Co-morbidity is an evolution of the Reported Health Conditions included originally in the Equalities and Classifications Framework (EQ-CL) and previously reported in SALT. Autism Spectrum Disorder combines the two Autism and Asperger's Syndrome conditions following an international classification convention. Dementia has been added, as have two new variables to identify if a client has reported a Hearing and/or Visual Impairment. Co-morbidities will complement the Primary Support Reason and allow for a richer client profile, where in SALT some conditions or impairments are lost as they are secondary or tertiary support reasons. The visual and hearing impairment variables will be important for information standards; to help to address communication needs and bring the collection more into line with the SSDA902 visual impairment register.

In the context of cerebral palsy, comorbidities are health problems caused by the brain disorder that also caused the motor impairment that is the core problem of cerebral palsy, but are not a direct complication of the motor disorder. For example, visual impairment and epilepsy are described as comorbidities because they are caused by the brain disorder. Hip dislocation and scoliosis are complications of the motor disorder and would not be described as comorbidities.

When you are living with more than one health condition at the same time.