The Difference Between Disability and Disease

A lot of people get disability and disease mixed up. I need to get this straight with people, disabilities are totally different to diseases because you can't "catch" any disability. A disability is not contagious, whereas a disease might be, but not always.

Conditions like Cerebral Palsy and Autism are not contagious diseases. I am shocked because not very many people know that there is a difference between disabilities and diseases. I think that people need to know the difference because it sounds daft when people say things like "I have a disease called Autism" - Autism is not a disease.

Definition of disease - a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavourable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment. (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/disease)

Definition of disability - lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; incapacity. (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/disability?s=t)