August 18, 2014

New Study: Mental and Physical Disabilities in Children

Photo by Barrett Ward on Unsplash

A 10-year research study recently found that mental and developmental disabilities among US children have suffered an increase, while physical disabilities have actually declined.

According to scientists, these results may be due to increased recognition and further research when it comes to mental health. The results of this study are in line with previous studies, which showed increased rates of mental and developmental issues in children. However, this particular study was the first to examine the long-term 10-year trend when it comes to mental and developmental conditions, specifically autism and ADD/ADHD.

Researchers studied information on nearly 200,000 children from birth through age 17. Parents were asked about disabilities from chronic conditions, such as bone and muscle problems, hearing and vision disturbances, along with mental, behavioral or developmental issues that led them to need special education services, behavioral assessment, and other forms of specialized care.

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Disability of any form affected 8 percent of kids by 2011 compared to 7 percent ten years prior. The trend shows a 16 percent increase in mental and developmental disabilities. Attention issues, speech problems, and other mental or developmental disorders all attributed to this frightening rise. In children from wealthier families, the rate was much higher, with an increase of 28 percent – this is likely due to better access to proper healthcare compared to children who live in poverty.

While the rate of mental disabilities are steadily rising, there was a 12 percent decrease in physical problems in children. The researchers believe this number is likely due to better safety precautions. “Helmets, car seats and seatbelts may have contributed to that trend,” said lead author Dr. Amy Houtrow, a pediatric rehabilitation specialist at the University of Pittsburgh.

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Dr. Kenneth Norwood, chairperson of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Children with Disabilities, believes that the rise in mental and developmental issues is partly due to better awareness of these conditions – however, he also states that some conditions, particularly autism, are truly becoming much more common. The cause of autism is not currently known, although many studies have suggested that it is due to genetic flaws, older age of parents, and prenatal infections.