Barrier-Free World
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| Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has been recognized throughout recorded history. It affects about 1 percent of Americans. People with schizophrenia may hear voices other people don't hear or they may believe that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These experiences are terrifying and can cause fearfulness, withdrawal, or extreme agitation. People with schizophrenia may not make sense when they talk, may sit for hours without moving or talking much, or may seem perfectly fine until they talk about what they are really thinking. Because many people with schizophrenia have difficulty holding a job or caring for themselves, the burden on their families and society is significant as well. |
Social Phobias
Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is diagnosed when people become
overwhelmingly anxious and excessively self-conscious in everyday social situations.
People with social phobia have an intense, persistent, and chronic fear of being watched
and judged by others and of doing things that will embarrass them. They can worry for
days or weeks before a dreaded situation. This fear may become so severe that it
interferes with work, school, and other ordinary activities, and can make it hard to make
and keep friends.
While many people with social phobia realize that their fears about being with people are
excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome them. Even if they manage to
confront their fears and be around others, they are usually very anxious beforehand,
are intensely uncomfortable throughout the encounter, and worry about how they were
judged for hours afterward.
Social phobia can be limited to one situation (such as talking to people, eating or
drinking, or writing on a blackboard in front of others) or may be so broad (such as in
generalized social phobia) that the person experiences anxiety around almost anyone
other than the family.
Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, is diagnosed when people become
overwhelmingly anxious and excessively self-conscious in everyday social situations.
People with social phobia have an intense, persistent, and chronic fear of being watched
and judged by others and of doing things that will embarrass them. They can worry for
days or weeks before a dreaded situation. This fear may become so severe that it
interferes with work, school, and other ordinary activities, and can make it hard to make
and keep friends.
While many people with social phobia realize that their fears about being with people are
excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome them. Even if they manage to
confront their fears and be around others, they are usually very anxious beforehand,
are intensely uncomfortable throughout the encounter, and worry about how they were
judged for hours afterward.
Social phobia can be limited to one situation (such as talking to people, eating or
drinking, or writing on a blackboard in front of others) or may be so broad (such as in
generalized social phobia) that the person experiences anxiety around almost anyone
other than the family.
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Savant Syndrome
Savant Syndrome is a rare, condition in which persons with various developmental
disorders, including autistic disorder, have astonishing islands of ability, brilliance or
talent that stand in stark, markedly incongruous contrast to overall limitations. The
condition can be congenital (genetic or inborn), or can be acquired later in childhood, or
even in adults. The savant skills co-exist with, or are superimposed upon, various
developmental disabilities including autistic disorder, or other conditions such as mental
retardation or brain injury or disease that occurs before (pre-natal) during (peri-natal) or
after birth (post-natal), or even later in childhood or adult life. The extraordinary skills
are always linked with prodigious memory of a special type — exceedingly deep but
very, very narrow.
Approximately one in ten (10%) of persons with autistic disorder have some savant
skills. In other forms of development disability, mental retardation or brain injury, savant
skills occur in less than 1% of such persons. Since these other forms of mental disability
are much more common than autistic disorder however, it turns out that approximately
50% of persons with savant syndrome have autistic disorder, and the other 50% have
some other form of developmental disability, mental retardation or brain injury or
disease. Thus not all savants are autistic, and not all autistic persons are savants.
Savant Syndrome is a rare, condition in which persons with various developmental
disorders, including autistic disorder, have astonishing islands of ability, brilliance or
talent that stand in stark, markedly incongruous contrast to overall limitations. The
condition can be congenital (genetic or inborn), or can be acquired later in childhood, or
even in adults. The savant skills co-exist with, or are superimposed upon, various
developmental disabilities including autistic disorder, or other conditions such as mental
retardation or brain injury or disease that occurs before (pre-natal) during (peri-natal) or
after birth (post-natal), or even later in childhood or adult life. The extraordinary skills
are always linked with prodigious memory of a special type — exceedingly deep but
very, very narrow.
Approximately one in ten (10%) of persons with autistic disorder have some savant
skills. In other forms of development disability, mental retardation or brain injury, savant
skills occur in less than 1% of such persons. Since these other forms of mental disability
are much more common than autistic disorder however, it turns out that approximately
50% of persons with savant syndrome have autistic disorder, and the other 50% have
some other form of developmental disability, mental retardation or brain injury or
disease. Thus not all savants are autistic, and not all autistic persons are savants.
| Speech Impairment Speech impairment means it is difficult to use the body parts and muscles that make the motions or sounds needed for speech. |