Physical disabilities impair daily activities and independence. They can affect mobility, hearing, speech, vision, or cognition. Disabilities can be congenital or acquired, and some may not be immediately apparent. They can include mobility, cognitive, psychological, vision, and hearing impairments, as well as invisible disabilities.
Physical disabilities are medical conditions that impair a person’s ability to carry out daily activities and live independently. Conditions that affect mobility, hearing, speech, vision, or cognition are all considered physical disabilities. A person’s physical disability may be obvious. People with mobility impairments may, for example, need crutches, wheelchairs or other adaptive devices to get around. Others suffer from disabilities that aren’t immediately apparent, such as epilepsy, dyslexia or mental illness. There are many types of disabilities, with many different causes, and while some disabilities are congenital, others are acquired later in life.
Physical impairments may be the best known type of disability. A person with a physical disability has difficulty using or cannot use one or more limbs, or may have problems with motor control. Amputation, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injuries are some of the causes of mobility disorders. People with broken bones may also be considered to have a mobility disability, even though this disability may only be temporary.
Cognitive impairments are often considered physical disabilities. People with cognitive impairments may be suffering from a learning disability or a mental condition such as Alzheimer’s disease. Mental retardation is generally considered a form of cognitive impairment. Those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may also be considered to have a cognitive impairment.
People with psychological illnesses can be considered physically disabled. Psychological disorders can be difficult to treat and can severely impede a person’s ability to carry out routine daily activities and self-care.
Vision impairment is a common form of physical disability, as many people eventually suffer some form of eye injury. Vision disturbances can be mild in nature and even temporary. Severe visual impairments can include total blindness. Like other types of impairments, vision impairments can be present at birth, develop over time, or occur as a result of injury or illness.
People with hearing impairments may have difficulty hearing sounds clearly or may experience total deafness. Hearing impairments are common and can occur due to injury, illness, exposure to loud noise, or old age. Many hearing disabilities develop slowly over time, leaving the person with the disability unaware of their disability until the symptoms become too bothersome to ignore. Others may be born partially or completely deaf.
Most deaf people communicate through lip reading and sign language. Currently, there are believed to be hundreds of sign languages. Each of these is considered as complex as any oral language.
Some people suffer from physical disabilities known as “invisible disabilities”. These are physical disabilities that may not be immediately apparent to others. Invisible disabilities can include a number of debilitating medical conditions, brain injuries, cognitive impairment, or any condition that impairs a person’s ability to function and care for themselves.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
