Cerebral Palsy

Disability Specialists
Definition The term cerebral palsy refers to any of a number of neurological disorders that cause permanent, non-progressive disorder of muscle movement and coordination. However, cerebral palsy is not a deficiency of the muscles or the nerves; it is the result of damage to the brain either during pregnancy or…
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Cardiovascular Disease

Disability Specialists
Definition Cardiovascular disease is a broad term that describes diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide. Diseases such as coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), disease of the heart valves, peripheral artery disease (PAD), congenital heart diseases, cardiomyopathy, aortic…
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Burns

Disability Specialists
Definition Burns are injuries to the body’s soft tissues caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, friction, or radiation. In the United States, fire and hot liquids are the most common causes of burns. General Information Burns caused by contact with flame or hot liquids are said to be thermal, that is,…
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Breathing Disorders

Disability Specialists
Definition Breathing disorders are conditions that interfere with the respiratory process. The key function of the respiratory process is gas exchange; bringing air in to the lungs so that oxygen can diffuse into the blood while simultaneously allowing carbon dioxide to diffuse out of the blood stream and into the…
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Blood Disorders

Disability Specialists
Definition Blood disorders, also called hematological disorders, are conditions that affect the creation and life cycle of various cells found in your blood. There are three major types of blood cells in human blood: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type plays an important role in your…
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Arthritis

Disability Specialists
Definition The term arthritis refers to conditions involving inflammation of one or more joints of the body. Arthritis generally causes pain and stiffness of the affected joint. There are different types of arthritis, the most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment is dependent on the type of arthritis, and…
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Amputation

Disability Specialists
Definition Amputation is the partial or total removal of an extremity of the body. Amputation is used in some circumstances to manage disease, such as amputation of non-viable toes in individuals with gangrene. Amputation also can be the result of trauma, such as traffic accidents or labor injuries. General Information…
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Chronic Pain

Disability Specialists
Definition Chronic pain is a term generally accepted to describe pain that lasts greater than six months.  Another popular alternate definition is “pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing.” In contrast, acute pain is a term given to pain that begins suddenly, is usually sharp, and resolves when…
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Diabetes Mellitus

Disability Specialists
Definition Diabetes mellitus (DM), also known as ‘sugar diabetes’ or simply, ‘diabetes,’ encompasses a group of metabolic diseases in which high blood sugar levels are sustained over a prolonged period of time. It is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the cells of the body not…
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