Multiple disabilities

Multiple disabilities are the categories that encompasses a combination of two or more conditions in a single person. The prenatal causes of multiple disabilities are listed below 

1. Chromosomal abnormalities
2. Viral infections 
3. Drugs and alcohol usage during pregnancy
4. Mother's malnutrition
5. Physical trauma to the mother. 

The person with multiple disabilities is affected by mobility, behaviour, emotion or sensory abilities and limited communication. Here we can see some of the examples of multiple disabilities

• Visual impairment + mental retardation
• Visual impairment + hearing impairment+mental retardation
• Deafblind ( visual impairment+hearing impairment ) 
• Cerebral palsy + mental retardation + hearing/ speech/ visual problems

Definition under IDEA (2004) :

                      - " A combination of impairments ( such as mental retardation- blindness, or mental retardation- physical disabilities) that causes such severe educational problems that the child cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf - blindness. "

                          Children with multiple disabilities needs physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and sensory integration therapy. This multiple disabilities are also categorized into mild, moderate, severe and profound. After Identifying the category of the child IEP has to be planned. Educating children with multiple disabilities are little difficult task when compared to their peers, most students with severe and multiple disabilities learn more slowly, forget mores easily, and experience problems generalizing skills from situation to situation.