The most common cause of disability is not accidents or workplace injuries but illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, followed closely by arthritis, back pain and problems resulting from lifestyle choices.

PRENATAL CAUSES:

1. Marriages between close relations
2. Poor nutrition in pregnant mothers
3. Fever, infections, chronic illness in pregnant mothers
4. Accident or injury during pregnancy
5. Excessive smoking, alcohol intake or drug abuse by pregnant mother
6. Age of the pregnant mother ; less than 18yrs or more than 35yrs
7. Rh incompatibility ; parents having +ve and –ve blood group
8. History of disability in the family
9. History of previous abortions or miscarriages
10. Multiple births i.e. Mother has already given birth to more than 3 children within short duration.
11. Multiple pregnancy : if the mother is pregnant with twins or triplets or more
12. Mother is suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure
13. Exposure to X-Rays or harmful radiations , poisonous substances etc during pregnancy
14. Mother has taken medication without consulting doctor
15. Severe Anemia or Vitamin Deficiency in pregnant mothers
16. Emotional trauma
17. Unknown causes

NATAL CAUSES:

1. Preterm or premature baby born before 9 months
2. Post term after 9 months
3. Prolonged labor and difficult birth
4. Instrumental or forceps delivery
5. Abnormal presentation of the baby ( breech delivery)
6. Umbilical cord around the neck
7. Low birth weight ( less than 2.5 kg)
8. Delayed birth cry  leading to delayed oxygen supply to the brain causing irreparable damage
9. Respiratory distress or problems in breathing due to choking.
10.  Twin births delivery
11. Accidental trauma to the head during delivery
12. Home delivery under unsanitary and unhygienic conditions such as using rusted blade to cut umbilical cord etc can lead to tetanus infection in the child

POST NATAL CAUSES:

1. Infection like meningitis, encephalitis, measles, mumps, chicken pox ,polio myelitis etc
2. Illnesses like severe Jaundice, epilepsy or convulsions, high fever, heart problems etc
3. Road side accidents, fire accidents and trauma due to physical abuse ,falls etc
4. Malnutrition and vitamin deficiency
5. Birth deformities such as malformation of limbs, cleft lip and palate , hydrocephalus, microcephaly and Down’s syndrome
6. Poor sanitation and living conditions
7. Terror attacks such as Bomb Blast ,gunshots etc
8. Natural Calamities like earthquakes, cyclones etc
9. Diabetes causes hearing and visual impairment
10. High Blood pressure or hypertension causes stroke leading to paralysis and loss of speech
11. Inflammation such as arthritis , spondylysis
12. Old age
13.  Unknown causes