Categories of Disabilities

EDSP 5381
Dr. Reed
Submitted by Kelly Thurber

Types of Disabilities: Number of 3-5 year old children served under IDEA during 2004-2005 school year
(Young Children with Special Needs, p. 27)
Autism
Deafness/blindness

30,305
236

Traumatic brain injury

1,077

Developmental delay

260,692

Specific learning disability

12,065

Speech/language impairment

330,043

Multiple disability

8,515

Hearing impairment

7,846

Orthopedic impairment

8,021

Other health impairment

13.135

Mental retardation

22,759

Emotional disturbance

5,789

Visual Impairment

3,424

Speech and Language Disorders

Children develop at different rates, so it is difficult to clearly define what is a disorder. For example, a
child who is not speaking at age 4 (no words) could be categorized as having speech or language
disorders. Cultural diversity may play a role, so identifying children at this stage is difficult. Impairments
of speech and language often are in conjunction with other health or developmental issues. Children

who are not developing speech and language may possibly have difficulty in other areas and this could
pose problems for children to reach independence.
Developmental Delay
IDEA permits this label to be used with children from birth through age nine. Developmental delay
according to the Division of Early Childhood (2000) defined developmental delay in the following way:
A condition which represents a significant delay in the process of development. It does not refer to a
condition in which a child is slightly or momentarily lagging in development. The presence of
developmental delay is an indication that the process of development is significantly affected and that
without special intervention, it is likely that educational performance at school age will be affected.
There is a greater chance of misdiagnosis at this early age because of the uniqueness of development.
IDEA requires states develop guidelines to determine eligibility of children. Children may be eligible for
services under the developmental delay category if they satisfy two conditions: if they currently have a
disabling or established risk condition or if they are considered to have a condition that, is deemed to
place them at risk for developing a delay later.
Informed Clinical Opinion: Experts use all available information to determine if a childs condition is
likely to result in a disability at school entrance were the child not to receive early intervention services.
Intellectual Disability
Refers to significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in
conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills. Intellectual functioning is assessed through IQ tests. A
score between 1 and 2 standard deviations below the mean (70-85) characterizes a child with borderline
intellectual functioning. IQ Scores:
Mild intellectual disability

55-69

Moderate intellectual disability

40-54

Severe intellectual disability

25-39

Profound intellectual disability

below 25

The more severely disabled a child is, the greater the disparity between mental age and chronological
age. Mental age, more than chronological age, reflects a childs current level of ability and determines
educational needs.
Hearing Impairments
Hearing losses are determined by degree and type. Hearing is measured in units of intensity and
frequency. A hearing loss may be conductive or sensorineural. Conductive losses are caused by the
interference with the sequence of sound vibrations reaching the auditory nerve. Sensorineural losses
may impairment that is so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through

hearing, with or without amplification and that the childs educational performance is thus adversely
affected.
Visual Impairments
A child is considered blind if visual acuity is poorer than 20/200 in the better eye after correction or if
the field of vision is limited to an angle of less than 20 degrees. Educationally, children are usually
categorized as print readers or braille readers.
Serious Emotional Disturbance
Variety of behaviors that characterize a child with emotional disturbance may be quite diverse. There is
anxiety,withdrawal, aggression, impulsiveness and fear. Many children with severe emotional
disturbance are on medications.
Orthopedic Impairments
Any impairment that interferes with the normal functioning of bones, joints, or muscles. Many children
with these impairments require no special education. Adaptive equipment may help them function
independently in a typical classroom. Special education staff may help children adjust

OHI Other Health Impairments

Children in this category have limited strength, vitality, or alertness as a result of chronic or acute health
problems. Children with ADHD is included in this group.
ASD Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Autism is a developmental disability that significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and
social interaction and is generally evident before age 3. Autism adversely affects a childs educational
performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury ( TBI )
This is an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external force, resulting in total or partial functioning
disability or psychosocial impairment or both, that adversely affects a childs educational performance.