the brain can cause impairments associated with visual, hearing, speech and other abilities. The 3 main types of Cerebral Palsy are:
Spasticity ~ muscles are contracted and very tight so movements are jerky and uncontrollable.
Athetosis ~ muscles are relaxed but the movement of the limbs is uncontrollable.
Ataxia ~ the sense of balance is affected and walking is difficult.
Cystic Fibrosis:
This affects the lungs and the pancreas. The airways get blocked with mucus making it difficult to breathe. The defective functioning o the pancreas causes problems with digestion.
Deaf/Blind Rubella:
This dual impairment is caused if the mother contracts German measles during pregnancy. Meningitis can also cause this impairment.
Diabetes:
This is caused by a lack of a hormone ~ insulin, in the blood. The lack of insulin results in blood sugar levels being unregulated. Low blood sugar can cause excessive thirst, urination, drowsiness, and coma. Injections of insulin and changes to the diet can manage the blood sugar levels and in turn, ensure the individual affected is happier.
Down’s Syndrome:
Dr. Down identified this in 1866 as arising from a genetic disorder of having an extra chromosome. Some individuals with Down’s Syndrome may have hearing and visual impairments, delayed development and heart problems. These problems can lead to moderate or severe learning difficulties.
Dyslexia:
This word derived from two Greek words meaning difficulty with words’. Dyslexia results in difficulties with reading, writing, spelling and working with numbers. Individuals with this condition may progress well in other areas of learning and logical reasoning.
Dyspraxia:
People with this condition may have difficulty with physical movement, language development and perceptual problems. The learning difficulties often concern fine and gross motor skills.
Emotional and Behaviour Disorder (EBD):
The learning difficulties are associated with behavioural and emotional problems, which result in the child not being able to cope with the demands of schoolwork.
Epilepsy:
This is caused by an occasional dysfunction in the brain, which causes a seizure. Seizures can cause the individual to lose consciousness and for their body to suffer convulsions or where only certain parts of the body suffer spasmic movements. It can be controlled by medication but it often causes drowsiness thus affecting concentration.
Muscular Dystrophy:
The muscles of the body gradually waste away. However, the most common form of this is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which only affects males.
Poliomyelitis:
This is also known as infant paralysis, which causes motor paralysis. It is caused by an acute viral infection, which results in permanent disability and in some cases, deformity. This is now uncommon due to the widely available vaccine for Polio.
Spina Bifida:
This is caused by the malformation of the spine of the foetus during the early stages of the pregnancy, which leaves a gap in the spine.
