Disabled child begging in the street, Source Tropenmuseum part of the National Museum of World Cultures, Author H.W. (Henk) van Rinsum (Photographer), (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
WARNING: Graphic Images
There are nearly 240 million children with mental or physical disabilities worldwide [1].
Across the globe, the majority of these children have meager access to clean water and sanitation; adequate nutrition; and necessary healthcare, including immunization.
- 53% are likely to suffer from acute respiratory infections, the leading cause of death in children under five [2].
- 42% are likely to be “wasted” which is to say emaciated, with muscle mass far below normal.
- 34% are likely to be stunted in growth.
Disabled children are often denied education.
- 49% are likely never to have attended school.
- 42% are likely to lack basic reading and arithmetic skills.
Children with disabilities are at higher risk of abuse (including sexual abuse) and neglect [3][4]. In the United States, that risk is 300% higher than for children without disabilities [5]. Continue reading