Illness and Disability

Do you know that millions of young people have an illness or disability? There is a difference between the two. An illness is a sickness. Some illnesses are acute, which means they come on quickly and are over quickly (like a cold or the flu). Other illnesses are chronic, which means they last a long time and perhaps a lifetime (like asthma or diabetes). A disability is a physical or mental problem that makes it harder to do normal activities on a daily basis. 

You can be born with a disability or get it later on from an illness or an injury. Many different kinds of illnesses and disabilities can affect people. If you have an illness or disability, you know that taking care of your needs can be hard sometimes. But you can learn about the skills and support you will need to live well with a disability or chronic illness.

Young people with chronic conditions often have a lot more difficulties dealing with the tasks of adolescence than their healthy peers. National, population based studies from Western countries show that 20-30% of teenagers have a chronic illness, defined as one that lasts longer than six months. However, 10-13% of teenagers report having a chronic condition that limits their daily life or requires extended periods of care and supervision. 

The burden of chronic conditions in adolescence is increasing as larger numbers of chronically ill children survive beyond the age of 10. Over 85% of children with congenital or chronic conditions now survive into adolescence, and conditions once seen only in young children are now seen beyond childhood and adolescence. In addition, the prevalence of certain chronic illnesses in adolescence, such as diabetes (types 1 and 2) and asthma, has increased.

Impact of chronic conditions on adolescence

Chronic conditions in adolescence can affect physical, cognitive, social, and emotional spheres of development for adolescents, with repercussions for siblings and parents too. Common sequelae of chronic illness and its treatment include short stature and pubertal delay. Undernutrition is common in many chronic conditions, and obesity can result from conditions that limit physical activity. 

Visible signs of illness or its treatment mark young people out as different at a time when such differences are important to young people and their peers. Body image issues related to height, weight, pubertal stage, and scarring can significantly contribute to reduced self-esteem.

If you know someone with an illness or disability, you should know some things, too. When you understand the types of challenges faced by someone with an illness or disability, you will know how to be a better friend or family member to that person. Keep in mind that people with disabilities are, above all, people who have great gifts to share. In fact, some people who might seem to have a disability don’t even think of themselves as having one. In the end, young people of all shapes, sizes, and conditions want many of the same things in life — to feel good about themselves and their relationships, to be able to take care of themselves and their needs, and to pursue their hopes and dreams just like everyone else.