Abstract
IN RECENT years, the definition of a physically
handicapped child has broadened considerably. A child is now considered
physically handicapped if he cannot, for physical reasons, participate
in social, recreational, educational, or vocational activities on fairly
equal terms with other children of his age. More effort must be put
into research regarding the underlying causes of various handicapping
conditions so that prevention may eventually replace programs of care.
Meanwhile, it is realistic to plan for the early discovery and care of
physical handicaps.
Areas of Need
Early Case Findings
The first effective step in efforts to keep permanent
handicap to a minimum is to find cases as early as possible. If care is
inadequate or delayed, a greater degree of handicap may be carried into
adult life. This may lessen the individual's ability to take care of
himself and make him a greater burden to the community.
Correct medical diagnosis is usually made with
reasonable promptness in the more dramatic types of orthopedic handicaps
seen in cases of poliomyelitis and osteomyelitis, for example. Delay in
correct diagnosis is more general in other less obvious types of
handicaps. For example, many registers of handicapped children kept by
state agencies list very few children under school age with cerebral
palsy, in relation to the number which might be expected from incidence
figures.
The Study indicated that the family physician usually
has the first opportunity to detect potential handicaps, particularly
among preschool-age children. If more medica schools gave their students
training in diagnosing and treating conditions which produce handicaps,
or even opportunities to observe handicapped children, family
physicians would be able to make a greater contribution to prevention
and to early case finding.
- Copyright © 1953 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
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