Disability In South Africa

Disability is defined by World Health Organisation as “an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations”. Disability remains a major challenge throughout the world with disabled people facing hostile socioeconomic outcomes than people without disabilities, such as less education, worse health outcomes, less employment, and higher poverty rates (1).

Physical disability is defined as: “an acquired or congenital physical and/or motor impairment

The report further argued that the disability prevalence is higher for developing countries with about one-fifth of the estimated global total experiencing significant disabilities (6). In South Africa disability is concern and most disabled people face major physical and attitudinal barriers in their communities. Prevalence estimates disabled persons vary considerable between and within nations, and in many countries data on disabled children is lacking especially in low income countries (7). In South Africa the National Disability prevalence is estimated at 7, 5%, and disability is more prevalent amongst the elderly and females as compared to male counterparts (8, 3% and 6, 5% respectively). The prevalence of specific type of disability shows that 11% of persons aged five years and older had seeing difficulties, 4,2% had cognitive difficulties, 3,6% had hearing difficulties, and about 2% had communication, self-care and walking

These feelings can be similar to those experienced when we encounter any other significant loss, such as a death or divorce (15). Moses, 1987 also revealed that parents of disabled child may even experience feelings and symptoms of traumatic stress, particularly at the time of their child’s diagnosis. Parents need to have the space to fully experience and express all of these important feelings. Letting go of the hopes and dreams that we originally had about their child or children, and which no longer serve us, is an exceptionally complicated and complex process. Parents often find themselves juggling the daily needs of their family with medical and therapy appointments, teacher meetings and advocating for services