HOW COMMON ARE DIFFERENT DISABILITIES
The little ‘stick people’ in this chart show how many children might have each disability
in an average group of 100 significantly disabled village children. These figures
are based on records of 700 children seen at PROJIMO, Mexico (1982-1985), and
other studies. The numbers in your area may be similar or very different from these,
depending on local factors.
TYPICAL FREQUENCY OF DISABILITIES
PER 100 SIGNIFICANTLY DISABLED CHILDREN
(based on records of 700 children seen at PROJIMO. Mexico)
Primary or main disabilities
Movement disabilities
Polio
(See Note 1)
Brain damage and
cerebral palsy
Birth defects
(includes club feet)
Injury, burns,
amputations
Spina bifida
Spinal cord injury
Muscular dystrophy
and atrophy
Juvenile arthritis
and other joint pain
Bone infections
(includes tuberculosis
of the spine)
Hip problems
Leprosy
Arthrogryposis
Other
Secondary or additional disabilities
Contractures
(mostly with
polio and
cerebral palsy)
Spinal curve
Developmental
delay (mostly with
cerebral palsy)
Seizures (mostly
with cerebral palsy)
Seeing (mostly with
cerebral palsy)
Hearing and speech
(mostly with
cerebral palsy)
Behavioral
problems
Seeing disabilities
(See Note 2)
Hearing and speech
disabilities
Seizures
Developmental delay
(slow learners)
(plus those occurring with
cerebral palsy = 8 per 100)
(plus those occurring with
cerebral palsy = 10 per 100)
(plus those occurring with
cerebral palsy = 14 per 100)
(plus those occurring with
cerebral palsy = 16 per 100)
Note 1: Intensive vaccination campaigns resulted in the Americas being declared “polio free” in 1994.
Note 2: Seeing and hearing disabilities, seizures, and developmental delay are listed in 2 places, depending on
whether they are the main disability or occur in addition to some other disability.
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