ADHD AND ADD
ADHD means Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADD means Attention Deficit Disorder. People with these conditions find it difficult to sit still, focus or concentrate on anything for very long. This can make doing even very simple tasks difficult. They might also find it hard to listen, follow instructions, wait in turn and get organised. Other people might think they are naughty, disruptive and noisy. Having ADHD or ADD makes it very difficult to get on with life in a normal way. Doing school work is especially hard for children with the condition.

Some doctors have found that people with these conditions have some differences in the way their brains work. ADHD and ADD can be partly treated with medication which calms and relaxes the person.

Some famous or well-known people who have or are thought to have had these conditions are Terry Bradshaw (athlete), Christopher Columbus (explorer), Steve McQueen (entertainer).

ASTHMA
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways that carry air in and out of our lungs. An asthma attack occurs when something irritates the airways and causes them to swell, become inflamed or narrow so it becomes hard to breath. People who have asthma attacks often carry inhalers with them. An inhaler is a device that contains the medicine needed. Some inhalers can contain medicine that prevents an attack and another type helps relieve or stop an attack.

AUTISM AND ASPERGER'S SYNDROME
Autism is called a development disorder. It means someone’s brain has developed differently. A person with autism thinks and sees the world in a different way. Someone with autism finds it hard to understand what other people might be thinking or feeling. People with autism can be over-sensitive or under-sensitive to different things, like how hot or cold it is, clothes against their skin, noise or bright lights. They like routines and order.

Every person who has autism is different. Some have learning difficulties too and need lots of help with everyday things. Others are very clever and can get on with school, work and life like everyone else.

Asperger’s syndrome is a type of autism. People with Asperger’s syndrome don’t have so many problems as people with autism. But they may find getting on with and understanding other people’s behaviour and reactions difficult. They may be very clever and have good jobs. But it may be difficult for them to do jobs that mean working with other people a lot. They may be over–sensitive to certain things.

Some famous people who are believed to have/had Asperger’s syndrome are:

Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Satoshi Tajiri and Jane Austen. Find out who they are and what they did!

BRITTLE BONES DISEASE
The real name for brittle bones disease is osteogenesis imperfecta. Sometimes it’s called OI for short. In our bones we have something called collagen. Collagen makes our bones strong. People who have brittle bones disease are born without enough collagen in their bones or the collagen may not be working properly. Because of this their bones break or fracture very easily. Sometimes the same bone can break lots of times.

People with brittle bones disease usually have tablets to take that help build up their bones. They might have surgery to strengthen their bones too. They might do special exercises. Most people with brittle bones try to just get on with life, but there might be times when they are in a wheelchair or in hospital having treatment.

CEREBRAL PALSY
Cerebral palsy is caused by a problem in the parts of the brain responsible for controlling muscles. The condition can occur if the brain develops abnormally or is damaged before, during or shortly after birth.

Children with cerebral palsy may find it hard to achieve crawling, walking, speaking in the usual way. They can have muscle stiffness, weakness or floppiness. The condition varies a lot from person to person. It is thought that one in 400 people are affected by cerebral palsy in the UK. (Source: NHS Choices). There are many famous and inspiring people who have cerebral palsy, such as Dan Keplinger and Geri Jewell.

DEAFNESS
Deafness or hearing impairment can be in one ear or both ears. Sometimes a person may be completely deaf or just partly deaf. A baby can be born deaf or the deafness can develop later after an illness or infection that affects the inner ear or brain.

Some people who are partially deaf wear hearing aids to help them hear. Others learn how to lip read and sign to communicate with others.

Some famous or very successful people with hearing problems: Kenny Walker (footballer), Judith Dunbar (a children’s writer), Howie Seago (an actor).

DEPRESSION
Depression is a mental health illness. It is more than feeling unhappy and has to be treated to get better. Some people who have depression have tablets. The tablets work by helping their brain make more serotonin. We all have serotonin in our brains. It is one of the chemicals our brains need. People with depression can have low levels of serotonin.

Other people with depression need help to change things that are happening in their lives so that they feel less anxiety and stress. There are different types of depression and some people get well and don’t get it again. Others have more spells of the illness even though they have treatment.

Some famous people who have/had suffered from depression include John Lennon, Winston Churchill, Elton John and Claude Monet. Find out who they were/are!

DIABETES
Someone who has diabetes doesn’t have normal levels of sugar in their blood. An important organ in our bodies called the pancreas makes a special hormone called insulin. Insulin helps the right amount of sugar or glucose to enter our body cells when they need it. If someone doesn’t have enough insulin then too much sugar can build up in the blood cells. The person is said to be diabetic. Type One Diabetes usually starts when someone is a child or young adult. The pancreas stops making insulin and so the person needs insulin injections every day to make sure their blood has the right amount of glucose in it. Type Two Diabetes starts in later life. It can be controlled by diet or exercise although tablets or injections might be needed too.

DOWN'S SYNDROME
From before birth we have something called chromosomes inside us, which help us develop into new human beings. People who are born with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome. This extra chromosome causes the baby to develop differently physically and mentally.

People with Down's Syndrome try to get on with life like everyone else, but need help with learning and doing everyday things.

Some famous people with Down's Syndrome are/were Tommy Jessop (actor), Judith Scott (artist) and Karen Gaffney (swimmer).

DYSLEXIA
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty with words and reading. People with dyslexia often also have problems with memory, working things out or calculating, concentration and being organised.

Having dyslexia doesn’t have anything to do with how clever someone is. People with dyslexia are often very intelligent. Some people with dyslexia find learning difficult because they think and work things out in a different way.

Some famous people with dyslexia are/were: Richard Branson, Thomas Eddison and Whoopi Goldberg. Find out who they are and what they do/did!

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
Learning difficulties are where a person has a condition that prevents them from learning, remembering and being able to do everyday tasks in the way most people are able to. They may have been born with the condition that causes the learning difficulty (like Down Syndrome) or they may have had an accident or illness that affected part of the brain.

SIGHT PROBLEMS
Some people have partial sight loss and others complete sight loss. They might have been born with the condition or it may develop later due to an illness or injury.

People who have sight problems usually have extra efficient senses in other areas—such as hearing, touch etc. Most people with sight problems try to get on with life in a normal way. They may need to do some things differently and have extra help with certain things. They may need to adapt their homes for example. Some blind people have a special dog who is trained to help them get out and about safely.

Some famous or well known people with sight problems include Helen Keller, David Blunkett, Andrea Bocelli, Louis Braille. Find out who they are/were and what they did!

SPINA BIFIDA
‘Spina bifida is a fault in the development of the spine and spinal cord which leaves a gap in the spine. The spinal cord connects all parts of the body to the brain. During the first month of life, an embryo (developing baby) grows a structure called the neural tube that will eventually form the spine and nervous system. In cases of spina bifida, something goes wrong and the spinal column (the bone that surrounds and protects the nerves) does not fully close. Spina bifida is also known as split spine. The exact causes are unknown, but several risk factors have been identified, the most significant being a lack of folic acid before and at the very start of pregnancy.’ Source: NHS Choices