Glossary of Terms

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development; before, during, or shortly after birth; or during infancy. Thus, these disorders are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves. Instead, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupt the brain's ability to adequately control movement and posture.

"Cerebral" refers to the brain and "palsy" to muscle weakness/poor control. Cerebral palsy itself is not progressive (i.e. brain damage does not get worse); however, secondary conditions, such as muscle spasticity, can develop which may get better over time, get worse, or remain the same. Cerebral palsy is not communicable. It is not a disease and should not be referred to as such. Although cerebral palsy is not "curable" in the accepted sense, training and therapy can help improve function.

Definition from United Cerebral Palsy

Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder characterized by the presence of an extra #21 chromosome. Instead of having 46 chromosomes in each of his/her cells, a person with Down syndrome has 47. This form of chromosome error, trisomy 21, is found in about 95% of persons with Down syndrome. The 5 percent of babies with Down syndrome who do not have trisomy 21 may have Translocation, Mosaicism or partial trisomy.

To learn more, please got to the National Down Syndrome Congress website.

Medicare

The federal health insurance program for: people 65 years of age or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease.

Definition from The Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare

Intellectual Disability

a disability originating before the age of 18 and characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills

Definition from American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)

Developmental Disability

A mental or physical impairment beginning before the age of 22 that alters or inhibits a person from doing at least three of the following: take care of themselves, speak and be understood clearly, learn, walk, make decisions, earn and manage an income, or live on their own

Definition from Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD)