There is a lot of talk in society about people with disorders, limitations and handicaps. The definition of these three concepts is often not well understood and they are used in incorrect situations. This could hurt people who actually have a deviation. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between a disorder, a disability and a disability. The wording about people with disabilities has changed over time. The change in these wordings has to do with the way society views people with disabilities. A few years ago there was more talk about a physical or mental disability, while nowadays there is more talk about a physical or mental disability. Nowadays you hear very few people talk about someone who is mentally retarded or mentally handicapped.
The World Health Organization has classified disabilities by level of severity: an impairment , a disability and a disability . The seriousness lies mainly in someone’s own experience. In short: a disorder is a physical abnormality. If someone cannot do something due to such a disorder, it becomes a limitation and the limitation becomes a handicap if it makes a certain role in life impossible.
Deviation
Disorders, limitations and handicaps are all related to one or more abnormalities. That is why it is important to know what exactly a deviation means.
When you talk about an abnormality, a distinction is made between a congenital abnormality and a non-congenital abnormality. A congenital defect occurs before birth and a non-congenital defect occurs after birth. A non-congenital defect can arise as a result of, for example, an illness or an accident.
Disorder
A disorder is a defect or lack of an organ function or organ. If you speak of a disorder, this may be in the areas of:
- Cognition;
- Senses;
- Language;
- Organs;
- Limbs.
A disorder is therefore an abnormality at organ level. A disorder is always objective: it can be diagnosed by a doctor or psychologist.
Limit
A disability can be the result of a disorder. A limitation is the reduction of possibilities with regard to behavior or activities. If you speak of a disability, this may be in the areas of:
- Communication;
- Care;
- Exercise;
- Skills;
- Behaviour.
A limitation is therefore called a limitation if there are limitations when performing certain activities. Most activities can still be performed if this can be done in an adapted manner.
In healthcare, we often look at what a person can do and not at what he or she cannot do. That is why healthcare almost always talks about a disability.
Physical disability
A disability is a participation problem. It is an obstacle to social functioning. A disability is about the experience of the disabled person. A disability is therefore subjective, because the person who speaks of a disability believes that he or she has a disability. Someone who believes that he or she has a disability finds obstacles in achieving the goals that he or she considers important to achieve. This person then has the feeling that he or she cannot participate (properly) in society. Participation problems may arise in the areas of:
- Education;
- Labor;
- Social life;
- Leisure activity.