They're each trying to put their own spin on it, there is no actual distinction in the words, just in the subtext/implication.
The former implies it's a lacking of a necessary thing, the latter implies it's the avoidance of an unnecessary burden. It's completely subjective whether a child is one or the other to someone.
It's a broadcast of one's own biases to consider either of these terms more 'valid' than the other.