National President, Indian Academy of Pediatrics, 2015.

The optimal development of the child must beensured during the early years by avoiding – asmuch as possible – perinatal, genetic,metabolic and environmental risk factors. Globally, about 200 million children do not reach their developmental potential in the first five years because of poverty, poor health, nutrition and lack of early stimulation. The World Health Organization estimates that 15-20 % of children, worldwide, have disabilities; 85 % of which are in developing countries [1]. As per 2011 Census of India, there are 7,862,921 children with disability in the below 19 year age group, including 1,410,158 visual impairment, 1,594,249 hearing impairment, 683,702 speech disorder, 1,045,656 movement disorder, 595,089 intellectual disability, 678,441 multiple disability, and 1,719,845 other disabilities [2]. Most information on prevalence of childhood disability emerges from small scale studies. In a state-wid