NIT Rourkela study reveals health toll on parents of children with disabilities

India Today

11-07-2025

A recent study by researchers at NIT Rourkela has brought attention to a pressing issue that often goes unnoticed, how raising children with developmental disabilities takes a serious toll on the physical and emotional well-being of parents, especially mothers.Led by Dr Ramakrishna Biswal, Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, along with senior research scholar Abhijit Pathak, the study explores how continuous caregiving can cause exhaustion, health problems, and emotional strain.advertisementTheir work was published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development.
Surveying over 400 parents of children with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and multiple disabilities, the research found that the daily caregiving demands often lead to chronic headaches, fatigue, pain, ulcers, and a feeling of being emotionally worn out.The impact on physical health, the study shows, is not just a result of stress, it can also make stress harder to manage, creating a feedback loop that further weakens a caregiver's capacity.
STUDY URGES CAREGIVER SUPPORT FOR BETTER CHILD DISABILITY The researchers used the biopsychosocial model, which looks at how health is shaped by physical, psychological, and social forces together, not in isolation.Their findings reveal that while physical health is a key factor, financial pressures and social isolation also play major roles. Many parents, especially in India, struggle with stigma, lack of awareness, and minimal access to support services.Speaking on the findings, Dr Biswal said: 'Disability rights are increasingly recognised, but caregivers remain overlooked. Raising such children is not just a parental duty, it's a shared responsibility of the entire community.'The team recommends including caregiver health checks and stress support within paediatric disability services. They also suggest setting up community-based centres where families can access medical, mental, and financial help in one place.At its heart, the study sends a clear message: when caregivers are supported, children thrive. Without that, families are left to cope alone, and too often, they do so in silence.- Ends