Developmental Disabilities

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In the United States, about 1 in 6 children have a developmental disability. Developmental disabilities are a diverse group of severe chronic conditions that are due to mental and/or physical impairments. The specific cause of most developmental disabilities is unknown, and may result from an interaction between genetic, environmental, and social factors.

We Track That

The Tracking Network has data for seven developmental disabilities. Although causes of specific developmental disabilities are often not known, these disabilities were chosen because some scientific evidence suggests environmental exposures may play a role in developing these conditions.

The Tracking Network has data on the following developmental disabilities:

  • Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)
  • Developmental delay
  • Emotional disturbance
  • Hearing impairment or hearing loss
  • Intellectual disabilities
  • Speech or language impairment
  • Specific learning disability

Types of Data

The Tracking Network has data for two developmental disability indicators:

The developmental disabilities data are provided by two sources the U.S. Department of Education and CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring Network. Data are available at the state level for different age groups. Not all states or years are represented in the data.

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Page last reviewed: October 21, 2020