Introduction
What is physical disability (PD) ?
PD refers to the disability caused by diseases of central and peripheral neurological systems, traumas or other congenital diseases of the musculoskeletal systems, which result in hindrance or limitations in one or more aspects in daily life. The common types of PD include Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Muscular Dystrophy, Amputation, Osteogenesis Imperfecta and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
If I suspect that my child might have PD, I should…
(1) Preschool stage
…consult private medical practitioners or resort to the Integrated Child Health and Development Programme of the Maternal and Child Health Centres under the Department of Health (DH), which provides health and developmental surveillance for children from birth to five years of age.
(2) At school age
…check if my children can be referred by private medical practitioners or General Out-patient Clinics under the Hospital Authority (HA), or doctors of the Student Health Service Center under the DH to the Child Assessment Service under the DH or the Child Assessment Center of the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital at Sandy Bay under the HA to receive assessment and diagnosis by a multidisciplinary team, including pediatricians. My child will then be referred to the specialists of HA for treatments and I will be provided with information on community resources.
After my child is assessed to have PD, I should…
…deal with the developmental obstacles that my child may encounter by accessing “GovHK”. There I can find a series of comprehensive medical services and educational resources for pre-school services for children with disabilities.