Conditions

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition. It involves ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity. These differences can affect learning, communication, social and emotional development and sensory regulation.

ADHD is best understood by the impact it has on everyday functioning, not by diagnosis alone. A child or young person may be identified as having a specific learning difficulty or difference, or a social, emotional and mental health need. They may need targeted, evidence-based adjustments in a mainstream setting, or more specialist support to help them access education in a fair and appropriate way.

Autism is a lifelong neurodivergent way of experiencing, processing, and interacting with the world, characterised by differences in communication, sensory processing, and patterns of thinking.

It is multi-dimensional and varies greatly from person to person and across the lifespan. It is a dynamic, non linear identity in which support needs and capacities can fluctuate and autistic people may have strong interests, a preference for routine, or unique communication styles. 

Autistic individuals form a diverse minority neurotype, each with their own strengths and challenges, and no 2 autistic people are the same.

Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) is a term sometimes used to describe autism in a less clinical or deficit-focused way. However, it is still considered medicalised language and is not always preferred by the autistic community. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a clinical term used in diagnostic settings. It describes differences in social communication and repetitive or restricted behaviours. Many autistic people prefer not to use the term "disorder" due to its pathologising nature. 

Cerebral palsy is a general term used to describe a group of lifelong conditions. It affect a person’s movement, posture and co-ordination. Damage to the brain before, during or shortly after birth causes it.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition. It affects the lungs and digestive system, which become clogged with thick mucus. This can make it hard for people with the condition to breathe and to digest food.

Type 1 diabetes is a condition where your body cannot make a hormone called insulin. This causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to get too high.

Find out more about type 1 diabetes from the NHS.

Type 2 diabetes is when a hormone called insulin does not work properly or there is not enough of it. This causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high.

Find out more about type 2 diabetes from the NHS.

You can also discover support for living with type 2 diabetes from NHS Sussex Health and Care.

A free NHS online programme called Healthy Living is clinically proven to help people live well with type 2 diabetes. The programme is online and flexible, so people over 18 can access expert information and advice wherever they are.

Down syndrome is a lifelong genetic condition. It is caused when a person inherits an extra chromosome (chromosome 21). People with Down syndrome have some level of learning disability, which may be mild, moderate or severe. As with any condition, this will be different for every person.

This is a condition that affects movement and physical coordination. People find it harder to learn and perform practical skills & activities.

This refers to a group of genetic conditions that cause muscles to weaken. The person's level of disability increases over time.

People understand that Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a profile on the autism spectrum. The person has extreme avoidance of everyday demands, often using social tools and strategies to do so.

It does not currently appear in diagnostic manuals (DSM-V, ICD-10/11), therefore NHS professionals do not make this separate diagnosis. Identification of a PDA profile on the autism spectrum can help to pinpoint a child’s specific support needs.

Spina bifida is a birth disorder. It affects the growth of the spine and spinal cord. It leaves a gap in the spinal column, the bone that protects the nerves. More serious forms of spina bifida occur in about 1 in 1,000 births in the UK.

The mildest form of spina bifida (spina bifida occulta) is very common and may affect as many as five to ten per cent of people. Symptoms are rare, most will not know they have it.

Sensory processing issues can be experienced as a stand-alone condition. They are also common in children with a range of other disabilities. Indicators of sensory processing issues include:

• sensitivity to loud noises
• problems with motor skills
• difficulty learning new tasks
• being very fidgety
• chewing things
• spinning

When sensory processing issues cause problems with daily life, this may lead to a child getting a diagnosis. The condition is known as 'sensory integration disorder' or 'sensory processing disorder'.

A condition is classified as ‘rare’ if it affects fewer than five people in every 10,000. In some cases a condition is so rare that there are only a few cases in the whole of the UK, Europe, or even the world.

For many parent carers, not having a firm diagnosis for their child can feel very upsetting. One of the biggest concerns is that without one they will be unable to access support. But this is not the case. Support entitlement is based on a child's needs rather than their diagnosis.