Most disabling conditions result from accidents while others may come as a result of carelessness or negligence.

An accident is defined as 'an event that happens unexpectedly and causes damage or injury'. Body injury may lead to impairment and eventually disability Carelessness comes in when one deliberately engages in behaviors that endanger their heath. Negligence on the other hand results when behaviours that promote good health are ignored.

Disabilities are not a result of the following:

• Punishment from God because and individual had sinned
• Having sex with someone else other than the man who fathered the pregnancy
• Having sex during the monthly period
• Having sex when the baby is very young
• Drinking while standing during pregnancy
• Doing something right at the wrong time
• Playing with a child with a disability
• Working with someone with a disability
• Fear of a person with disability by a pregnant woman

Disabilities may be a result of the following:

• Damage to the brain when the baby is growing in the womb. Such damage at that early stage could lead to behavior difficulties or mental handicap which will be exhibited as cerebral palsy or other disabling conditions.
• Damage to the brain during birth could cause brain-injury resulting in disabling conditions.
• Very young mothers whose bodies are not fully developed stand a higher risk of giving birth to babies with such conditions.
• Life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and mental illness in pregnant women can cause harm to babies during birth.
• Insufficient blood-supply during birth could cause brain-damage resulting in disabling conditions.
• Older women age mothers of 35 years and above stand a high risk of giving birth to babies with disorders such as Downs Syndrome.
• Infectious diseases such as Rubella or German measles when the baby is growing in the womb could result in disabling conditions.
• HIV Infection and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases during birch could result in disabling conditions.
• Pregnant women, who do not attend Ante Natal Clinic to have their pregnancy monitored, could miss out on services provided to detect and correct problems.
• Abuse of alcohol and other drugs by expectant- mothers could result in disabling conditions in the unborn child.
• Missing or ignoring Under-Five Clinics puts children at risk of developing disabling conditions.
• Malnutrition in the expectant-mother or child could lead to disabling conditions.
• If under fives are not immunized for common childhood diseases such as Polio. Measles, Tetanus, etc, they might get infections which could result in disabling conditions.
• Careless storage and use of drugs could lead to accidents that could result in disabling conditions.
• Careless storage of sharp objects, tools, dangerous chemicals and weapons in the home may cause accidents that could result in disabling conditions.
• Obesity and stress could lead to disabling conditions.
• Hazardous installations and situations in the home and work-place could lead to disabling conditions.
• Old-Age: When people grow older the body's functions i begin to fail and disabilities may follow. (This does not mean that the elderly should not be treated for their conditions when they are ill).