Invisible disabilities
Invisible disabilities can affect individuals in a number of different ways. While not immediately apparent, they can significantly restrict a person’s activities and life. These disabilities typically involve chronic illnesses or conditions that limit the person’s ability to complete everyday tasks. They can also lead to significant social isolation and poverty. For this reason, it is crucial that people with these conditions be fully acknowledged and supported.
Fortunately, there are ways to make invisible disabilities more visible to the general public. The Invisible Disabilities Association works to raise awareness about such conditions and to improve public perceptions. While physical manifestations of invisible disabilities can be varied, common symptoms include joint and muscle pain, fatigue, and migraines. People with these conditions must also cope with the emotional toll of living with persistent pain.
Although invisible disabilities are often under-reported and undiagnosed, they affect millions of people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about a billion people worldwide live with disability. In the United States, 61 million adults are diagnosed with a disability. However, only 6 percent of those people use visible supports. Moreover, there are some people with disabilities who do not consider themselves to be significantly disabled.
Disabilities that are invisible to the general public are often the result of an illness or injury. Many of these diseases are chronic and may cause significant limitations in the individual’s daily activities. Many of these disabilities are associated with stigma, making it difficult for a person to open up about their condition. Invisible disabilities are among the most common types of employment disability discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC.
Besides mental health conditions, many other medical conditions are invisible to the general public. Some of these illnesses include a wide range of chronic pain, deafness, and sleep disorders. Others may affect a person’s ability to think. Many people with these diseases are often accused of faking their condition. These conditions, however, require expert medical care and sophisticated diagnostic techniques.
Invisible disabilities are difficult to detect and can make it difficult for people to navigate the workplace. They may need to perform tasks differently than their peers and may face negative reactions from their supervisors. They may also face uncomfortable questions from colleagues. Such experiences can make a person feel lonely and isolated.
Physical disabilities
Physical disability services are problems that affect a person’s mobility or ability to perform certain tasks. They can be congenital or acquired and may be the result of an illness or injury. Some types of physical disabilities may require the use of special devices to help a person perform daily tasks. There are many types of physical disabilities, including muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and scoliosis.
Physical disabilities are often categorized according to their severity. Some types are progressive, while others are non-progressive and remain stable over time. Physical impairments may result from birth defects, trauma, or an illness that affects the body’s muscles. One of the most common forms of physical disability is muscular dystrophy, which is caused by the weakening of the muscles in the body. People with this disorder often experience difficulty breathing and walking.
Another type of physical disability is a debilitating injury. A physical injury can cause paralysis, quadriplegia, or even amputation. Other disabilities can result from progressive diseases, like diabetes, and cause an individual to become immobile. If an individual has a disability related to an injury, they may require specialized equipment or rehabilitation.
People with disabilities can be either dependent on others or self-sufficient. The need for support services depends on the severity of the condition and the person’s ability to perform daily tasks. People with disabilities may feel frustrated or angry, or they may feel helpless about their future. Getting the proper care is important for both the person with a physical disability and their family.
A head injury, or acquired brain injury, can cause a physical disability. These injuries can cause damage to the brain and spinal cord. They can impair speech, coordination, and vision. They may also result in personality disorders. However, fortunately, a growing number of students have successfully returned to school after brain injuries.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common disabilities of childhood. It is a group of conditions caused by abnormal brain development and is the most common motor disability. Symptoms vary from person to person, but CP can make a person unable to walk or move in a normal fashion. Some people with CP need special equipment to walk. Others are able to walk without much help.
Learning disabilities
Learning disabilities are the types of disability that cause a person to have trouble learning new things or retaining information. They often start in school, but can last throughout their adult lives. The difference between a learning disability and a learning problem is that a learning disability is a physical condition that impairs an individual’s cognitive ability, while a learning problem is a mental condition that interferes with a person’s ability to process information in a particular way.
The most common form of treatment for children with learning disabilities is special education. In this method, specially trained educators examine a child’s ability to learn and academic performance. Special education focuses on building on a child’s strengths while correcting their weaknesses. Children with learning disabilities may also receive additional support from a speech or language therapist. Medications may also be prescribed to help a child with a learning disability, as they can enhance concentration and attention. Other psychological therapies are also effective.
Another type of learning disability is dysgraphia, which affects written expression and spelling. People with dyscalculia have difficulty processing numbers and mathematical calculations. This condition affects approximately three to six percent of the population. Unlike dysgraphia, dyscalculia is not inherited, but is the result of a neurological impairment.
There are many different types of learning disabilities. While some may appear to go away as a person matures, others can continue to affect their lives for a lifetime. For example, many children with dyslexia have difficulty understanding words, spelling, or grammar. This can affect everything from reading books to interacting with others.
In addition to dyslexia, there are other forms of learning disabilities that can impair a child’s ability to think and speak. These types of disabilities can be caused by physical disabilities, mental retardation, or emotional disturbance. A child with a learning disability needs specialized education and a proper diagnosis.
Learning disabilities can also affect a person’s motor skills. For example, a child with dysgraphia or dyslexia can have trouble with handwriting, understanding spoken language, and interpreting visual information. They may also struggle with math calculations and word problems.
Psychiatric disabilities
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines disability as a physical or mental impairment. Psychiatric disabilities are among these, with 44 million Americans reporting some type of mental health condition in the past year. While these conditions can interfere with a person’s functioning in daily life, they are treatable.
The most common psychiatric disabilities are anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. These conditions can significantly disrupt an individual’s life, academic performance, and social life. Fortunately, there are many treatments available for these conditions, including medication and psychological counseling. However, stigma associated with these conditions may discourage many people from seeking treatment.
The diagnosis of a psychiatric disability may lead to a variety of workplace accommodations. For instance, a person suffering from anxiety disorder may need to work from home or take longer breaks. They may require a special earpiece or other devices to help them focus or feel more relaxed. Other accommodations may include modifying a work schedule to accommodate the person’s disorder or making changes to the management style.
The severity and frequency of these disabilities vary widely. Schizophrenia is the most severe and disabling of all these disorders. Other common types of mental illnesses include dementia, alcohol use disorders, and bipolar affective disorder. The least-common psychiatric disability is anxiety disorder.
The ADA recognizes two main rights for people with psychiatric disabilities. First, they have a right to privacy. They are not forced to disclose their disability to their employer. Second, they are entitled to job accommodations that do not create undue hardship for them or their employers.
Mental health conditions are also recognized under the SSI program. Social Security Disability for mental health conditions is similar to disability for physical impairments in that it focuses on overall functional capacity. The psychiatric condition must be serious enough to limit the person’s ability to perform work. A physician must diagnose the condition to receive Social Security Disability. Finally, the mental health disorder must be long-term and prevent the individual from performing past job requirements.
Many people with psychiatric disabilities do not disclose their diagnosis. As a result, it is possible for other students and faculty to not recognize that a fellow student has a disability. Students with mental health disorders tend to be very private, and may not want to share details with anyone. D&A recommends that faculty members and co-workers do not ask a student about their disability. Nonetheless, they can help a person find resources for their specific needs.
