DISABILITIES INDEX

Developmental Disability - Developmental disabilities are a diverse group of severe chronic conditions that are due to mental and/or physical impairments. People with developmental disabilities have problems with major life activities such as language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living. Developmental disabilities begin anytime during development up to 22 years of age and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime. Source: CDC http://www.cdc.gov/

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all American children. It interferes with a person’s ability to stay on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition (cognitive alone or both cognitive and behavioral). Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details. There are several types of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive subtype, a predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype, and a combined subtype. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into the adult years. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Autism - Autism is classified as one of the pervasive developmental disorders of the brain. It is not a disease. People with classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. These symptoms can vary in severity. In addition, people with autism often have abnormal responses to sounds, touch, or other sensory stimulation. Symptoms usually appear during the first three years of childhood and continue through life. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Asperger Syndrome - Asperger syndrome (AS), one of the autistic spectrum disorders, is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by an inability to understand how to interact socially. AS is commonly recognized after the age of three. People with high-functioning autism are generally distinguished from those with AS because autism is associated with marked early language delay. Other characteristics of AS include clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements, limited interests or unusual preoccupations, repetitive routines or rituals, speech and language peculiarities, and non-verbal communication problems. Generally, children with AS have few facial expressions. Many have excellent rote memory, and become intensely interested in one or two subjects (sometimes to the exclusion of other topics). They may talk at length about a favorite subject or repeat a word or phrase many times. Children with AS tend to be self-absorbed, have difficulty making friends, and are preoccupied with their own interests. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Cerebral Palsy - Cerebral palsy is an umbrella-like term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. The disorders are caused by faulty development of or damage to motor areas in the brain that disrupts the brain's ability to control movement and posture. Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks (such as writing or using scissors), difficulty maintaining balance or walking, involuntary movements. The symptoms differ from person to person and may change over time. Some people with cerebral palsy are also affected by other medical disorders, including seizures or mental impairment, but cerebral palsy does not always cause profound handicap. Early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before 3 years of age. Infants with cerebral palsy are frequently slow to reach developmental milestones such as learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk. Cerebral palsy may be congenital or acquired after birth. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Pervasive Developmental Disorder - The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett’s Syndrome. Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Mental Retardation - Mental retardation is characterized both by a significantly below-average score on a test of mental ability or intelligence and by limitations in the ability to function in areas of daily life, such as communication, self-care, and getting along in social situations and school activities. Mental retardation is sometimes referred to as a cognitive or intellectual disability. 

Children with mental retardation can and do learn new skills, but they develop more slowly than children with average intelligence and adaptive skills. There are different degrees of mental retardation, ranging from mild to profound. A person's level of mental retardation can be defined by their intelligence quotient (IQ), or by the types and amount of support they need. Source: CDC http://www.cdc.gov/

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Aicardi Syndrome - Aicardi Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the partial or complete absence of the structure that links the two hemispheres of the brain, the corpus callosum. The disorder affects only girls. Onset of Aicardi Syndrome generally begins between the ages of 3 and 5 months with infantile spasms, a type of childhood seizure. Symptoms include seizures, mental retardation and lesions on the retina of the eye that are specific to the disorder. Aicardi Syndrome may be associated with other brain defects such as a smaller than average brain and cavities or gaps in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Angelman Syndrome - Angelman syndrome is a chromosomal (gene-linked) disease that causes neurological problems. The physician Harold Angelman first identified the syndrome in 1965, when he described several children in his practice as having "flat heads, jerky movements, protruding tongues, and bouts of laughter." Infants with Angelman syndrome appear normal at birth, but begin to have feeding problems at 1-2 months and noticeable developmental delays by 6 to 12 months. Seizures may often begin before the age of 3 years. Speech impairment is pronounced, with little to no use of words. The syndrome is also characterized by hyperactivity, small head size, and movement and balance disorders that can cause severe functional deficits. Angelman syndrome is the result of the deletion or inactivation of a particular series of genes that regulate a protein called ubiquitin (UBE3A) on chromosome 5q11-13. The majority of cases of Angelman syndrome are inherited (via maternal transmission of an abnormal chromosome) but others appear to be the result of genetic mutations from unknown causes. The extent and variety of symptoms vary depending on the specific gene(s) involved. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Beckwith-Weidman Syndrome - Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare genetic disorder. It may be characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms and findings that vary in range and severity from case to case. However, in many individuals with the syndrome, associated features may include above average weight and length at birth and/or increased growth after birth (postnatally); an unusually large tongue (macroglossia); enlargement of certain abdominal organs (visceromegaly); and/or abdominal wall defects. BWS may also be characterized by low blood sugar levels within the first days of life (neonatal hypoglycemia); advanced bone age, particularly up to age four; the presence of distinctive linear grooves in the ear lobes and/or other abnormalities of the facial area; and/or an increased risk of developing certain childhood cancers. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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CHARGE Syndrome - CHARGE syndrome is a rare disorder that arises during early fetal development and affects multiple organ systems. The term CHARGE comes from the first letter of some of the more common features seen in these children:
(C) = coloboma and cranial nerve abnormalities–defects of the eyeball
(H) = heart defects
(A ) = atresia of the choanae (blocked nasal breathing passages)
(R) = retardation of growth and development
(G) = genital and urinary abnormalities
(E) = ear abnormalities and hearing loss

Diagnosis is based on a different set of features (see below). In addition to the CHARGE features, most children with CHARGE syndrome have other features, including characteristic facial features, cleft lip or palate, esophageal atresia (blind-ending food pipe) or tracheoesophageal fistula (connection between the wind pipe and the food pipe). The symptoms of CHARGE syndrome vary greatly from one child to another. The exact cause of CHARGE is not known. Most cases occur randomly, for no apparent reason (sporadic). There are a few familial cases. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Down Syndrome - Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder in which all or a portion of chromosome 21 appears three times (trisomy) rather than twice in cells of the body. In some affected individuals, only a percentage of cells may contain the chromosomal abnormality (mosaicism). Symptoms and findings may vary greatly in range and severity, depending on the specific length and location of the duplicated (trisomic) portion of chromosome 21 as well as the percentage of cells containing the abnormality. However, in many affected individuals, such abnormalities may include low muscle tone (hypotonia); a tendency to keep the mouth open with protrusion of the tongue; and distinctive malformations of the head and facial (craniofacial) area, such as a short, small head (microbrachycephaly), upwardly slanting eyelid folds (palpebral fissures), a depressed nasal bridge, a small nose, and a relatively flat facial profile. Individuals with Down Syndrome may also have unusually small, misshapen (dysplastic) ears; a narrow roof of the mouth (palate); vertical skin folds covering the inner corners of the eyes (epicanthal folds); dental abnormalities; and excessive skin on the back of the neck. Abnormalities of the extremities are also often present, such as unusually short arms and legs; short fingers; and unusual skin ridge patterns (dermatoglyphics) on the fingers, palms, and toes. Affected individuals may also have short stature, poor coordination, mild to severe mental retardation, and hearing impairment.

In some cases, Down Syndrome may also be characterized by structural malformations of the heart at birth (congenital heart defects). In addition, those with the disorder may have an increased susceptibility to respiratory disease (e.g., pneumonia), other infectious diseases, and malignancies in which there is an increased proliferation of certain white blood cells (leukemia). Such abnormalities may lead to potentially life-threatening complications in some cases.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a characteristic pattern of mental and physical birth defects that results due to maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. The range and severity of associated abnormalities may vary greatly from case to case. However, characteristic features may include growth delays before and after birth (prenatal and postnatal growth retardation); malformations of the skull and facial (craniofacial) region; brain abnormalities; and/or additional physical findings. FAS may also be associated with varying degrees of mental retardation, learning abnormalities, and/or behavioral problems that, in some cases, may occur in the absence of obvious physical abnormalities.

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Fragil X Syndrome - Fragile X Syndrome is a defect of the X chromosome which causes mild mental retardation. The disorder occurs more frequently and severely among males than females. This condition is the leading known familial cause of mental retardation in the United States. Language delays, behavioral problems, autism or autistic-like behavior (including poor eye contact and hand-flapping), enlarged external genitalia (macroorchidism), large or prominent ears, hyperactivity, delayed motor development and/or poor sensory skills are among the wide range of symptoms associated with this disorder.

Klinefelter Syndrome - The classic form of Klinefelter Syndrome causes impaired function of the testes (primary hypogonadism) in males. This rare disorder is characterized by the presence of an extra X chromosome. Klinefelter Syndrome may not be diagnosed until puberty because the symptoms may be very subtle until that age and secondary sex characteristics are not apparent before puberty.

Lesch Nyhan Syndrome - Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a rare inborn error of purine metabolism characterized by the absence or deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). Purine, a nitrogen-containing compound found in many foods (e.g., organ meats, poultry, and legumes) is not broken down properly due to the absence of HPRT. Uric acid levels are abnormally high in people with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and sodium urate crystals may abnormally accumulate in the joints, kidneys, central nervous system, and other tissues of the body. Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is inherited as an X-linked recessive genetic disorder that most often affects males.

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Noonan’s Syndrome - Noonan syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is typically evident at birth (congenital). The disorder may be characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms and physical features that vary greatly in range and severity. In many affected individuals, associated abnormalities include a distinctive facial appearance; a broad or webbed neck; a low hairline in the back of the head; and short stature. Characteristic abnormalities of the head and facial (craniofacial) area may include widely set eyes (ocular hypertelorism); vertical skin folds that may cover the eyes' inner corners (epicanthal folds); drooping of the upper eyelids (ptosis); a small jaw (micrognathia); a low nasal bridge; and low-set, prominent, abnormally rotated ears (pinnae). Distinctive skeletal malformations are also typically present, such as abnormalities of the breastbone (sternum), curvature of the spine (kyphosis and/or scoliosis), and outward deviation of the elbows (cubitus valgus). Many infants with Noonan syndrome also have heart (cardiac) defects, such as obstruction of proper blood flow from the lower right chamber of the heart to the lungs (pulmonary valvular stenosis). Additional abnormalities may include malformations of certain blood and lymph vessels, blood clotting and platelet deficiencies, mild mental retardation, failure of the testes to descend into the scrotum (cryptorchidism) by the first year of life in affected males, and/or other symptoms and findings.

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Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder - Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all American children. It interferes with a person’s ability to stay on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition (cognitive alone or both cognitive and behavioral). Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details. There are several types of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive subtype, a predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype, and a combined subtype. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into the adult years.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) - Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized in the brain by abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles) composed of misplaced proteins. Age is the most important risk factor for AD; the number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. Three genes have been discovered that cause early onset (familial) AD. Other genetic mutations that cause excessive accumulation of amyloid protein are associated with age-related (sporadic) AD. Symptoms of AD include memory loss, language deterioration, impaired ability to mentally manipulate visual information, poor judgment, confusion, restlessness, and mood swings. Eventually AD destroys cognition, personality, and the ability to function. The early symptoms of AD, which include forgetfulness and loss of concentration, are often missed because they resemble natural signs of aging. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Apraxia - Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned (familiar) movements, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform the movements. There are several types of apraxia including limb-kinetic (inability to make fine, precise movements with a limb), ideomotor (inability to carry out a motor command), ideational (inability to create a plan for or idea of a specific movement), buccofacial or facial-oral (inability to carry out facial movements on command, i.e., lick lips, whistle, cough, or wink) - which is perhaps the most common form, verbal (difficulty coordinating mouth and speech movements), constructional (inability to draw or construct simple configurations), and oculomotor (difficulty moving the eyes). Apraxia may be accompanied by a language disorder called aphasia. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Agensis of the Corpus Callosum - Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is a rare birth defect in which the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain (the corpus callosum) is partially or completely absent. ACC can occur as an isolated condition or in combination with other cerebral abnormalities, including Arnold-Chiari malformation, Dandy-Walker syndrome, Andermann syndrome, schizencephaly (clefts or deep divisions in brain tissue), and holoprosencephaly (failure of the forebrain to divide into lobes.) Girls may have a gender-specific condition called Aicardi’s syndrome, which causes severe mental retardation, seizures, abnormalities in the vertebra of the spine, and lesions on the retina of the eye. ACC can also be associated with malformations in other parts of the body, such as midline facial defects. The effects of the disorder range from subtle or mild to severe, depending on associated brain abnormalities. Intelligence may be normal with mild compromise of skills requiring matching of visual patterns. But children with the most severe brain malformations may have intellectual retardation, seizures, hydrocephalus, and spasticity.  Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Ataxia - Ataxia often occurs when parts of the nervous system that control movement are damaged. People with ataxia experience a failure of muscle control in their arms and legs, resulting in a lack of balance and coordination or a disturbance of gait. While the term ataxia is primarily used to describe this set of symptoms, it is sometimes also used to refer to a family of disorders. It is not, however, a specific diagnosis. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Developmental Dyspraxia - Developmental dyspraxia is a disorder characterized by impairment in the ability to plan and carry out sensory and motor tasks. Generally, individuals with the disorder appear “out of sync” with their environment. Symptoms vary and may include poor balance and coordination, clumsiness, vision problems, perception difficulties, emotional and behavioral problems, difficulty with reading, writing, and speaking, poor social skills, poor posture, and poor short-term memory. Although individuals with the disorder may be of average or above average intelligence, they may behave immaturely. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Dysgraphia - Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterized by writing disabilities. Specifically, the disorder causes a person's writing to be distorted or incorrect. In children, the disorder generally emerges when they are first introduced to writing. They make inappropriately sized and spaced letters, or write wrong or misspelled words, despite thorough instruction. Children with the disorder may have other learning disabilities; however, they usually have no social or other academic problems. Cases of dysgraphia in adults generally occur after some trauma. In addition to poor handwriting, dysgraphia is characterized by wrong or odd spelling, and production of words that are not correct (i.e., using "boy" for "child"). The cause of the disorder is unknown. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Dyslexia - Dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read. These individuals typically read at levels significantly lower than expected despite having normal intelligence. Although the disorder varies from person to person, common characteristics among people with dyslexia are difficulties with phonological processing (the manipulation of sounds) and/or rapid visual-verbal responding. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Encephalopathy - Encephalopathy is a term for any diffuse disease of the brain that alters brain function or structure. Encephalopathy may be caused by infectious agent (bacteria, virus, or prion), metabolic or mitochondrial dysfunction, brain tumor or increased pressure in the skull, prolonged exposure to toxic elements (including solvents, drugs, radiation, paints, industrial chemicals, and certain metals), chronic progressive trauma, poor nutrition, or lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain. The hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Depending on the type and severity of encephalopathy, common neurological symptoms are progressive loss of memory and cognitive ability, subtle personality changes, inability to concentrate, lethargy, and progressive loss of consciousness. Other neurological symptoms may include myoclonus (involuntary twitching of a muscle or group of muscles), nystagmus (rapid, involuntary eye movement), tremor, muscle atrophy and weakness, dementia, seizures, and loss of ability to swallow or speak. Blood tests, spinal fluid examination, imaging studies, electroencephalograms, and similar diagnostic studies may be used to differentiate the various causes of encephalopathy. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Hypertonia - Hypertonia is a condition marked by an abnormal increase in muscle tension and a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch. It is caused by injury to motor pathways in the central nervous system, which carry information from the central nervous system to the muscles and control posture, muscle tone, and reflexes. When the injury occurs in children under the age of two, the term cerebral palsy is often used. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Hypotonia - Hypotonia, or severely reduced muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle), is seen primarily in children. It is not the same as muscle weakness but it can co-exist with muscle weakness. Hypotonia may be caused by trauma, environmental factors, or by genetic, muscle, or central nervous system disorders. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Learning Disabilties - A learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. The term learning disability is used to describe the seeming unexplained difficulty a person of at least average intelligence has in acquiring basic academic skills. These skills are essential for success at school and work, and for coping with life in general. LD is not a single disorder. It is a term that refers to a group of disorders. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Seizure Disorder - Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. Epilepsy is a disorder with many possible causes. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity — from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development — can lead to seizures. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters, or some combination of these factors. Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Speech and language disorders refer to problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function. These delays and disorders range from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech and feeding. Some causes of speech and language disorders include hearing loss, neurological disorders, brain injury, mental retardation, drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft lip or palate, and vocal abuse or misuse. Frequently, however, the cause is unknown. Source: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities http://www.nicncy.org

Aphasia - Aphasia is a neurological disorder caused by damage to the portions of the brain that are responsible for language. Primary signs of the disorder include difficulty in expressing oneself when speaking, trouble understanding speech, and difficulty with reading and writing. Aphasia is not a disease, but a symptom of brain damage. Most commonly seen in adults who have suffered a stroke, aphasia can also result from a brain tumor, infection, head injury, or dementia that damages the brain. It is estimated that about 1 million people in the United States today suffer from aphasia. The type and severity of language dysfunction depends on the precise location and extent of the damaged brain tissue.

Generally, aphasia can be divided into four broad categories: (1) Expressive aphasia involves difficulty in conveying thoughts through speech or writing. The patient knows what he wants to say, but cannot find the words he needs. (2) Receptive aphasia involves difficulty understanding spoken or written language. The patient hears the voice or sees the print but cannot make sense of the words. (3) Patients with anomic or amnesia aphasia, the least severe form of aphasia, have difficulty in using the correct names for particular objects, people, places, or events. (4) Global aphasia results from severe and extensive damage to the language areas of the brain. Patients lose almost all language function, both comprehension and expression. They cannot speak or understand speech, nor can they read or write. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

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Articulation Disorder - The inability to correctly form sounds used for speech production.

Auditory Processing Disorder - Auditory processing is a term used to describe what happens when your brain recognizes and interprets the sounds around you. Humans hear when energy that we recognize as sound travels through the ear and is changed into electrical information that can be interpreted by the brain. The "disorder" part of auditory processing disorder means that something is adversely affecting the processing or interpretation of the information.

Children with APD often do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even though the sounds themselves are loud and clear. For example, the request "Tell me how a chair and a couch are alike" may sound to a child with APD like "Tell me how a couch and a chair are alike." It can even be understood by the child as "Tell me how a cow and a hair are alike." These kinds of problems are more likely to occur when a person with APD is in a noisy environment or when he or she is listening to complex information. Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders  http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/

Expressive Language Disorder – is the inability to convey ideas, wants, and needs in a organized and appropriate manner.

Receptive Language Disorder – is the inability to understand spoken language including comprehension of age-appropriate vocabulary, word meanings, word relationships, and syntactical and grammatical structures.

Feeding/Swallowing Disorders – a disorder in one of the three phases of swallowing.

oral phase - sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat

pharyngeal phase - triggering the swallowing reflex, squeezing food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway (aspiration) or to prevent choking

esophageal phase - relaxing and tightening the openings at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing food through the esophagus into the stomach. Source: ASHA http://www.asha.org/

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SENSORY DISABILITIES

Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Sensory integration dysfunction is an irregularity or disorder in brain function that makes it difficult to integrate and organize sensory input. Senses affected may include the perception of movement, touch, vision, hearing, taste and/or smell. Sensory integrative disorders are a basis for many, but not all learning disorders.

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An orthopedic disability is a motor disability caused by an anomaly, disease or impairment by other conditions (e.g., cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy or traumatic injury) where the child requires specialized and integrated services in order to benefit from an educational program.

Arthrogryposis - Arthrogryposis (Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita) is a term describing the presence of a muscle disorder that causes multiple joint contractures at birth. A contracture is a limitation in the range of motion of a joint.

In some cases, few joints may be affected and the range of motion may be nearly normal. In the "classic" case of arthrogryposis, hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, feet and knees are affected. In the most severe cases, nearly every body joint may be involved, including the jaw and back. Frequently, the contractures are accompanied by muscle weakness, which further limits movement. Arthrogryposis is relatively rare, occurring in approximately one in 3,000 births. Source: Shriners Hospital http://www.shrinershq.org/hospitals/los_angeles/conditions/arthrogryposis.aspx

Brachial Plexus Injury/Erb’s Palsy - The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves. Symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand. Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen during birth: the baby’s shoulders may become impacted during the birth process causing the brachial plexus nerves to stretch or tear. There are four types of brachial plexus injuries: avulsion, the most severe type, in which the nerve is torn from the spine; rupture, in which the nerve is torn but not at the spinal attachment; neuroma, in which the nerve has tried to heal itself but scar tissue has grown around the injury, putting pressure on the injured nerve and preventing the nerve from conducting signals to the muscles; and neuropraxia or stretch, in which the nerve has been damaged but not torn. Neuropraxia is the most common type of brachial plexus injury. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

Scoliosis – lateral deviation of the normal vertical line of the spine which, when measured by X-ray, is greater than ten degrees.  Scoliosis consists of a lateral curvature of the spine with rotation of the vertebrae within the curve. Source: Scoliosis Research Society http://www.srs.org

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