Tag Archives: abuse and handicapped children

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 →