📘 ADDITIONAL TRAINING SECTION

 

🧠 Understanding Causes of Disabilities

(Before, During, and After Birth)

🌱 Why This Is Important

Many learners and professionals ask:

👉 “How do disabilities happen?”

Understanding this helps:

• Improve awareness
• Reduce blame and stigma
• Support better care and communication
• Give a full picture of the individual

💡 Key Message:
👉 Disabilities can occur at different stages of life—not just one cause.

---

🧬 1. Before Birth (Prenatal Causes)

These happen during pregnancy.

🧠 Common Causes

• Genetic conditions (inherited or spontaneous)
• Brain development differences
• Chromosome differences (e.g. Down syndrome)
• Infections during pregnancy
• Maternal health factors (e.g. diabetes, immune conditions)

🧩 Example: Autism Spectrum Condition

Autism develops:

👉 Before birth (during brain development in the womb)

Research shows:

• Brain differences begin in pregnancy
• Neurons may not form or connect in typical ways

⚠️ Important:

• Autism is not caused by parenting
• It is a neurodevelopmental condition

---

🧠 What is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition.

It can affect:

• Communication 💬
• Social interaction 🤝
• Sensory processing 🔊
• Behaviour and emotional responses

💡 Key Understanding

Autism is:

• NOT a mental illness
• NOT caused by vaccines
• NOT caused by trauma

👉 It is a difference in how the brain develops and works.

---

🧩 Common Experiences (from your notes – kept in your voice)

People with autism may:

• Struggle to communicate in typical ways
• Find social situations confusing
• Be sensitive to loud noise or bright lights
• Feel anxious or overwhelmed
• Overthink or worry a lot
• Find it hard to understand others’ feelings

👉 Every person is different.

---

📊 Learning Disability Link

Autism is:

👉 A developmental condition

NOT always a learning disability

However:

👉 Around 50% of people with autism also have a learning disability

---

🧠 Terminology Update

The term Asperger’s Syndrome is now less commonly used.

This is linked to:

Hans Asperger

• His historical links to Nazi-era practices have raised ethical concerns
• Most professionals now use:

👉 Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) or
👉 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

---

👶 2. During Birth (Perinatal Causes)

These happen around the time of birth.

⚠️ Possible Causes

• Lack of oxygen (hypoxia)
• Premature birth complications
• Birth trauma

💡 Important Clarification

These can cause:

• Brain injury
• Developmental disabilities

BUT:

👉 They are NOT the main cause of autism

---

❤️ Your Lived Experience (Powerful Addition)

You shared:

👉 You were born with lack of oxygen

This is very important because:

• It can affect brain development
• It may lead to physical or learning difficulties
• In the past (1960s–70s), awareness was very limited

💡 Key Training Insight:

👉 Many people were misunderstood or undiagnosed due to lack of knowledge at the time.

---

👶 3. After Birth (Postnatal Causes)

These happen after a baby is born.

Possible Causes:

• Brain injury
• Severe illness (e.g. meningitis)
• Trauma
• Environmental factors

💡 Important

These may lead to:

• Learning disabilities
• Physical disabilities

But again:

👉 Autism is usually not caused after birth

---

🧬 ADDITION: Angelman Syndrome (Your Research)

🧩 What is Angelman Syndrome?

Angelman syndrome

A rare genetic condition affecting:

• Development
• Movement
• Communication

---

🧬 Cause

Linked to the:

UBE3A gene

🧠 What this gene does:

• Controls protein breakdown in the brain
• Supports brain development and communication between neurons

👉 Only the mother’s copy is active in the brain

⚠️ If this does not work properly → Angelman syndrome occurs

---

👶 Early Signs (6–12 months)

• Not sitting up
• Limited babbling
• Delayed development

---

🧠 Childhood Signs

• Little or no speech
• Communication through gestures
• Difficulty walking
• Trembling or “jerky” movements
• Stiff legs
• Arm flapping
• Excitability
• Sleep difficulties
• Fascination with water

---

💡 Key Understanding

Angelman syndrome is:

👉 A genetic condition (before birth)
👉 Not caused by parenting or environment

---

🧠 UBE3A Gene (Your Advanced Section – Simplified for Learners)

🧬 What is the UBE3A Gene?

The UBE3A gene:

• Helps control protein recycling in the brain
• Supports learning and brain function

🧠 Why It Matters

• Loss of function → Angelman syndrome
• Too much activity → linked to autism

---

💡 Easy Explanation (For Learners)

👉 Think of it like this:

“The brain needs to clean up old or damaged proteins.”

The UBE3A gene helps:

✔ Remove waste
✔ Keep brain cells working properly

If it doesn’t work:

👉 Brain development is affected

---

📘 YOUR TRAINING MESSAGE (VERY STRONG – KEEP THIS)

You said:

“It’s hard to find everything in one place.”

That is exactly what your book solves.

💡 Professional Reflection

• Many workers are busy
• Training time is limited
• Information is often scattered

👉 Your book provides:

✔ One place
✔ Clear explanations
✔ Real-life insight
✔ Easy Read versions

---

🧩 FINAL KEY LEARNING SUMMARY

✔ Disabilities can happen:

• Before birth
• During birth
• After birth

✔ Autism:

• Starts before birth
• Is a developmental condition
• Is lifelong

✔ Angelman syndrome:

• Genetic condition linked to UBE3A
• Affects development and movement

✔ Birth complications:

• Can cause disabilities
• But are different from autism

✔ Every person is unique:

• No two experiences are the same