The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has identified a 50 per cent rise over the past decade in the number of 13-year-olds diagnosed with a long-lasting disability or health condition. The study compared those 13-year-olds in 2011/12 to their counterparts in 2021/22 and noted a significant hike from 24 per cent to 36 per cent in the amount diagnosed with a chronic disability or ailment.
Similarly, the proportion of adolescents of the same age with a disability or a health condition that impacts their daily lives surged from 6 per cent to 23 per cent, as revealed by the research. Autism or ADHD and other conditions that could potentially affect a child’s learning, memory, or focus capacities were deemed to be influencing 52.7 per cent of those diagnosed with a chronic ailment or disability.
The investigation also revealed that 26.9 per cent of these individuals were categorised as possessing an intellectual disability, with an equivalent number experiencing psychological or emotional difficulties; often, a child would have multiple conditions. With a prevalence of 24.8 per cent, a visual disorder or blindness was identified as an ubiquitous physical disability, trailed by respiratory discomfort or pain such as Asthma (19.1 per cent), challenges performing physical activities (11.9 per cent), and hearing impairment or deafness (2.5 per cent).
Statewide, over 45,000 children actively receive disability services; of them, 39 per cent are primarily diagnosed with autism, 24 per cent have an intellectual disability, and 6 per cent have a physical disability. The authors of the report inferred that the escalation in reported disabilities and chronic conditions could be due to increased awareness and recognition of conditions that weren’t previously classified as such.
Co-researcher Professor Emer Smyth pointed out the observed growth in socio-economic challenges and depression among girls. Echoing her concerns, the study underscored the necessity for a collective effort in effectuating full inclusion, citing the observed reality of disabled youths having fewer friends, being more negative towards school, and less participation in extracurricular activities including sports.