Signs & Symptoms of Disabilities refer to which of the following?

• A. Observable indicators and reported feelings associated with disabilities.
• B. Only lab test results.
• C. Only body temperature measurements.
• D. Only dietary restrictions.

Answer: (A)

Signs and symptoms describe what you can observe about a person’s health and what the person reports feeling. Signs are objective things a caregiver can notice, like changes in movement, facial expressions, speech, or alertness. Symptoms are the person’s own experiences, such as pain, dizziness, fatigue, or nausea. Together they give a picture of a disability or condition and help you know when care is needed or when something has changed. Lab test results or body temperature are measurements used in assessment, but they don’t themselves define signs and symptoms. Dietary restrictions are part of care planning, not the signs-and-symptoms idea. So the best description is the one that includes both observable indicators and the person’s reported feelings.