Disability charted out
Disability can be broken down into four helpful categories. In the list below you’ll see an array of disabilities from short term to long term. Remember that regardless of how long someone has a disability, it’s still valid.
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Defining the four main types of disability
One in 4 people in the United States has a disability—but how is disability even defined? Perkins is here to explain the 4 types of disability and provide a list of helpful examples.
By definition
Disability has a lot of definitions—it’s a totally unique experience for each individual and that makes it a diverse topic. Here is just a short list of things that are true about disabilities as a whole.
A disability can
- Change from day to day
- Create lasting changes in a person’s life
- Affect how a person does everyday tasks
- Suddenly arise
A person can become disabled from
- A medical condition
- A birth defect
- An injury at home or work
- Old age
A disability can last
- A few months
- A year
- Many years
- A lifetime
A disability does not
- Have an obvious or specific look
- Affect every person the same way
- Prevent someone from having a fulfilling life.
There’s no specific or concise definition because it wouldn’t be useful for everyday people. Charts however, are very useful and we have one, yay!
Auditory
Related to the ears, hearing, and the brain’s relationship to sound.
Short term: Ear infection, build up of ear wax
Long term: Deafness, aging, regular exposure to loud noise
Visual
Related to the eyes, seeing, and the brain’s relationship to the eyes.
Short term: scratched cornea, dilated eyes, headache or migraine symptoms
Long term: progressive vision loss, retina injury
Neurocognitive
Related to how people learn, mental health, and processing information.
Short term: concussion, grief, side effects of medications or anesthesia
Long term: Autism Spectrum Disorder, brain injury, depression
Mobility
Related to how people move their bodies.
Short term: Broken arm, pinched nerve
Long term: Cerebral Palsy, limb difference, chronic pain
These four categories cover the broadest types of disabilities. Some people have multiple disabilities across all four categories. Others spend a few weeks in one category, but never experience another. With this outline, it’s easier to understand how 1 in 4 people will be impacted by a disability in their lifetime. Disability is incredibly common because there are numerous kinds and ways to be impacted.
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