Types of Disability Cognitive Disability, Intellectual Disability, Physical Disabilities

 Disability occurs to individuals in many ways and with varied severity. Some individuals are disabled right at birth while other individuals get disabled owing to some events during the course of their lives. Mainly, there are three types of disabilities such as cognitive disability, intellectual disability and physical disability. These disabilities are described below. 

1. Cognitive Disability

Indeed, it is a neurological disorder that creates hindrance or obstruction for an individual to store, process and produce information. This Disability can affect an individual's ability or capability to read, compute, speak and write. So this type of disability can also be called invisible disability because unlike other Disabilityies, you may not be able to assess the condition by just looking at the individuals. Generally the individuals who have this type of disability, usually have following symptoms.

(i) Memory Disorder: An individual who has auditory problems or difficulty in remembering something that he/she heard, said or saw some time ago. 

(ii) Hyperactivity: An individual with cognitive disability may not have attention for a long period. He/she finds it difficult to stay at one place. As a matter of fact, he/she usually loses concentration frequently. 

(iii) Dyslexia: An individual with cognitive disability may exhibit dyslexia. It means he/she may have difficulty in writing, reading, speaking, etc.

2. Intellectual Disability

Intellectual ‘Disability: Intellectual disability is a disability characterised by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem solving) and in adaptive behaviour, which covers a range of everyday social and practical skills. Indeed, this disability is related to the individual’s thought processes, communication, money, learning, problem solving and judgement. It also includes 

psychiatric disability which is related to the individual’s social disabilities such as behaviour, emotions and thinking. The intellectual disability begins before the age of 18 years. 

3. Physical Disabilities

A physical disability is a limitation on an individual's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina. Other impairments such as respiratory disorders, blindness, epilepsy and sleep disorders, which limit other facets of daily life are also included in physical disabilities. Physical disability may either be motor deficiency (mobility impairment) or a sensory impairment. Motor deficiency is related to spinal cord, causing paralysis to some or all the limbs i.e., hands and legs. It may also be related to brain damage, which may occur before birth, during or after birth or after a stroke. Sensory impairment is related to an individual’s visual or hearing impairments. In simple words, a physical disability is one that affects a person's mobility or dexterity.