Population profiles associated with severe functioning difficulties and disability among two to four years old children in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and factors associated with severe child functioning difficulties and disability (CFD) among two to four year old children in Mexico, and estimates the probability of presenting CFD based on specific population profiles.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample consists of 5 104 children who participated in the National Survey of Children and Women 2015 (ENIM). We used post-estimation exploration by computing predicted values of CFD to interpret the logistic models for discrete combinations of the independent variables.

RESULTS: CFD prevalence is 2%, which means at least 130 000 two to four year-old children are at risk of experiencing severely limited participation in an unaccommodating environment. The probability of presenting CFD is dramatically higher in specific sub-groups of the population, in particular, male children of women with low education, who live in the poorest households.

CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of Mexican children face important challenges due to functioning difficulties and disability. Public policies must be developed to accommodate the needs of these children and provide a proper environment for their development.