ABOUT
DISABILITY
DISABILITY
• Any continuing condition that
restricts everyday activities.
• Affects capacity to communicate,
interact, learn and / or get about
independently.
• Usually permanent but maybe
episodic.
What is Disability?
World Health Organization’s(WHO)
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Hea
lth (ICF)
, uses ‘disability’ as an umbrella term for any or all of the
following components:
• Impairments—problems in body function or structure.
examples of impairments include loss of a limb, loss of vision
or memory loss.
• Activity Limitations—difficulties in executing activities, such
as difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, or problem solving.
• Participation Restrictions—problems an individual may
Concept of Disability in The
World
Who is a person with disability?
Netherlands: a person who is limited in his or her
functioning as a result of a physical or mental
impairment. Such limitation is of a lasting or
permanent nature, which means that people with
disability are threatened in their personal development
Sweden: a person with a permanent physical, mental or
intellectual limitation of a person’s functional capacity
that is a consequence of an injury or illness that
existed at birth, arose thereafter or may be expected to
arise.
Concept of Disability in The
World
Who is a person with disability?
United Kingdom: a person who has a physical or
mental impairment which has a substantial and
long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry
out normal day-today activities.
UN Convention (2006): Persons with disabilities
include those who have long-term physical,
mental, intellectual or sensory impairments
which in interaction with various barriers may
hinder their full and effective participation in
THREE CONFUSING TERMS : WHO definitions
DISABILITY HANDICAP IMPAIRMENT
IMPAIRMENT-
• It is any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical
structure or function.
• lacking part of or all of a limb, or having a defective limb organism or
mechanism of the body.
• Disabled People’s International (DPI) definition:
• IMPAIRMENT: is the functional limitation within the individual caused by physical,
mental or sensory impairment.
DISABILITY
• It is any restriction or lack(resulting from impairment) of ability to perform an
activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human
being.
• Disabled People’s International (DPI) definition:
• DISABILITY: is the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life
of the community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers.
(DPI, 1982)
HANDICAP
• It is a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting
from an impairment or a disability, that limits or
prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal
(depending on age, sex, and social and cultural
factors) for that individual.
How Children Develop and Learn
Five areas of development that make up the whole child:
1.Physical
2.Cognitive
3.Speech and Language
4.Self help
5.Social/emotional
10
Physical development –
The ability to move, see, and hear
Cognitive development -
The ability to think and learn
Speech and Language development -
The ability to talk, express needs
Self help -
The ability to eat, dress, and take care of themselves
Social and emotional development –
The ability to relate to others
11
TYPES OF BASIC DISABILITIES
Primary Disability:
Disabilities that are direct consequences of a disease or
condition are called primary disability .
Paraplegia following spinal cord injury,
Inability to walk after fracture .
Secondary Disability:
Disabilities that did not exist at the onset of primary
disability but develop subsequently are called secondary
disability .
eg. Joint contractures in poliomyelitis .
Types of disability
1. Sensory
2. Neurological
3. Physical
4. Intellectual
5. Cognitive
6. Psychiatric
Types of Disability
1. Sensory: A sensory refers to a disability of the senses (e.g.
sight, hearing).
2. Neurological: Neurological disabilities are caused by
damage to the nervous system (including the brain and spinal
cord) that result in the loss of some bodily or mental
functions.
3. Physical: A Physical disability is a limitation on a person’s
physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina.
Types of Disability
4. Intellectual: Intellectual disability is a disability
characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual
functioning (reasoning, learning, problem solving) and in
adaptive behavior which covers a range of everyday social
and practical's skills.
5. Cognitive: cognitive disabilities include autism, down
syndrome, traumatic brain injury and even dementia.
6. Psychiatric: Psychiatric disability is a mental impairment
that substantially limits one or more of the major life
activities of an individual; a record of impairment; or being
regarded as having such an impairment.
Causes of Disability
Genetic Causes
Abnormalities in genes and genetic inheritance can cause intellectual
disability in children. In the USA, Down Syndrome is the most common
genetic condition, and about 6,000 babies with Down Syndrome are born
each year. Sometimes, diseases, illnesses, and over-exposure to x-rays
can cause a genetic disorder.
Unknown Causes
The human body is a phenomenal thing. Scientists have still not figured
out what and how some things in the body, cells, brain, and genes come
about. Humans have still not found all the answers to all the defects in
the human body.
Causes of Disability
Environmental / Life Events
Poverty and malnutrition in pregnant mothers can cause a deficiency
in vital minerals and result in deformation issues in the unborn child.
After birth, poverty and malnutrition can also cause poor
development of vital organs in the child, which can eventually lead to
disability.
The use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, the exposure to certain toxic
chemicals and illnesses, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella and
syphilis by a pregnant mother can cause intellectual disability to the
child.
Childhood diseases such as a whooping cough, measles, and chicken
pox may lead to meningitis and encephalitis. This can cause damage
to the brain of the child.
Toxic material such as lead and mercury can damage the brain too.
Unfortunate life events such as drowning, automobile accidents, falls
and so on can result in people losing their sight, hearing, limbs and
other vital parts of their body and cause disability
DISABLITY PREVENTION
DISABILITY PREVENTION RELATES TO ALL PREVENTIVE
MEASURES AIMED AT
• Reducing the occurrence of impairments (first level prevention)
• Limiting or reversing disability caused by impairment(second level
prevention)
• Preventing the transition of disability into handicap(third level
prevention)
FIRST LEVEL PREVENTION- MOST EFFECTIVE
• Eradicating malnutrition- increasing food production & proper
distribution.
• Disabling communicable diseases eg eradication of small pox.
• Immunization against communicable diseases like polio,
tuberculosis, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria.
• Providing extensive coverage of perinatal care to children
thro’ primary health care.
• Providing safe water and sanitation facilities.
• Attempts to reduce accident rates.
FIRST LEVEL PREVENTION- MOST EFFECTIVE
• Promote socioeconomic development of individuals and
country as a whole.
• Health education.
• Limiting use of alcohol, psychotropic drugs and tobacco.
• Preventing child neglect and abuse.
2ND LEVEL PREVENTION
• Provision of adequate drugs (e.g. for leprosy, tuberculosis,
ear infections, hypertension, diabetes, trachoma)
• Provision of essential surgery (e.g. in the treatment of
wounds, fractures, limb injuries, and cataract)
3RD LEVEL PREVENTION
Includes rehabilitation.
• Orthopedic orthoses and prosthesis.
• Glasses for VD & low vision.
• Hearing aid for HD.
• Vocational schools and training for the disabled.
• Education and upliftment of the economic status of
disabled.
• Speech therapy, vocational training.
• Provision of jobs for the disabled.
Thank You
