Disability and

Rehabilitation
Introduction

About 16 per thousand of the countrys population had disability of the 92.1 million
household population in the country, 1,443 thousand persons or 1.57 percent had
disability, based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (2010 CPH). The
recorded figure of persons with disability (PWD) in the 2000 CPH was 935,551
persons, which was 1.23 percent of the household population.

Among the 17 regions, Region IV-A had the highest number of PWD at 193
thousand. This was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 167
thousand PWD. The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), on the other hand, had
the lowest number of PWD at 26 thousand.

Ten regions had proportion of PWD higher than the national figure. These were
Region VI (1.95 percent), Region IVB and Region V (both 1.85 percent each),
Region VIII (1.75 percent), Region II (1.72 percent), Region I (1.64 percent), CAR
(1.63 percent), Region XI and Region VII (both 1.60 percent each), and CARAGA
(1.58 percent).

There were more males than females among persons with disability of the total
PWD in 2010, males accounted for 50.9 percent while females comprised 49.1
percent. These figures resulted in a sex ratio of 104 males with disability for every
100 females with disability.

Males with disability outnumbered females in the age groups 0 to 64 years. The
largest excess in the number of males was in the age group 0 to 14 years with a sex
ratio of 121 males per 100 females. On the other hand, there were more females
with disability than males in the age group 65 years and over. This is because of the
higher survival rate of women than men. In this age group, there were 70 males with
disability per 100 females.

Disability was highest among persons aged 5 to 19 years for every five PWD,
one (18.9 percent) was aged 0 to 14 years, three (59.0 percent) were in the working
age group (aged 15 to 64 years), and one (22.1 percent) was aged 65 years and
over.

Persons with disability were more likely to be in the ages 5 to 19 years and 45 to 64
years. By five-year age group, among the household population with disability,
children aged 10 to 14 years comprised the largest age group (7.2 percent). This
was followed by those in the age groups 15 to 19 years (6.9 percent), 5 to 9 years
(6.7 percent), and 50 to 54 years (6.6 percent).
What is disability?
A disability is a total or partial, temporary or permanent physical, sensory, mental,
communicative, educational or psychological impairment that has a substantial and
long-term adverse effect on the disabled person's ability to carry out normal day-to-
day activities and making him dependent on others, or in need of special tool, special
training and special rehabilitation to use of it.
A disability is any continuing condition that restricts everyday activities. Disabilities
can affect a persons capacity to communicate, interact with others, learn and get
about independently. Disability is usually permanent but may be episodic (WA
Disability Services Act 1993).
Types of disability
Disabilities can be:
Sensory: affecting vision and / or hearing.
Neurological: affecting a persons ability to control their movements.
Physical: affecting mobility and/or a person's ability to use their upper or lower body.
These generally relate to the musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory and nervous
systems.
Intellectual: these can include intellectual and developmental disabilities which can
relate to difficulties with thought processes, learning, communicating, remembering
information and using it appropriately, making judgements and problem solving.
Cognitive: affecting a person's thought processes, personality and memory
resulting, for example, from an injury to the brain.
Psychiatric: affecting a persons emotions, thought processes and behaviour.
Some disabilities, such as epilepsy, are hidden, while others, such as cerebral palsy,
may be visible. Physical disabilities are the most common (73 per cent), followed by
intellectual/psychiatric (17 per cent) and sensory (10 per cent).
People may have more than one disability and may experience additional
disadvantages to adequate service provision due to factors such as being from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds or because they live outside the
metropolitan area or outside a regional centre.
Causes of disability
The causes of disability vary. Disability can be caused by many factors. In this
section, we have grouped them under three main areas:
Genetic Causes
Abnormalities in genes and genetic inheritance can cause intellectual disability in
children. In the USA, Down Syndrome is the most common genetic condition, and
about 6,000 babies with Down Syndrome are born each year . Sometimes,
diseases, illnesses and over-exposure to x-rays can cause genetic disorder.
 Environmental / Life Events
Poverty and malnutrition in pregnant mothers can cause deficiency in vital minerals
and result in deformation issues in the unborn child. After birth, poverty and
malnutrition can also cause poor development of vital organs in the child, which can
eventually lead to disability.

The use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, the exposure to certain toxic chemicals and
illnesses, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella and syphilis by a pregnant mother
can cause intellectual disability to the child. Childhood diseases such as whooping
cough, measles and chicken pox may lead to meningitis and encephalitis. This can
cause damage to the brain of the child. Toxic material such as lead and mecury can
damage the brain too.

Unfortunate life events such as drowning, automibile accidents, falls and so on can
result in people loosing their sight, hearing, limbs and other vital parts of their body
and cause disability.

Unknown Causes
The human body is a phenomenal thing. Scientists have still not figured out what and
how some things in the body, cells, brain and genes come about. Humans have still
not found all the answers to all the defects in the human body.

Inaccessible environments
Sometimes society makes it difficult for people with some impairment to function
freely. When society develops infrastructure such as houses, roads, parks and other
public places without consideration to people with impairment, the basically make it
impossible for them to take care of themselves. For example if a school is built with
ramp in addition to stairs, it makes it easy for people with wheelchairs to move about
freely. This way, their impairment is not made worse. Lack of education, support
services, health and opportunities for people with impairment can cause additional
disability to people with disabilities and even people with no disability.
A genetically determined disability is usually inherited from the parents. However, a
new genetic error can occur leading to symptoms of the condition. Examples of this
are cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.
An environmentally determined disability results from an accident, injury, disease or
infection. Examples include acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury and diabetes.
Sometimes a disability is of unknown origin. This is the case with many physical and
intellectual disabilities. Disabilities vary according to individual circumstances.
The impact of disability
While the degree and type of disability varies with individual circumstances, people
with disabilities frequently report that they experience difficulty being independently
mobile, or being able to see, hear, or communicate. As a consequence, people with
disabilities face barriers with everyday activities such as hearing or understanding
what is said, seeing small print, climbing stairs or understanding sign age.
The impact on the life of the person concerned can be major, particularly if the
individual has multiple disabilities. Often people with disabilities are unable to do
things most of us take for granted, such as:
reading and understanding public notices or newsletters;
accessing websites;
participating at the local swimming pool or recreation centre;
playing on the play equipment at the park;
hearing what is said at a public meeting; and
shopping at the local shops.
The exact impact of a disability on the life of an individual varies according to a
number of factors including:
the specific nature and severity of the disability;
the persons strength, stamina, size, weight and age;
the persons ability to cope; and
the physical, social and economic environment within which the person is living.
Communities which are accessible and inclusive minimises the effect of disability.
Prevention:
You can protect against yourself against some types of disabilities caused by chronic
diseases, by controlling these diseases and preventing complications. This is to be
achieved through:

Adopting a healthy lifestyle, having healthy food, exercising and maintaining

optimal weight.
Regular follow-up with the doctor to control the disease.
Taking the necessary medications regularly.

Prevention of health conditions associated with disability is a development issue.

Attention to environmental factors including nutrition, preventable diseases, safe
water and sanitation, safety on roads and in workplaces can greatly reduce the
incidence of health conditions leading to disability. A public health approach
distinguishes:

Primary prevention actions to avoid or remove the cause of a health problem in

an individual or a population before it arises. It includes health promotion and
specific protection (for example, HIV education).
 Secondary prevention actions to detect a health problem at an early stage in an
individual or a population, facilitating cure, or reducing or preventing spread, or
reducing or preventing its long-term effects (for example, supporting women with
intellectual disability to access breast cancer screening).

Tertiary prevention actions to reduce the impact of an already established

disease by restoring function and reducing disease related complications (for
example, rehabilitation for children with musculoskeletal impairment).

What is rehabilitation?

Is a set of measures that assist individuals, who experience or are likely to

experience disability, to achieve and maintain optimum functioning in interaction
with their environments" (WHO, 2011) . Enables people with limitations in
functioning to remain in or return to their home or community, live independently,
and participate in education, work and civic life. It is a process of active change by
which a person living with a disability acquires the knowledge and skills needed
for optimum physical, psychological and social function.

Rehabilitation of persons with disabilities:

By rehabilitation is meant the preparation of people with disabilities to adapt to and
positively interact with the society, through a host of social programs and activities,
as well as offering them jobs; work is no less important for them than all other
people.

Caring for people with disabilities:

Those living with people with disabilities are supposed to ensure for them a healthy
and safe environment, as much as possible. They should:

Provide daily care for the person with disability, such as hygiene, healthy food
and so on, and, if possible, training him on doing their basis tasks by
themselves.
Provide innovative tools and techniques that would help the person with
disability to do his daily tasks easily and safely, without the risk of injury.
Pay close attention to the safety and security of the environment in which the
person with disability lives; for example, availing special paths to guide him
and make his movement easier.
Pay attention to the social and mental aspects, which could be improved by
organizing regular visits or picnics for recreation.
Take part in outdoor activities, and subscribe to a club, thus improving the
mental and physical state of the person with disability.
Involve the person with disability in the daily family's daily activities, to
promote his self-confidence and hone his skills.
 Pay close attention to education, and developing the mental skills of the
person with disability, by providing him with modern educational tools that will
make it easier for him to access information.
Offer the person with disability balanced and healthy food, lest he should
suffer from malnutrition problems such as anemia, thinness, obesity and
overweight, aside from other diseases owing to immunodeficiency.

Treatment:
The type of health care (drug treatment, physiotherapy, etc.) varies according to the
type of disability. It is highly recommended to regularly see the doctor to follow up
treatment and take the necessary vaccinations against infectious diseases.

Therapy & Rehabilitation

As one of America's best rehab hospitals, TIRR Memorial Hermann provides the
best specialized rehabilitation and therapies available for both inpatients and
outpatients, including:

Physical Therapy: your personalized treatment regimen helps to optimize

muscle control, balance, flexibility and mobility, as well as to build strength
and endurance.
Occupational Therapy: focuses on helping individuals develop the necessary
skills for job accessibility - everything from personal grooming to driving and
working.
Speech Therapy: address the individual needs of patients diagnosed with a
wide range of disorders
Vision Rehabilitation: focuses on improving each patient's overall functional
independence by addressing individual physical and sensory limitations.
Psychology and Neuropsychology, including Cognitive Rehabilitation:
addresses problems with cognition, emotional functioning or behavioural
functioning.
Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Assessments: enables you to try a wide
variety of manual and power wheelchairs, seating and positioning accessories
and environmental challenges.
Music Therapy: address the cognitive, speech/language, physical, and
psychosocial needs of a patient, using Neurologic Music Therapy techniques.
Spasticity Management: addresses the impairment of one's mobility,
positioning, comfort, care and ability to perform activities of daily living.
Vestibular Therapy: a form of therapy designed to help patients with
complaints of falls, dizziness, vertigo, sense of imbalance, disequilibrium,
motion sensitivity and balance disorders.
Aquatic Therapy: combines traditional exercise with the water's buoyancy to
enhance and accelerate the rehabilitation process.
Modified Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (MCIMT): a community
wellness program for individuals with upper extremity weakness.
References
http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/
https://psa.gov.ph/content/persons-disability-philippines-results-2010-
censuspersons-disability-philippines-results-2010-census
http://www.disability.wa.gov.au/understanding-disability1/understanding-
disability/what-is-disability/
http://eschooltoday.com/people-with-disabilities/causes-of-disabilities.html
http://www.moh.gov.sa/en/HealthAwareness/EducationalContent/Diseases/locomoto
r/Pages/rehabilitation.aspx
http://tirr.memorialhermann.org/programs-specialties/therapy---rehabilitation/
http://m.wisegeekhealth.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-rehabilitation-
therapy.htm