Children and young people with learning disabilities are more likely to experience physical and mental ill health than their peers without learning disabilities.

People with learning disabilities die earlier on average, up to 20 years earlier than the general population. They are also over-represented in deaths that are considered avoidable, for example with treatment by timely and effective healthcare. Children and young people with learning disabilities may be at increased risk of premature death compared with adults with learning disabilities, including deaths considered avoidable, but the evidence is limited.

We linked Scotland’s 2011 census data to death registrations to look at all deaths in children and young people (5-24 years) in Scotland between 2011 and 2020.

Children with learning disabilities were 11 times more likely to die in childhood than their peers with no learning disabilities.

• There were 788 deaths in children and young people overall up to 2020
• 3.6 % with learning disabilities died (260 children and young people)
• 0.3 % without learning disabilities died (528 children and young people)
• Crude mortality rates are 388 deaths per 100,000 (95% confidence intervals 344, 349) in the group with learning disabilities and 36 per
• 100,000 (95% CI 33, 39) in the group without learning disabilities
• Median age of death was 3.5 years younger for those with learning disabilities, at 19.5 years
• More deaths in childhood (those aged 5-14) for those with learning disabilities

Deaths which could be avoided through prevention or good quality health care were more common.

• 34% of deaths amongst children and young people with learning disabilities were avoidable
• 23% were treatable [i.e., avoidable through good quality healthcare, even after a condition has developed (e.g., epilepsy, pneumonia including flu, aspiration-related infection, or lung injury)]
• 13% were preventable [i.e., avoidable through incidence reduction via public health interventions (e.g., accidents including choking)]

The mortality gap for children with learning disabilities compared to their peers is especially wide for.

• females
• treatable deaths
• diseases of the nervous system, respiratory system, and digestive system