OTHER PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISABILITIES - Michela 5°E

CEREBRAL PALSY 

It is a genetic disorder that affects the nerves that control the body’s muscles. 

Symptoms are: difficulty maintaining balance or walking, involuntary movements and difficulty with fine motor tasks such as writing.

There are four types of cerebral palsy: spastic, ataxic, athetoid and mixed. The most common is spastic.

There is no cure for this disorder.

EPILEPSY

It is a disorder that affects the brain, neurons in particular.

The main causes of epilepsy are: developmental or genetic conditions, metabolic abnormalities, brain trauma and infections, degenerative disorders, disorders of the blood vessels and infections.

There are two types of seizures: generalised and partial.

Modern medical treatment methods are:

• Medical treatment 
• Surgical treatment 
• Dietary treatment

MENTAL RETARDATION

The causes for mental retardation are: prenatal causes, perinatal causes and postnatal causes. In many cases the cause is unknown.

Some symptoms of this disorder are: poor intellectual development, infantile behaviour, lack of curiosity, poor learning ability and difficulty at school.

The types of support can be classified as:

• Intermittent
• Limited
• Extensive
• Pervasive

There is no cure for mental retardation.

DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

It is an inherited disorder characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness. Symptoms appear in males 1 to 6 years old. Most patients have to use a wheelchair.

Complications include cardiomyophaty and respiratory disorders.

There is no cure for this disorder.