Multiple Disabilities | Characteristics, Prevalance & Causes

Lesson Additional Info

Author

Adrianne Baron

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Instructor

Heather Pier

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Understand what it means to have multiple disabilities. Discover causes of multiple disabilities and learn
about the prevalence of people with multiple disabilities. Updated: 11/21/2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the characteristics of multiple disabilities?

The characteristics of multiple disabilities vary based on the types of disabilities. The characteristics may
include hearing loss, vision loss, inability to make or maintain relationships, little or no ability to care for
oneself or be independent, mobility needs, isolation, self-harm, hydrocephalus, and not communicating
at the appropriate age level.

What are the types of multiple disabilities?

Not all multiple disabilities are the same. They can be categorized based on the type of disability. The
types of multiple disabilities include orthopedic disabilities, behavioral or emotional disabilities, and
sensory disabilities.

Multiple Disabilities

Different people are able to function at different levels. When a person has a condition that requires
specific accommodations or additional services, this could be due to a disability. A disability is defined by
the American with Disabilities Act, or ADA for short, as any condition that severely limits someone's
abilities. There are different types of disabilities that a person can have, and these can be physical,
mental, or emotional disabilities. People are sometimes born with disabilities while other people may
develop a disability as they go through life. When a person is born with a disability, it is said to be a
congenital disability.

There are also many instances when a person doesn't just have one or one type of disability. In these
cases, the person has more than one disability. They are said to have multiple disabilities. According to
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), multiple disabilities occur when a person has a
combination of impairments serious enough that their needed accommodations go beyond what a
special education program for only one of the disabilities could provide. Deaf-blindness is not included in
multiple disabilities. In order for a person to be labeled as having multiple disabilities, they must have at
least one disability that is an intellectual disability. These disabilities can include orthopedic
impairments, behavioral or emotional issues, or sensory impairments.

Orthopedic impairments are impairments in the physical functionality of the bones, joints, or muscles in
a child that are severe enough that they have a negative effect on the educational process. These can be
impairments such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or spina bifida. These impairments impede a
child from being able to learn in the same way that other children without the disability are able to.

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Characteristics of Multiple Disabilities

There are varying characteristics that a child may exhibit due to one or more of the disabilities. Some
physical or health characteristics are loss of or impaired physical mobility, hearing loss, vision loss,
autism, seizures, abnormal curvature of the spine, and hydrocephalus, which is when there is an
increased amount of fluid within the brain, causing pressure on it. Behavioral characteristics may be
trouble starting or having relationships with other people, little or no ability to be independent and care
for oneself, impulsive behaviors while having a low frustration level, and not exhibiting behaviors that
are consistent with one's age.