Characteristics Children and youth with severe or multiple handicaps may exhibit a wide range of characteristics, depending upon the combination of handicaps, the child's age, and the severity of the disabilities. Many different medical problems may accompany severe handicaps.
Professional support is necessary in areas where the child demonstrates problems.
A severe handicapping condition significantly affects a child's social, emotional, and play skill development. Many times this results in less interaction with adults, with other children, and with the environment. It also interferes with the development of self-awareness. Inappropriate Actions Children with severe handicaps who do interact socially often do so inappropriately. Their interactions may range from antisocial behaviors such as undressing in public to an inability to recognize situations in which certain behavior should or should not occur.