Children with Disabilities: Health, Education & Information

Definition: Child with Disability

Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with Sec. Sec. 300.304 through 300.311 as having mental retardation, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. (IDEA)

Student with Disability

Students who require special education because of: autism; communication disorders; deaf-blindness; emotional disturbances; hearing impairments, including deafness; intellectual disability; orthopedic impairments; other health impairments; specific learning disabilities; traumatic brain injuries; or visual impairments, including blindness. (OAR 581-015-2000(4))

Main Document

This section of Disabled World covers a range of specific childhood disabilities and disorders including information about disability in infants, toddlers, children, and youths.

We also provide links to disability specific sites and support groups for both children and parents of children, or a child, with a disability.

The Disabled World mission in Child Disability is to:

• Provide families of children with a disability information concerning their rights and entitlements to services and support.
• Advocate on behalf of children with a disability and families to ensure the best possible support and services are available from the community and World Governments.
• Educate public policy-makers and the general community about needs of children with a disability.
• Provide information and resources to schools and the education sector in regards to Childhood Disability and a child's unique issues.

Parents are often worried when their child experiences learning problems in school. There are many different reasons for learning difficulties, but a common one may involve a specific learning disability. Learning disabilities affect at least 1 in 10 school children today.

Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. In the United States the evaluation process is guided by requirements in special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

IDEA's Definition of a "Child with a Disability"

IDEA lists different disability categories under which a child may be found eligible for special education and related services.

These categories are:

• Autism
• Deafness
• Deaf-blindness
• Mental retardation
• Multiple disabilities
• Hearing impairment
• Developmental delay
• Traumatic brain injury
• Emotional disturbance
• Orthopedic impairment
• Other health impairment
• Specific learning disability
• Speech or language impairment
• Visual impairment, including blindness

Parents with a child, or children, with a disability often have more stress placed on their relationship than parents of typically developing children. However, it has also been shown that having a child with a disability can also bring a couple closer together. The main key(s) to keeping your marriage or relationship strong are open communication and spending a great deal of time together.

Further information - Disability Education - Special Education - Childrens Health Concerns

Quick Facts: Child Disability Benefit

Under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, Social Security can provide cash payments to children with disabilities. A child who is eligible for Federal SSI cash payments is also eligible, depending on the State, for State supplemental payments, Medicaid, Food Stamps, and other social services. To apply for child disability support you will need to complete an Application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) AND a Child Disability Report. The report collects information about the child's disabling condition and how it affects his/her ability to function. Contact your local U.S. Department of Social Security to find out whether the income and resources of the parents and the child are within the allowed limits, and to start the SSI application process.

Statistics: U.S. Child Disability

Brief, based on 2010 American Community Survey estimates, examines disability type, school enrollment and geographic distribution for school-age children in the United States, comparing disability rates of children among states and metropolitan vs. non-metropolitan areas.

• Of the 53.9 million school-age children 5 to 17, about 2.8 million were reported as having a disability in 2010.
• Across the states, the percentage of metro area children with disabilities who were enrolled in public schools ranged from 76.5 percent to nearly 100 percent.
• Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and the District of Columbia had public school enrollment rates for children with a disability that was less than the national estimate.
• Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming had enrollment rates above the national estimate.
• About 89.4 percent of school-age children with a disability living in metro areas were enrolled in public schools, 7.3 percent were enrolled in private schools and 3.3 percent were not enrolled in school.
• Rates of disability among school-age children for metropolitan statistical areas ranged from 1.2 to 13.0 percent, while the disability rates for those enrolled in public schools ranged from 1.4 percent to 14.6 percent.