Prevalence of disabilities in a national sample of 7-year-old Israeli children
Palti, H.; Bendel, J.; Ornoy, A.
Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 28(7): 435-441
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2180 PMID: 1387117 Document Number: 322485
The prevalence of chronic conditions and illnesses which cause disability in Israeli Jewish children age 7 who were born in 1975 was studied on the basis of a national sample (n=7739). 80 medical conditions which cause disability were defined and the study showed a total disability rate of 17.5%, higher than that reported on a similar national sample of 3 year olds (prevalence=6.9%). The % of disabilities among very low birth weight children and those with family problems was 4 times greater than among the total population. Mild retardation and undefined learning problems were more prevalent among children of mothers with low educational level and among children whose birth order was 4th or greater. Asthma and spastic bronchitis were more prevalent among children whose mothers were of European/American origin (p0.05). Behavior and mental disorders, learning problems, and speech and language disorders were more prevalent among male children. 2/3 of the children with a diagnosed problem also had at least 1 functional disability. There were somewhat more children from lower social classes in the special education schools than there were in the national sample. Increased prevalence of disabilities among children of very low birth weight, low maternal educational level, high birth order, those from families whose origin is Asian/African, and those from families with intrafamilial problems define those children who are at risk for disabilities and for placement in special education schools.