Omnigraphics' Health Reference Series is designed for the general reader seeking guidance on how to avoid serious illness by following preventive lifestyles and recognizing early warning signs. It also supports the layperson who has received a diagnosis of a serious disease or disorder as well as the family member or nonprofessional caregiver who must learn to care and to cope with the illness. Each volume in the series deals comprehensively with a particular area of medical concern and contains material found in publications issued by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies and associations. Nowhere else can general readers find this information conveniently collected, coordinated, and indexed in book form. Over 53 million-about one in five adults living in the United States - experience physical, cognitive, emotional, or sensory disabilities that impede their daily life. Since the passage of American with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities have made a lot of progress, making use of the opportunities offered to them through various channels. Yet studies have been consistently revealing the fact that people living with disabilities suffer from health ailments more than the healthy populace, and that most of the health problems faced by the disabled are preventable. Disabilities Sourcebook, Third Edition offers people with disabilities and their caregivers information about birth defects, hearing and vision loss, speech disorders, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities, and other types of impairment caused by chronic illness, injury, and trauma. It discusses assistive technology, home use devices, mobility aids, and therapies. Information about the importance of nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, health insurance and pain management is also provided. For parents of children with disabilities, the book offers information about special education, including early intervention services, individualized education programs, and financial aid and scholarships. Legal, employment, housing, and financial concerns of people with disabilities are also discussed. The book concludes with a glossary of related terms and directories of resources for additional help and information.