Facts About:Intellectual Disability 

What is intellectual disability?

Intellectual disability is a term used when there are limits to a person’s ability to learn at an expected level and function in daily life. Levels of intellectual disability vary greatly in children. Children with intellectual disability might have a hard time letting others know their wants and needs, and taking care of themselves. Intellectual disability could cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than other children of the same age. It could take longer for a child with intellectual disability to learn to speak, walk, dress, or eat without help, and they could have trouble learning in school.

Intellectual disability can be caused by a problem that starts any time before a child turns 18 years old – even before birth. It can be caused by injury, disease, or a problem in the brain. For many children, the cause of their intellectual disability is not known. Some of the most common known causes of intellectual disability – like Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, genetic conditions, birth defects, and infections – happen before birth. Others happen while a baby is being born or soon after birth. Still other causes of intellectual disability do not occur until a child is older; these might include serious head injury, stroke, or certain infections.

What are some of the signs of intellectual disability?

Usually, the more severe the degree of intellectual disability, the earlier the signs can be noticed. However, it might still be hard to tell how young children will be affected later in life.

There are many signs of intellectual disability. For example, children with intellectual disability may:

• sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children

• learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking

• find it hard to remember things

• have trouble understanding social rules

• have trouble seeing the results of their actions

• have trouble solving problems

What can I do if I think my child may have intellectual disability?

Talk with your child’s doctor or nurse. If you or your doctor think there could be a problem, you can take your child to see a developmental pediatrician or other specialist, and you can contact your local early intervention agency (for children under 3) or public school (for children 3 and older). To find out who to speak to in your area, you can contact the Parent Center in your state: www.parentcenterhub.org/find-yourcenter/external icon.

To help your child reach his or her full potential, it is very important to get help for him or her as early as possible!

Source:

• https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/spanish/developmentaldisabilities/hoja-informativa-sobre-discapacidad-intelectual.html

Understanding Intellectual Disability

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Intellectual disability (ID), previously known as mental retardation, is a condition in which the mental capabilities of an individual are limited. Classified as  under a group of conditions referred to as neurodevelopmental disorders, intellectual disability includes cognitive and developmental deficits that can produce impairments and hindrances in an individual’s ability to function appropriately in personal, social, academic, or occupational settings. According to the American Psychiatric Association, the range of such deficits can vary from very specific learning limitations or executive functioning control to globalized impairments of social skills or intelligence levels.

Intellectual disability typically manifests in the early stages of development, typically before a child enters grade school. Children who are faced with intellectual disability tend to reach developmental milestones at a slower pace than do those who do not have ID; for example, they typically begin walking and talking later than what is deemed developmentally appropriate. However, the signs of such disabilities tend to become most prominent once children are in an academic setting due to the fact that this is when developmental delays are most noticeable in comparison to other children of one’s own age. These children commonly struggle with interacting socially, communicating appropriately, and functioning at the expected academic level for their age. Despite such limitations, when children and adolescents have intellectual disability, it does not mean that they are incapable of mastering new skills or learning how to support themselves on a day-to-day basis. Rather, it just may take them longer to reach such skills sets. Estimates have shown that the majority of young people with ID are capable of learning academic skills up to a sixth grade level and can obtain success at developing social and communication skills as they grow into adults.

Although intellectual disability cannot be cured, when a diagnosis is provided early in a child’s life and interventions are properly implemented, children with this condition are able to achieve a high quality of life, despite any existing impairments. Early interventions and ongoing support can allow children to improve their adaptive functioning and learn many skills that will allow them to thrive in life; skill that will allow them to reach their full potential.

Causes and risk factors

There are a number of factors that can play a role in the development of intellectual disability. Any time that something occurs that interferes with normal brain development, there is an increased risk that there will be an onset of this condition. While there are some instances in which an exact, specific cause for the onset of ID can be determined, on average, this only occurs about one-third of the time. Researchers believe that the following factors can come into play when determining the cause of intellectual disability:

Genetic: There are cases in which the presence of intellectual disability is due to the presence of abnormal genes that have been inherited from family members. In other cases, if errors occur when genes are being combined during prenatal development, ID can result. It is estimated that in approximately 25% of cases, intellectual disability is the result of metabolic abnormalities or chromosomal abnormalities, such as those that cause Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome.

Physical: When individuals are afflicted by certain infections or diseases and are not properly treated, there is a risk that ID can develop. Additional physiological factors, such as extreme malnutrition, being denied appropriate medical care, or being exposed to poisonous substances like lead or mercury, can also place one at risk for developing intellectual disability.

Environmental: Environmental factors, especially those that occur prenatally, can also place individuals at risk for developing intellectual disability. In regards to prenatal risks, being exposed to radiation during the first trimester, maternal malnutrition during pregnancy, and alcohol use by the mother can all place an infant at a high risk of developing ID. Additionally, there are certain problematic circumstances that can occur during childbirth that can heighten one’s risk for developing ID, such as oxygen deprivation or being born extremely prematurely. Additional environmental factors that can place one at risk for developing intellectual disability can include experiencing a traumatic brain injury, suffering from severe malnutrition, and suffering from a near-drowning experience.

Risk Factors:

• Genetic errors or mutations occurring during prenatal development

• Complications arising during childbirth

• Malnutrition

• Exposure to extreme malnutrition, both prenatally and post-birth

• Contacting certain illnesses or infections

• Almost drowning

• Prenatal exposure to drugs and/or alcohol

Effects of intellectual disability

When provided with appropriate interventions and support, children and adolescents with intellectual disability can go on to live happy, healthy, and full qualities of life. However, they will all inevitably face various challenges. Such challenges may include the following:

• Memory problems

• Attention problems

• Difficulties interacting socially

• Impaired self-esteem or lowered sense of self-worth

• Difficulties finding and maintain employment as adults

• Being unable to live on one’s own due to required assistance and supervision

• Presence of additional medical concerns

Co-occurring disorders

When children and adolescents have intellectual disability, they are believed to be 3-4 times more likely to have co-existing mental health conditions than are the general populations. Some of the most commonly cited co-occurring disorders and conditions said to present alongside ID include the following:

• Mood disorders

• Anxiety disorders

• Depressive disorders

• Impulse control disorders

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

• Autism spectrum disorder

• Aggression

• Self-harm

Source:

https://www.dbinstitute.com/disorders/intellectual-disability/causes-symptoms/

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An inspiring short documentary about life with an intellectual disability and down syndrome in Kerry

Video 3: Talk to Me: Treating People with Intellectual Disabilities with Respect

Whether you are in a health care or other professional environment or just having a personal conversation, consider these basic rules for communicating with a person with an intellectual disability.