Physical disability and chronic

illness
SUNBAL HABIBA
Child psychology
 Chronic illness
 Chronic disease is disease that persists over a
long period of time. Chronic disease can hinder
independence and the health of people with
disabilities, as it may create additional activity
limitations.
 examples of common chronic diseases are
cancer,arthritis,stroke and heart attack.
 Physical disability
 Physical disability indicates any physical
limitations or disabilities that inhibit the
physical function of one or more limbs of a
certain person. It can be temporary or
permanent.
 Any person can acquire it through accident,
injury, illness post-surgery effects and heredity.
Some examples of physical disability are
Cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries.
 Psychological issues related to special
children
 Psychological disabilities generally involve the
presence of distressing thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors
 Common diagnoses under the umbrella of
psychological disabilities include:
• Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Generalized Anxiety & Panic Disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia
 Depression
 Childhood depression is more than just feeling
sad. It’s a serious mental health condition.
 Children with disability or chronic conditions
are more likely to experience low mood and
depression than peers.
 It’s important to get professional help for
children with depression
 Children often feel down, are cranky or have
negative thoughts
 Depression and children with disability or
chronic condition
what to expect;
 Children with disability or chronic conditions are more

likely to experience low mood and depression than their

peers.
 This is for many reasons. For example, children with

disability or chronic conditions might:

• often be in pain
• feel different from their peers
• feel that their condition gets in the way of daily life
• experience bullying
• struggle with schoolwork
• experience difficult medical procedures
 Signs and symptoms
 Symptoms of depression in children with
disability or chronic conditions are similar to
depression symptoms in other children. But the
physical symptoms of disability or chronic
conditions can mask signs of depression
like low energy, poor appetite and sleep
problems.
 Contt…
 If your child with disability or a chronic condition has
depression, they might also:
• feel different from their peers
• feel that they can’t connect with others because of disability or
illness
• say things like ‘I’m not good enough’
• complain that they can’t play sport or do schoolwork like their
peers
• not take medicines or refuse to do other treatments like
physiotherapy
• complain about pain more than usual, including headaches or
whole body pain
 Anxiety
 Anxiety is a natural reaction to challenging
situations.
 Children with disability or chronic conditions
are more likely to experience anxiety than
other children.
 If children need extra support, a GP,
psychologist or school counsellor can help
 Anxiety and children with
disability or chronic conditions:
what to expect
 Children with disability or chronic conditions are more

likely than other children to experience anxiety.

 This might be for several reasons:
• Their disability or condition is unpredictable or significantly
affects their daily lives.
• They’re more likely to experience bullying.
• They feel different from their peers.
• They have learning difficulties, intellectual disability or
difficulties with social understanding that make it harder for
them to understand what’s happening around them.
 Contt…
 Children with disability or chronic health
conditions might worry about:
• having medical procedures like blood tests
• missing out on events, friendships or school
• coping with their condition or treatments
• being burdens on their families
• being different from their peers
• getting sicker, having a relapse or dying.
• These worries can sometimes get in the way of children
sticking to treatments or activities that they need to do to
stay healthy.
 Medical disease leading to
psychopathology
 Psychopathology is the scientific study of
abnormal mental states, behaviours and thinking.
 psychopathology, also called abnormal
psychology, the study of mental disorders and
unusual or maladaptive behaviours.
 Some examples of disorders listed in the DSM-5-
TR include major depressive disorder, bipolar
disorder, schizophrenia, paranoid personality
disorder, and social anxiety disorder
 Contt…
 COVID-19 pandemic, the inseparable connections
between body and mind become more and more
apparent, even for the heretics (i.e., biological
determinists).
 Such realizations also bolster the understanding of the
close link between medical conditions and
psychopathology. Launched prior to the COVID-19
epidemic, this special issue sets out to illuminate the
prevalence, course, etiology, and responses to a myriad
of psychopathological conditions in medical conditions.
 Contt…
 The 13 articles in this special issue address a
variety of medical conditions (chronic illness and
chronic pain, Pica, cancer, acute delirium,
factitious disorders, functional neurological
symptoms, sleep disorders, fetal conditions),
mental disorders (depression, anxiety, suicidality,
eating disorders, personality disorders, PTSD),
medical settings (primary care vs. specialty
clinics), and developmental levels (children,
adolescents, and adults).
 Children with neurological problems
 WHAT IS A NEUROLOGIC DISORDER?
 A neurologic disorder is caused by a dysfunction in
the brain or nervous system (i.e. spinal cord and
nerves). This dysfunction can result in physical and
psychological symptoms.
 The brain begins developing before birth. It
continues developing throughout infancy,
childhood, and adolescence. Most brain cells form
before birth. One type of cell is the neuron, or nerve
cell. Trillions of connections exist between neurons.
These do not develop until infancy
 CAUSES OF NEUROLOGIC
DISORDERS
Many neurologic disorders are congenital. This
means they are present at birth. Some disorders
are acquired. This means they develop after
birth. Those with an unknown cause are called
idiopathic
 Congenital Causes
 Genetic factors can influence the development of some
neurologic disorders. A child typically inherits them through
genes and chromosomes, but these genetic changes are not always
inherited from the parents – this is called de novo.
 Chromosomes are long strands of DNA supported by protein.
They exist in the center of cells. Genes are sections of DNA. They
carry the chemical code that makes us who we are. Chromosomes
are composed of thousands of genes.
 A human cell normally contains 46 chromosomes (23 pairs). A
child inherits half from their mother and half from their father.
 Congenital causes of neurologic disorders include gene
abnormalities, chromosome abnormalities and metabolic
disorders.
 Prenatal and Perinatal Causes
 A neurologic disorder can be caused during
pregnancy (prenatal). It can also be caused
throughout the period before, during, and after
birth (perinatal). Such causes include:
nutritional deficiency, infection and
complecation during birth.
 Acquired Causes
 Acquired causes develop after birth. They are
less common than congenital causes. They
include: immune disorder, spinal cord injuries
and traumatic brain injury
 Effects of Neurological Problems in Babies
 Neurological disorders in infants can occur for
numerous reasons and can have a wide range
of effects on the baby and his or her family.
Autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, brain injury
and headache are the some common childhood
neurological disorders
 contt…
 Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which refers to
impaired social interaction, impaired communication
skills along with repetitive behavior pattern.
 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
It is the common neurological disorder that makes it
difficult for a child to be attentive and unable to
control impulses.
 Dyspraxia
This is a condition which makes it hard for children
to coordinate physical movement
 Contt…
 Dyslexia
It refers to the learning disability in kids and they find
difficultly in reading, writing etc.
 Cerebral Palsy
This is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects
motor skills of a child and is caused by brain
damage that occurs before or during birth .It
usually occurs during pregnancy when the fetus
doesn’t grow properly or develops a brain damage.
Proper treatment and therapies can help improve
the condition