Glossary

Statistics show around 775 babies are born with Down's Syndrome every year in the UK which usually implies the child will grow up coping with a learning disability and characteristic physical features. People with Down's Syndrome are likely to have a small mouth with a protruding tongue, eyes which are looking upwards, a reduced muscle tone and a flat surface located at the back of their heads. However, the level of learning disability will vary for each individual

A rare genetic epileptic dysfunction of the brain which begins in the first year of life in an otherwise healthy infant.

A rare form of severe myoclonic epilepsy (SMEI) where seizures are often triggered off in hot temperatures.

Out of 500 children with epilepsy only about one or two will have the condition.

A severe type of Muscular Dystrophy which usually starts in boys around the age of four and deteriorates quickly.

Muscle loss normally begins in the upper legs and pelvis area before spreading to the upper arms.

There are about 2,500 people living in the UK with the condition.

There are two types of restricted growth…PSS which stands for proportionate short stature – where the trunk and limbs stay in proportion and disproportionate short stature (DSS) meaning the limbs are out of proportion. Despite these ‘small’ changes most people living with dwarfism don’t have to cope with any serious problems – unless the bar in their local pub is too high off the ground!

A learning disability which affects writing abilities.

Those living with the condition may have poor handwriting, difficulty spelling and putting their thoughts down on paper.

A common learning difficulty which makes reading and spelling difficult. Dyslexia can affect the verbal memory, rapid serial naming, verbal processing speed and phonological awareness. One in every Ten people in the UK have some form of the condition.

A term used to describe the presence of abnormal cells within a tissue or organ. Dysplasia is not cancer, but it may sometimes become cancer.

Developmental co-ordination disorder – DCD – or ‘Dyspraxia’ is a condition which limits a person’s physical co-ordination which can make them look clumsy.

Causes of DCD can be being born prematurely, a family history of the condition and being born with a low birth weight.

A movement disorder which causes the muscles to operate involuntarily in repetitive and twisting movements.

The condition can affect one part of your body (focal dystonia), two or more adjacent parts (segmental dystonia) or all parts of your body (general dystonia).