Disability information
ADHD, autism, dyslexia, deafness, blindness, and functional disabilities are among the most common disabilities affecting teens in the U.S. BridgED uses this as a starting point for empathy, not a complete medical lecture.
About 1 in 10 children
A neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, self control, and activity levels. People with ADHD are not lazy or unmotivated. Their brains work differently around focus and impulse control.
That can look like trouble staying on a task, moving more than a classroom expects, acting quickly, losing track of time, or forgetting things. Around 6 million U.S. children ages 3 to 17 have ADHD, according to CDC research in 2022.
About 1 in 36 children
Autism spectrum disorder affects how a person communicates, interacts, and experiences the world. Boys are diagnosed at higher rates. Many people have difficulty with social cues, a strong need for routine, repetitive behaviors, or sensory sensitivities.
Some people are nonverbal. Others speak fluently and still find conversation hard. None of that is a measure of how much someone understands or cares.
About 1 in 5 people
A learning disability that affects reading, spelling, writing, and sometimes speaking. It is not linked to intelligence. People with dyslexia account for 80 to 90% of learning disabilities in schools.
Letters and sounds can swap. Longer or unfamiliar words take more work. Reading aloud can feel exhausting, which is why people often avoid it, not because they are uninterested.
2 to 3 in 100 children
Deafness means little or no ability to hear. Some people are born deaf; others lose hearing over time. It can affect one ear or both, from mild to profound. About 1 in 8 people in the U.S. aged 12+ has hearing loss in both ears.
People who are deaf may use sign language, lip reading, or hearing aids. Barriers show up anywhere those tools are missing: classrooms, announcements, emergency alerts.
1.3 million legally blind
Blindness is limited or no vision. Some people are born blind; others lose sight from injury or illness. Around 7 million U.S. adults experience vision loss.
People who are blind often rely on hearing and touch, and on tools such as white canes, guide dogs, Braille, or screen readers. Unfamiliar spaces are harder when those supports are an afterthought.
About 1 in 4 adults
Functional disabilities make daily activities harder because of physical, mental, or emotional conditions. They can affect mobility, communication, learning, self-care, and social interaction. Mobility-related challenges affect about 1 in 7 U.S. adults.
Opening a door, speaking, or climbing stairs may require a wheelchair, walker, or communication tool. Access is the difference between being left out and being able to participate.
