Physical disability

There are an estimated 2 million children in low income countries with severe or moderate physical disability. Many of these children have preventable or treatable conditions but due to a lack of facilities and trained staff and various barriers in society, they are unable to access the services they require.

Children with physical disabilities in low income countries may be marginalised and excluded from education and, eventually, a future in employment. It is also known that children with a physical disability are three times more likely to die in childhood than their non-disabled peers. CBM prioritises activities which support the prevention and treatment of conditions that can lead to disability in children and the inclusion of those children in schooling and community life. Access to specialist health care and rehabilitation services can prepare the child for school, employment and social integration, resulting in a huge improvement in quality of life for both the child and the family.

• Congenital conditions such as club foot or cleft lip/ palate are common, severely disabling if not treated, yet easily managed with early specialist intervention
• Cerebral palsy is more common in low income countries due to lack of access to maternal healthcare. Support for the family including training in physiotherapy can greatly increase a child's quality of life
• Infections which are not diagnosed and treated early, such as TB, can result in severe damage to bones and joints resulting in physical disability
• Accidents can lead to poorly treated fractures that have not healed in a good position, or burns that result in scarring and contractures of skin and joints.

CBM works with its Partners to prevent conditions which lead to disability, and to support surgery, physiotherapy and orthopaedic appliances for children with physical disability. This involves:

• Creating awareness and supporting health education.
• Prevention, including promoting better maternal health services.
• Community based rehabilitation (CBR) to support persons with physical disability and their families to access services.
• Early detection to identify and support children with treatment for conditions such as club foot and cleft lip.
• Early intervention to promote good care of fractures, burns and bone infections.
• Cost effective interventions, supporting specialist healthcare services for common conditions.

CBM works together with skilled national staff and where necessary will support partners with expatriate specialised co-workers to initiate projects which support children with physical disability as part of comprehensive CBR services.