Special needs can mean many things — from thriving with a condition that challenges a single aspect of daily life to coping with something that forces you to learn a new normal. The term “special needs” is used to describe a person with a physical or emotional difficulty or difference that requires more assistance or specialized services.

A special need can enhance someone’s life in the same way it can cause challenges. Someone with special needs may need help with vital activities ranging from movement or communication to making important decisions and taking care of themselves, but teaching diversity from a young age and overcoming adversity with the help of the ones you love can broaden horizons for everyone involved.

There are four main categories of special needs:

• Physical – multiple sclerosis, allergies and asthma, juvenile arthritis, leukemia, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy.
• Developmental – Down syndrome, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, aphasia or dysphasia, auditory processing disorder, visual processing disorder.
• Behavioral/emotional – obsessive compulsive disorder, dissociation, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, bipolar.
• Sensory-impaired – blindness, deaf or limited hearing, visually impaired.