•  Cerebral palsy or CP affects the central nervous system. Therefore, people with CP have difficulty controlling their muscles. This can look like slurred speech and involuntary body movements.
   
•  It's important to think before you act; get all the facts before you act on your first impressions. A person who may appear to be drunk, sick or have a medical emergency might in fact have CP or another disability.
   
•  Based on the appearance of someone with CP, your first impulse may be to discount what they have to say. Follow the tips for interaction with persons who have speech disabilities.

•  People with Tourette syndrome may make vocalizations or gestures such as tics that they cannot control. If a person makes vocalizations during a conversation, simply wait for her to finish, then calmly continue.
   
•  A small percentage of people with Tourette syndrome involuntarily say ethnic slurs or obscene words. An employee or other person with Tourette syndrome will benefit form the understanding and acceptance of co-workers and others.
   
•  The more the person tries to contain these urges, the more the urges build up. It may be helpful for a person with Tourette to have the option to leave the meeting or conversation temporarily to release the build-up in a private place.

•  Epilepsy is characterized by seizures that happen when the electrical system of the brain is working properly. The seizures may be convulsive, or the person may appear to be in a trance.
   

•  Be aware that beepers and strobe lights can trigger seizures in some people.
   

•  If a person has a seizure, you cannot do anything to stop it. If he has fallen, be sure his head is protected and wait for the seizure to end.
   

•  When a seizure has ended, the person may feel disoriented and embarrassed. Try to ensure that he has privacy to collect himself.

•  HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS stands for Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome. People with HIV or AIDS have impaired immune systems, so their bodies have trouble fighting off infections.
   

•  Because of their impaired immune system, they are at significant risk of picking up an airborne infection. If you have a respiratory infection or any other easily transmittable illness, be considerate of all your customers and employees and stay home, if possible.
   

•  Don’t be afraid to interact with people with HIV or AIDS. You can’t catch HIV from casual contact such as shaking hands or being touched by a person with AIDS.
   

•  Many people with AIDS feel stigmatized. By simply greeting or shaking the person’s hand, you are letting him know that he is accepted. It will mean a lot to him.

•  Mental Retardation:
   
•  People with mental retardation (sometime referred to as developmental disability) learn slowly. They have a hard time using what they have learned and applying it from one setting or situation to another.
   

•  Tips for interaction:
   

•  Speak to the person in clear sentences, using simple words and concepts. Help her understand a complex idea by breaking it down into small parts.
   

•  Don’t use baby talk or talk down to people. Just gauge the pace, complexity, and vocabulary of your speech according to hers.
   

•  Remember that the person is an adult and, unless you are informed otherwise, can make her own decisions.
   

•  It can be difficult for people with mental retardation to make quick decisions. Be patient and allow the person to take her time.
   

•  Clear signage with pictograms can help a person who has mental retardation to find her way around a facility.
   

•  People with mental retardation rely on routine and on the familiar to manage work and daily living. Be aware that a change in the environment or in a routine may require some attention and a period of adjustment.
   

•  Learning Disabilities:
   

•  Learning disabilities are lifelong disorders that interfere with a person’s ability to receive, express or process information. 
   

•  Although they have certain limitations, most people with learning disabilities have average or above-average intelligence. You may not realize that the person has a learning disability because he functions so well.
   

•  Tips for interaction:
   

•  People with dyslexia or other reading disabilities have trouble reading written information. Give them verbal explanations and allow extra time for reading.
   

•  Don’t be surprised if you tell someone very simple instructions and he request that you write them down. Because spoken information gets “scrambled” as he listens, a person who has a learning disability such as auditory processing disorder may need information demonstrated or in writing.
   

•  Ask the person how you can best relay information. Be direct in your communication.
   

•  It may be easier for the person to function in a quiet environment without distractions, such as a radio playing, people moving around or loudly patterned curtains.
   

•  Traumatic (or Acquired) Brain Injury:
   

•  People with traumatic brain injury have had damage to the brain usually from trauma, such as an accident or stroke. People with a brain injury may have a loss of muscle control or mobility that is not obvious. For example, a person may not be able to sign her name, even though she can move her hand.
   

•  A person with a brain injury may have poor impulse control. The person may make inappropriate comments and may not understand social cues or “get” indications that she has offended someone. All of these behaviors arise as a result of the injury.
   

•  Tips for interaction:
   

•  If you are not sure that the person understands you, ask if she would like you to write down what you were saying.
   

•  The person may have trouble concentrating or organizing her thoughts, especially in an overstimulation environment, like a crowed room. You might suggest going somewhere with fewer distractions.

A WORD ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY:

•  You may really care or you may just be curious about a person with a disability who is in crisis, suddenly ill, or misses work for unexplained reasons. In spite of your concern, please respect the privacy of a person with a disability. Allow him to discuss his situation if and when he feels comfortable doing so.