1. Approximately 1 in 10 children have a disability that can be present at birth or acquired due to factors like malnutrition, anemia, or lack of stimulation. 2. In low and middle income countries, 15% of children have a childhood disability, which amounts to an estimated 53 million children with disabilities in India alone. 3. Early identification and intervention can lead to good outcomes for children with disabilities or developmental delays.

1. UMMEED
INVESTING EARLY IN EVERY CHILD
Vibha Krishnamurthy, MD
Founder and Executive Director
Ummeed Child Development Center
1

2. At least one in every ten children has a
disability
2

3. You can be
born with
one..
3

4. ..or you can acquire one
because you are poor
•Malnutrition
•Anemia
•Lack of a
nurturing and
stimulating
environment
4

5. How big is the problem?
The prevalence of childhood disability
in Low and Middle Income Countries is 15%
( WHO World Disability Report 2010, Lancet series on ECD 2007, 2010 )
India has an estimated
53 million children with
disabilities
5

6. Early
Identification
Early
Intervention
Good
Outcomes
6

7. Importance of early stimulation for
brain development
Nelson CA et al. Science 2007 7

8. My journey
Take the first step in faith.
You don’t have to see the
whole staircase. Just take
the first step.
Martin Luther King Jr.

9. The Center – November 2001
A team under one
roof
•Family centered
•Strengths based
•Care for all
9

10. 10

11. Building capacity
11

12. Awareness and Advocacy
Building the market
12

13. I wake up every morning determined both to change
the world and to have one hell of a good time.
Sometimes, this makes planning the day difficult
- E.B. White

14. Thank you!
Thank you!
www.ummeed.org
vibha.krishnamurthy@ummeed.org