Physical Disabilities: The First Step Is Understanding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a page about disabilities and birth defects in people of all ages. This page elaborates on early signs of disabilities in children, developmental screening for disabilities, and accessibility and health care for people with disabilities.

MedlinePlus provides links to overviews of different physical disabilities, nutritional issues, and laws and policies affecting people with disabilities. The site also links to articles about the effect of disabilities on finances, children, and women.

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability explains several types of disabilities and conditions people might experience, and shows that physical activity is still possible despite a disability. The “Video” section contains short clips demonstrating how to perform various exercises.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality provides a helpful worksheet with questions you should ask when choosing a hospital to treat a medical condition. This page also links to various resources, including a patient's bill of rights and a hospital quality checklist.

The Rehabilitation Page of the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center provides information about the rehabilitation center at the NIH Clinical Center, as well as facts about participating in clinical studies. Click the “reference links” option toward the bottom of the page to access an extensive list of Web sites related to physical disabilities.

America's Best Hospitals 2007 categorizes hospitals around the United States and has listed the best hospitals in different specialties.

Shriners Hospitals for Children explains admission and eligibility requirements for children who may be treated at a Shriners hospital at no charge. Shriners Hospitals for Children treat orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate cases. To see if your child is eligible for treatment, or for other injury prevention and safety information, see the menu at the left of the page.

The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation explains how physiatrists help restore function to a person's body. See the "Conditions & Treatment" page for information about how specific physical disabilities and injuries are treated, or use the "Find a PM&R Physician" if you are searching for a physiatrist.

The American Occupational Therapy Association explains how people use therapy to enjoy their "occupation" of living a full life. The "Consumers" page explains what occupational therapy is, offers tips for living with a variety of health conditions, and provides access to a variety of consumer help organizations and public awareness campaigns.

The American Physical Therapy Association teaches that physical therapy can help a person heal from some health problems. Review the “Consumer” page of this site for facts about physical therapy and your body, and for information about insurance coverage and physical therapy.

The American Music Therapy Association discusses the benefits of music therapy in coping with disabilities, pain, illness, and rehabilitation. In the "Go to" box at the left of the page, select the "Fact Sheets" option to find resources about the application of music therapy to a variety of situations.

The Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification is the national certifying body for othotists and prosthetists. Its site includes advice on how to choose a practitioner, as well as a directory of board-certified doctors.

DisabilityInfo.gov recognizes that health care is a primary concern for someone with a disability. This site links to government resources that address health-care and disability issues for various groups of people: children, the elderly, those with developmental disabilities, and veterans. You can also review several other laws pertaining to people with disabilities, in relation to education, housing, and employment.

AbilityHub offers information about adaptive resources that enable individuals with physical disabilities to use computers effectively. If you have questions regarding adaptive technology for computers, you may send a brief message to AbilityHub using the "Contact Us" link.

The American Foundation for the Blind was established to expand possibilities for the blind through education and technology. Its “Find helpful services” tab will take you to directories for local organizations that help in learning Braille, getting medical help, finding educational resources, obtaining guide dogs, and more.

The Blind Readers' Page provides links to hundreds of resources for individuals with visual impairments. You’ll find links to information about adaptive computers, activities for blind and visually impaired children, and employment facts.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped searches for audio and Braille materials for visually impaired or handicapped individuals who want to enjoy books or magazines. You can search for libraries in your area that provide these special services and search for literary material online.

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) explains the growing need for sign language interpreters. If you require the assistance of an interpreter, check the "Interpreting & RID" page for advice. RID has a searchable database of interpreters, as well as links to the Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and Sign Language Resources, Inc., both of which explain how to work with interpreters.

WheelchairNet is a virtual community where people share information about wheelchairs. Because of the design, you’ll probably find it easiest to locate information at this site by using the site map. WheelchairNet links to disability-specific organizations, consumer reviews of wheelchair projects, and resources regarding wheelchair etiquette and health issues for people with disabilities.

Mayo Clinic has posted an article about exercising with a physical disability. Several approaches to physical activity are presented, so you can find the one that sounds right for you. The article also links to two other articles about ways to get started with physical activity and the benefits of exercise.

America's Athletes With Disabilities, Inc. promotes sports activities for individuals with a physical disability. You can learn about various America's Athletes sports programs, review a sports calendar, or learn how to become a sponsor or volunteer for the America's Athletes organization. Make sure to check the "Links" page on this site, which connects you to several other sports-oriented pages for people with disabilities.

The U.S. Paralympic Team Web site discusses the Paralympic Games, explains how you can get involved in the event, provides information about the sports in the Paralympic Games program, and provides a calendar of Paralympic Games events.

All About Counseling has this Chronic Illness or Disability page, which will help you sort out and understand the emotional frustration that can accompany a physical disability. The "Information Page" of this site will be helpful if you have questions about other emotional issues, such as anger, denial, or self-esteem.

KidsHealth.org is a thorough, health-oriented site for young children, teenagers, and their parents. Select the age group that best fits your needs, and then type a specific condition or disability in the search box for more information. If you're not quite sure what you're looking for, just type "physical disability" to net the most results. You can browse through article titles from there.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) is an information source for disabilities in children, ranging from infants to teenagers. NICHCY offers research information on childhood disabilities, and a list of disability resources for all 50 states. You might find it easier to search for a specific topic on this site by reviewing the "A–Z Topics" section.

KidSource OnLine provides health-care information and education about children. This site addresses education issues and physical disabilities, and it provides suggestions about parenting. To access information about physical, learning, and other disabilities, click the "Health" link. KidSource also features forums where parents can discuss challenges they and their children are facing. Registration is required to post on the message boards.

Sports and Recreational Activities for Children with Physical Disabilities explains how disabled children can participate in sporting events. This article connects to multiple Web sites and articles dedicated to helping disabled children enjoy sports and focus on abilities, rather than disabilities. This site hasn’t been updated since 2004 but the information is still quite valuable.

Physical Disabilities Camps is a directory of summer camps around the United States and Canada for children with physical disabilities. Not every state has a camp listed.

Donna Albrecht writes an article about how to explain your child's disability to others. The article also provides links to other helpful resources about disabilities. The article is in PDF format.

Parenting and Child Health has a page about physical disabilities, their causes, the roles of medical professionals in treating your child, and what you can do to help your child work with a disability. Check the related topics for information about developmental delays and advice about helping brothers and sisters cope with a sibling's disability.

eHow details 12 steps for teaching your child about physical impairments in others.

Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) explains the ADA and answers questions about its provisions in a straightforward manner. The site is just as useful for businesses and other service providers looking to check regulations and requirements of the act as it is for individuals.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) aims to ensure that the Americans with Disabilities Act is strictly enforced. Follow the updates at this site for information about AAPD events and action alerts, or review the "Disability Resources" page to access additional disability Web sites.

The U.S. Department of Labor Disability Resources page supplies information about disability laws and regulations that apply to the workplace. Employers can find information about hiring policies and discrimination protection for people with disabilities. Disabled individuals looking to start a small business or become self-employed can also find advice here.

The National Organization on Disability focuses on explaining how men, women, and children with disabilities can still be active participants in social, religious, political, and employment settings. This site also furnishes information about gaining independence with regard to transportation, housing, health care, and education.

The U.S. Department of Education has a page about Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The site explains legislative requirements for the education of children with disabilities, regulations about academic achievement standards for children with disabilities, and policy guidance, which addresses topics such as the Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) provides a network of about 100 national disability organizations that advocates for public policies beneficial to people with disabilities. This site features legislative information and updates about disabilities issues, and it lists the many task forces in the CCD currently working on public policy efforts.

The World Institute on Disability is a public policy center for people with disabilities. The Resources section of this site will connect you to other advocacy and legal services, accessibility resources, and disability organizations.

The American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law provides legal updates to disability laws in the United States and allows you to search for disability lawyers in your area. Some of the material on this site can be difficult to comprehend if you are not familiar with legal terminology. The Comprehensive Disability Law Service is provided on a subscription basis, for $410 a year; a free trial of this service is available.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) explains eligibility requirements, application procedures, and the laws supporting the SSI assistance program. SSI provides financial assistance to disabled, blind, and elderly people with little or no income.

The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers' Compensation Programs elaborates on the disability compensation programs for workers injured on the job. Use this site to find resources to help you determine what government benefits you may be eligible to receive. Click the "state workers' compensation board link" to reach workers' compensation officials in your state.

The Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) provides information about housing issues and human services projects for people with disabilities. TAC also addresses homelessness issues for people with disabilities. To access resources that can help with housing problems, see the "Help for Individuals" page.