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Disabilities 
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If you're looking for information about disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, you've come to the right place! NICHCY offers information and connections to the full spectrum of disabilities in children, including developmental delays and rare disorders.

Use the links below to learn about typical developmental milestones in childhood, specific disabilities and disorders, and the disability categories in our nation's special education law (IDEA) that qualify a child for special education services. NICHCY can also put you in contact with the wide range of organizations, conferences, and resources that are focused on specific disabilities and the disability network at large. Be sure to check out "Related Information" and "OSEP Resources" in the boxes to the right. 

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Developmental Milestones

This section of the website explores the typical developmental stages and milestones that pediatricians and others use to monitor children's growth and progress over time. Learn about the sequence and timing of a typical child's earliest development and access resources to learn more.

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Categories of Disability under IDEA Law

The IDEA includes 14 primary terms under the main definition of "a child with a disability." These federal definitions guide how states define who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law. 
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Specific Disabilities

NICHCY offers brief, but detailed fact sheets on specific disabilities. Each fact sheet defines the disability, describes its characteristics, and offers tips for parents and teachers. From here you can also get connected to companion resources and disability organizations that can offer more information and assistance.



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Related Information

OSEP Resources

Related publications, presentations, and other resources from OSEP’s TA&D Network

Readers are encouraged to copy and share this information, but please credit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). NICHCY relies on feedback from users to enhance our collection, development, and dissemination of information. We encourage you to share your ideas and feedback with us! Please contact us at our email address (nichcy@aed.org) or visit the NICHCY Feedback Page at: www.nichcy.org/Pages/Feedback.aspx.

NICHCY thanks our Project Officer, Dr. Judy L. Shanley, at the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education.

Publication of this Web resource page is made possible through Cooperative Agreement #H326N030003 between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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