World Children’s Day, recognized annually on November 20, raises awareness of the rights and well-being of children worldwide. Established by the United Nations, World Children’s Day is an opportunity to reflect and take action for the rights of all children, including their right to health and education.
This World Children’s Day, Special Olympics is showing how early screenings and timely care can make a difference in a child’s health and well-being, especially in underserved communities.
Today we share the stories of Emma and Saray: two Special Olympics Young Athletes who attended one of the first-ever Special Olympics Healthy Young Athletes screenings of Special Olympics Colombia.
Emma Chavarria and Saray Pérez Bedoya – Special Olympics Colombia – Healthy young athletes
In 2025, Montecarlo Kindergarten, a preschool in Medellín, Colombia, held its first-ever screening of healthy young athletes, marking a milestone for the Special Olympics Colombia program. Healthy Young Athletes, the pediatric discipline of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, offers medical and developmental screenings for children ages 2 to 7, with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In June and September, two screenings for healthy young athletes were held at the kindergarten, bringing together nearly 60 children with and without IDD.
Among the children screened were Emma Chavarria, 2 years old, and Saray Pérez Bedoya, 3 years old, who participate in Special Olympic Games young athletesan inclusive early childhood play program for children with and without IDD. Emma and Saray were carefully selected by the kindergarten’s special educator and psychologist, who prioritized students who showed early signs of developmental problems that had not been formally discussed with their families. Although neither Emma nor Saray have received a formal IDD diagnosis, both receive special education and psychological support to address delays in communication and language, thinking, reasoning and problem solving.
Access to pediatric and multidisciplinary care has become a challenge due to the ongoing transition surrounding Colombia’s health reforms. This has resulted in long wait times and delays in making appointments and authorizing evaluations, often preventing children and their families from receiving timely care. In addition, many health care professionals are unfamiliar with the unique health care needs of children with IDD and the necessary accommodations to meet these needs.
Programs like Healthy Young Athletes aim to address these gaps by offering free health screenings to children ages 2 to 7, with and without IDD. Healthy Young Athletes is a comprehensive medical screening, including vision, hearing and dental disciplines, developmental monitoring and a physical examination. It also serves as a unique training opportunity for pediatric providers to gain hands-on experience and learn best practices for caring for children with IDD.
Healthy Young Athletes also provides the opportunity to educate and empower parents and caregivers to better support their child’s growth and development. The screening can be implemented in schools and communities, but also in combination with large-scale Healthy Athletes events. If a child needs more extensive evaluation or community support after screening, the program works to connect the family with local resources and clinical providers so the child can get the help they need.
Early childhood is a crucial period for intervention. Health screenings such as Healthy Young Athletes help identify delays and undiagnosed comorbidities that are common in children with IDD. During the Healthy Young Athletes screening, both Emma and Saray received physical, visual, hearing and dental screenings, as well as developmental screenings of their language and communication, fine and gross motor skills, cognitive skills and social-emotional development.
Emma’s screening revealed signs of overactive bladder, one of the many health problems overlooked in children with IDD. Emma and her family received recommendations for healthy voiding habits and a non-urgent referral for follow-up care to address the condition and improve Emma’s overall quality of life.
As for Saray, as she moved through the various screening stations, it was discovered that she had difficulty hearing. Children with developmental disabilities are more likely to have impaired hearing than children without developmental disabilities. Saray’s screening also indicated a possible language disorder and gastroesophageal (acid) reflux, conditions that could lead to problems in the future if left untreated. Saray was referred for speech therapy, pediatric care, and an urgent audiological evaluation.
Although each child’s needs were different, both experiences highlight the same truth: early detection and follow-up care open the door to identifying and treating children at risk for comorbidities common in children with IDD. Through Healthy Young Athletes, both Emma and Saray received specialized screenings that assessed their needs in many areas of health and development. By participating in the screening, their families and caregivers were able to better support their child’s growth and development by connecting them to community resources and local health care providers.
Healthy Young Athletes builds pathways to care that help children with IDD thrive by bridging essential community services and local caregivers trained to care for their unique needs. For Emma, Saray and the many other children who took part in the health screening, the impact of early detection can help identify health problems and lead to better long-term outcomes.
Special Olympics understands the importance of supporting children and families as early as possible. To connect with your local program, access health information, and create a care plan for your child, download the free Special Olympics Young Athletes app at Google Play or Apple Today.
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