People with functional diversity are those who suffer from some kind of problem that makes their daily life difficult.

There are several types of disability and their degree of affectation is very varied. In this article we will deal with the types of functional diversity, the degrees to which it occurs and some related disorders .

What is functional diversity?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the term disability encompasses impairments, limitations and restrictions that a person may suffer.

However, in recent years the term functional diversity has been gaining more use, being considered synonymous with disability, although it is perceived as more politically correct.

Thus, in relation to the definition given by the WHO, it is understood that functional diversity implies problems that affect body structure, limitations in carrying out daily actions and difficulties in maintaining social relations with peers.

Before going into greater depth on the different types of functional diversity, it is worth discussing three concepts that are encompassed within this concept:

Deficiency

Loss of a structure or function , either mental or physical.

Disability

Restriction or total absence of a certain activity.

Disability

Disadvantageous situation as a result of an impairment or disability that implies an effect on daily life.

Types of functional diversity

There is a general perception that disabilities are an extremely serious and permanent condition. However, the degree to which a person suffers from this type of condition can be very varied and can even be overcome.

Not only blindness or intellectual problems such as Down syndrome are examples of functional diversity. Breaking an arm, having myopia or coordination problems, among other more common situations, fall within the concept of functional diversity.

The different types of functional diversity are detailed below, with some examples explained.

1. Physical or motor

Physical disability implies a difficulty in making movements , which affects the ability to move, balance, manipulate objects or even be able to speak and breathe.

The causes behind this type of functional diversity can be varied, and may include bone and muscle problems, limb formation, or an accident that harmed the physical integrity.

Also, one of the causes behind this type of disability is the fact of having problems in the motor cortex , the brain structure that takes care of the movements.

To support people with this type of disability it is important to detect any barriers that may exist in their daily lives, such as stairs, lifts not adapted for wheelchairs or places that are difficult to access.

Some conditions in which there is motor diversity:

  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Spina bifida
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Muscular dystonia
  • Achondroplasia

2. Visual

Can include both blindness and milder vision problems . Blindness implies that the person does not see anything at all or, at most, can perceive silhouettes of light. The need to wear glasses in order to see is in some way, although it may be surprising, a type of deficiency that would fall within the concept of visual functional diversity.

The most common causes of this type of disability are usually cataracts, easily correctable eye problems such as myopia or strabismus, and eye inflammations. This type of problem tends to appear more frequently after the age of 50. Diabetes can also cause some types of blindness.

The measures to help people with visual difficulties are varied . In the mildest cases there are corrective measures, such as glasses, special lights or texts with larger letters. Eye surgery can also be used.

The Braille system has been of great help to people with total or partial blindness, as it enables them to read without seeing. They can therefore perform tasks as common as reading a book, making a shopping list or having access to newspapers.

3. Auditory

The term hearing impairment is very generic, and is used to include all people who have suffered some kind of hearing loss . This loss may be profound, as is the general concept of deafness or cochosis, or also mild, as is hearing loss.

It may be the case that the person has the hearing problem in only one ear (unilateral) or in both (bilateral).

The diagnosis of hearing impairment is made by means of audiometry , which is a technique that allows us to know a person’s hearing acuity.

The causes behind this type of disability can be very varied, such as maternal rubella, suffering from hereditary deafness.

If this type of problem is acquired before having learned the language it can be a very detrimental factor for the person to achieve this ability orally.

People with hearing diversity can perform daily tasks satisfactorily if they are satisfied with measures to make their lives easier. Examples of life-friendly measures include hearing aids, sign language and visual aids.

4. Intellectual and psychic

Here we make a distinction between what is understood by intellectual disability and what is considered psychic.

Intellectual functional diversity implies that the person presents cognitive difficulties . This term has replaced the expression mental retardation. It implies adaptation problems and learning difficulties. It may coexist with other types of disabilities, given that many disorders in which there are intellectual problems also involve other types of difficulties.

Intellectual disability may imply a slower development . Children may take significantly longer than children of the same age to speak, walk, learn literacy skills,

The factors behind intellectual problems can be very varied, from chromosomal problems, malnutrition, to head injuries.

Some examples of conditions in which there is functional diversity of an intellectual nature are

  • Down syndrome
  • Fetal alcohol syndrome
  • Fragile X syndrome
  • Klinefelter syndrome

Regarding psychic diversity, it refers to difficulties in areas such as communication or social interactions . It differs from intellectual diversity basically because intelligence is not affected. It affects adaptive behaviour. Some examples of problems that involve this type of diversity are psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder…

5. Multisensory

There are people who suffer from both hearing and visual problems. This group is called deaf-blind people, although it should be noted that they are not necessarily completely lacking in both senses.

This type of problem can occur from birth , that is, congenital deafblindness, or can be acquired during the first years of development, being called acquired deafblindness.

In the most severe cases, people with this type of disability have serious problems interacting with the outside world, since not seeing or hearing implies that the two main channels of information acquisition from the outside world are closed.

The best known syndrome within this type of functional diversity is the Usher syndrome. It is characterized by the fact that the child is born with hearing problems and, when reaching adolescence, loses his sight.

Bibliographic references:

  • Marchesi, A., Coll, C. and Palacios, J. (2004). Psychological development and education: 3. Developmental disorders and special educational needs. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.
  • Smith, R. J. H., Berlin C. I., Hejtmancik, J. F., Keats, B. J. B., Kimberling, W. J. R., Lewis A., Möller C. G., Pelias M. Z., Tranebjærǵ, L. (1994). Clinical diagnosis of the Usher syndromes. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 50(1), 32-38.