Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
68 results found in Conditions and Disabilities.
- Neuromuscular Disorders (Neuromuscular Diseases, NMDs)
- A broad group of medical conditions that impair the functioning of muscles, either through direct pathology of the muscle tissue, the peripheral nerves that control them, or the neuromuscular junction…
- Oral Motor Impairment (Oral-Motor Dysfunction, Oromotor Impairment)
- A condition affecting the muscles and movements of the mouth, jaw, lips, and tongue that are involved in speech production, feeding, and swallowing. Oral motor impairments can result from neurological…
- Paresis (Partial Paralysis)
- A partial loss of voluntary muscle movement, distinguished from full paralysis (plegia). Paresis can affect a single limb (monoparesis), one side of the body (hemiparesis), or all four limbs (tetrapar…
- Parkinsonian Tremor (Rest Tremor, Parkinson Tremor)
- Parkinsonian tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic shaking that occurs primarily at rest and is associated with Parkinson's disease. It is caused by the reciprocal activation of antagonistic muscle group…
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD, PDD-NOS, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)
- A historical diagnostic category encompassing a group of neurodevelopmental conditions characterised by delays in socialisation, communication, and restricted patterns of behaviour. Under the DSM-IV, …
- Presbyopia (Age-Related Farsightedness, Loss of Accommodation)
- An age-related vision condition in which the eye gradually loses the ability to focus on nearby objects, typically becoming noticeable after age 40. Presbyopia affects the vast majority of older adult…
- Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)
- An advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy in which abnormal new blood vessels grow on the retina, causing bleeding, scarring, and progressive vision loss that can include blurred vision, floaters, dar…
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI, Repetitive motion injury, Overuse injury)
- A category of injuries affecting muscles, tendons, and nerves caused by repetitive movements, sustained awkward postures, or overuse of a body part. In the context of accessibility, repetitive strain …
- Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI, Repetitive Strain Injury, Repetitive Motion Injury, Cumulative Trauma Disorder)
- A group of conditions caused by repetitive movements, forceful exertions, or sustained awkward postures over extended periods, resulting in damage to muscles, tendons, nerves, or other soft tissues. I…
- Restricted Field of View (Tunnel Vision, Peripheral Vision Loss, Visual Field Loss)
- A condition in which the area of the visual environment that a person can see at any given moment is significantly reduced, often described as looking through a tunnel or a narrow tube. Restricted fie…
- Restricted Interest (Circumscribed Interest, Perseverative Interest, Fixated Interest)
- An intense, narrow focus on specific topics, objects, or activities that is characteristic of autism spectrum disorder. Restricted interests can range from common subjects like trains, maps, or specif…
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
- An eye condition that can occur in premature infants when abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina. In severe cases, these vessels can cause scarring, retinal detachment, and significant vision loss …
- Schizophrenia (Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders)
- A chronic psychiatric condition characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, including symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, reduced emotio…
- Scotopic Sensitivity (Irlen Syndrome, Visual Stress, Meares-Irlen Syndrome)
- A visual-perceptual condition in which certain wavelengths of light cause discomfort, distortion, or difficulty when reading. People with scotopic sensitivity may experience text appearing to shimmer,…
- Severe Speech and Physical Impairments (SSPI)
- A classification describing individuals who have significant limitations in both speech production and physical movement, often co-occurring in conditions such as cerebral palsy. People with SSPI may …
- Severe and Multiple Disabilities (Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, PMLD, Severe Multiple Disabilities)
- A condition where an individual has two or more significant disabilities occurring simultaneously, typically involving profound physical impairments combined with intellectual disability and often sen…
- Spasm (Muscle Spasm, Spasticity)
- A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles that can cause uncontrolled movement or a temporary inability to move. Spasms are common in conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal …
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy (Spastic CP)
- The most common subtype of cerebral palsy, characterised by stiff or tight muscles (hypertonia) and exaggerated reflexes, caused by damage to the motor cortex or corticospinal tracts of the developing…
- Spastic Quadriplegia (Spastic Tetraplegia)
- The most severe subtype of spastic cerebral palsy, characterised by stiff, tight muscles (spasticity) and significantly reduced voluntary movement in all four limbs and often the trunk. People with sp…
- Specific Language Impairment (SLI, Developmental Language Disorder)
- A neurodevelopmental condition characterised by significant difficulties in acquiring and using language that cannot be attributed to hearing loss, intellectual disability, neurological damage, or env…