What is a disability?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law that protects people with disabilities against discrimination. Different laws may have different definitions of the word disability. This page is about the ADA definition of the word disability.
What is a disability (according to the Americans with Disabilities Act)?
You have a disability if it is very difficult or impossible for you to do everyday things like:
- Hear
- See
- Speak
- Focus
- Sleep
- Walk
- Breathe
Here’s another way to understand it: your brain, body, or organs (like your heart or kidneys) work differently compared to how most people’s do.
Who is protected by the ADA?
You are protected by the ADA if:
- You have a disability
- You used to have a disability (even if you don’t anymore)
- You never had a disability, but others think you do, or
- You are close to someone that has a disability like your child, parent, or spouse
Examples of disabilities
The list does not include every disability. It helps show the number and variety of disabilities. Some disabilities may fall into more than one category.
Brain injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Concussion
- Encephalitis
- Tumor
- Hemorrhage
Cognitive disabilities
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Effects from a stroke
- Memory loss
Developmental disabilities
- Autism
- Cerebral palsy
- Intellectual disability
- Down syndrome
Health disabilities
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- HIV/AIDS
- Cancer
- Kidney failure
- Arthritis
- Heart disease
Learning disabilities
- Dyslexia
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Dysgraphia
- Dyscalculia
- Auditory Processing Disorder
Physical disabilities
- Use a wheelchair or crutches
- Use a cane, walker, or rollator for support
- Missing an arm, leg, hand or foot
- Paralysis in part of the body
- Unsteady or lose balance easily
- Cannot stand for long periods of time
Sensory disabilities
Blind or low vision
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Cataracts
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Glaucoma
- Myopathy
Deaf or hard of hearing
- Total hearing loss
- Significant hearing loss
- Requires a hearing aid
- Uses a cochlear implant
Smell or olfactory disability
- Difficulty smelling or recognizing scents
Taste or gustatory disability
- Difficulty tasting, telling the difference between, or enjoying different flavors
Touch or tactile disability
- Difficulty feeling or interpreting physical contact or temperature
Psychiatric or mental health disabilities
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Schizophrenia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorder
Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic spinal cord injury
- Injury to spinal cord caused by infection, arthritis, inflammation, or disk degeneration
Substance use disorders
(if recovering from addiction and not actively using)
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Cannabis or Marijuana Use Disorder
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Nicotine Use Disorder
- Stimulant Use Disorder
- Sedative Use Disorder
- Hallucinogen Use Disorder