What is disability?
Disability is a total or partial, temporary or permanent physical, sensory, mental, communicative, educational or psychological impairment that has a substantial and enduring adverse effect on the disabled person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, making him dependent on others, or in need of special tool, special training and special rehabilitation to make good use of it.
Types of disability:
- Physical disability: The person is unable to control the motion of one or more of his body organs.
- Visual disability: Ranging from poor vision to complete blindness.
- Hearing disability: Ranging from poor hearing to complete deafness.
- Educational and intellectual disability: The person is unable to normally learn, remember or process information.
- Mental health.
- Need for social relations and communication.
The influence of disability varies according to its severity, symptoms, curability and rehabilitation.
Causes of disabilities:
- Genetic disorders, either caused by inherited genes from a parent or an external factor.
- Diseases or accidents affecting the mother during pregnancy or delivery.
- Complications triggered by the negligence of treatment, and the inability to control diseases, such as:
- Diseases affecting muscles and joint inflammation.
- Heart diseases and strokes.
- Cancer.
- Diabetes.
- Nervous system diseases.
- Acquired disability, caused by work injuries or accidents.
- Aging.
- Undefined reasons.
Prevention:
You can protect yourself against some types of disabilities caused by chronic diseases, by controlling these diseases and preventing complications, through the following:
Adopting a healthy lifestyle, having healthy food, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.
Regular follow-up with the specialized doctor to control the disease.
Taking the prescribed medications regularly.
Social rehabilitation for persons with disabilities:
Qualifying people with disabilities to adapt and positively interact with the society and general requirement of life, through a host of social programs and activities, as well as finding job opportunities they need as same as other people.
Living with persons with disabilities and caring for them:
Those living with persons with disabilities are supposed to ensure for them a healthy and safe environment, as much as possible. They are advised to:
- Provide daily care for the person with disability, such as hygiene, healthy food and so on, and, if possible, training him on doing the basic daily activities by himself.
- Provide innovative tools and techniques that would help the person with disability to do his daily activities easily and safely, without the risk of getting injured.
- Pay close attention to the safety and security within the person's surrounding environment; for example, availing special paths to guide him and make his movement easier.
- Pay attention to the social and mental aspects, which could be improved by organizing regular visits or picnics for recreation.
- Take part in outdoor activities, and subscribe to a club, thus improving the mental and physical state of the person with disability.
- Involve the person with disability in the family's daily activities, to promote his self-confidence and hone his skills.
- Pay close attention to education, and develop the mental skills of the person with disability, by providing him with modern educational tools that will make it easier for him to access information.
- Pay close attention to providing balanced food for the persons with disability to prevent the possibility of developing malnutrition problems, such as anemia, thinness, excessive weight gain, aside from contracting other diseases owing to immunodeficiency.
Treatment:
The type of health care (drug treatment, physiotherapy, etc.) for the disabled persons depends on their type of disability. It is highly recommended to regularly see the doctor to follow a proper treatment plan, and take the necessary vaccinations against infectious diseases.