Disabilities

VIVIANNE LAM
Staff Writer

There are a lot of people with intellectual disabilities that like to play sports. It is a condition when people learn and develop things more slowly. It is very common worldwide; about 6.5 million people in the United States have some sort of this disability. This happens when there is a disease or a problem that is caused in the brain or due to abnormal genes, inherited by parents or birth defects. Autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy are some examples of this. But this does not mean that people with intellectual disabilities cannot learn or do the same things like others. People with intellectual disabilities inspire the Special Olympics events all around the world. The Special Olympics is a significant way to support the two hundred million people with a disability. About 4.5 million athletes participate in this event. It helps them feel proud about their accomplishments and helps them sustain and maintain an occupation or become leaders in society in the future.