What Are Congenital Disabilities?

Disabilities that exist from birth are known as congenital disabilities. The societal difficulties involved also differ because of the nature of their acquisition, which is distinct from that of disabilities acquired later in life. The scientific basis of such diseases will be briefly discussed in this introduction, but the societal effects of disability that manifests early in life will be the main focus. Congenital defects are those that are present at birth and are caused by environmental conditions during pregnancy or the postpartum period, such as the mother’s alcohol consumption or oxygen deprivation after delivery, as well as genetic inheritance or mutation. Genetically based disabilities include syndromes that affect appearance, such as dwarfism, and various types of blindness and deafness. They also include disorders like Down syndrome and other chromosome-linked forms of intellectual disability. Spina bifida, limb deformities associated with the drug thalidomide, foetal alcohol syndrome, and other disorders are examples of disabilities brought on by the environment. Cerebral palsy is a typical congenital disorder with a wide range of potential causes. Almost of childhood disabilities are inherited.

Visible disabilities, whether congenital or not, may have sociological repercussions for persons who have them. These effects include social isolation and the challenges it brings with it, a lack of access to particular places and circumstances, and financial limitations, among others. Congenital disabilities, however, provide unique challenges for families in contrast to disabilities acquired later in life. These include consulting experts for diagnosis and prognosis information and making moral choices when dealing with life-threatening situations. These choices are based on opinions on the impacted children’s quality of life. The majority of families of children with congenital disabilities eventually obtain the resources and supports they require, despite the numerous obstacles they must overcome in their quest for “normalisation”. To “fit in” with “regular” society, the kids also learn how to negotiate their circumstances. In adulthood, some people go beyond “normalisation” and come to hold the belief that disability is a typical manifestation of human variation and that society must adapt to account for personal differences. According to studies of kids with congenital defects, their self-esteem and quality of life are generally not all that different from those of their counterparts without disabilities.