Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities (DDs) differ from disabilities in general in that DDs are physical or mental conditions (or combinations of these) that impair an individual’s ability to function prior to age 22 (US definition), while disabilities can occur throughout life. Data on the prevalence of DD in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain limited, but improvements in data collection methods have provided a better understanding of the underlying burden. Knowledge about genetic factors underlying DD has increased at a remarkable pace with the advent of genomics and impacts identification of DD worldwide. Increasing evidence of gene-environment interactions for DD has the potential to enhance prevention in LMICs. Poverty and malnutrition go hand in hand and are particularly prevalent and severe in LMICs. Their combination results in undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the pregnant women with devastating effects on the brain of the fetus resulting in an alarming number of infants born with a DD. Common DDs such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, trisomy 21, and spina bifida are associated with feeding and/or nutritional problems that often result in growth deviations. Childhood and neonatal mortality have dramatically decreased worldwide and in LMICs since 1990, but children in LMICs are at high risk for many adverse health conditions, including DD. Two treaties that have strong positive implications for individuals with disabilities, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, have been signed by most of the countries in the world.