Summary INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

Intellectual Development Disability

 Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are disorders that are usually present
at birth and that negatively affect the trajectory of the individual’s physical, intellectual,
and/or emotional development.
 Many of these conditions affect multiple body parts or systems.
 Intellectual disability starts any time before a child turns 18 and is characterized by
problems with both:
 Intellectual functioning or intelligence, which include the ability to learn, reason,
problem solve, and other skills; and Adaptive behavior, which includes everyday social
and life skills.
 Mentally or developmentally challenged
 The presence of sub average general intellectual functioning (an IQ of approximately 70
or below) associated with or resulting in impairments in adaptive skills.
 It occurs twice frequently in male as in female children.
 They experience or exhibit significant limitations in at least 2 of the following skill areas:
communication, self-care, home living, social/ interpersonal skills, use of community
resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety
 Associated features include irritability, aggressiveness, temper tantrums, stereotyped
repetitive movements, nail biting, and stuttering.
 It is not a disease
 It is not synonymous to mental illness.
 There is no cure for IDD; however, most children with these disorders can learn to do
many things
 According to American Association of Mental Deficiency stressed that IDD is the deficit
in adaptive behavior along with intellectual impairment.

Etiology
 Genetic conditions: sometimes caused by abnormal genes inherited from parents,
errors when genes combine, or other reasons.
 Down syndrome
 Fragile X syndrome- genetic abnormality
 Phenylketonuria (PKU)
 Problems during pregnancy: can result when the baby does not develop inside the
mother properly.
 There may be problems with the way the baby’s cell divide as it grows.
 A woman who drinks alcohol or gets an infection like rubella during pregnancy.
 Preeclampsia, drug abuse
 Problems at birth: if baby has problems during labor and birth, such as not getting
enough oxygen.
 Injury to the brain suffered during pre-peri and post-natal period
 Cranial malformations such as micro-macro Cephalus
 Health problems: diseases like whooping cough, measles, and meningitis, malnutrition,
not getting enough medical care.
 Severe neglect or abuse
 Exposure to poisons like lead and mercury
 Environmental factors: poverty

Severity/ degrees
 Individuals with ID typically has intellectual functioning that is significantly below
average, an IQ score of around 70 to 75 or lower, and deficits in conceptual, social and
practical skills.
 The severity of the intellectual deficit is classified as mild, moderate, severe and
profound.
 These levels of severity are not based upon IQ but by evaluating the individual’s ability
to perform day-to-day life skills and activities, as this is what determines how much
support the individual needs.

, Mild
 I.Q. 55 to 70
 None in early childhood
 Can achieve a mental age of 8 to 12 years old
 Sixth grade level by late teens
 Difficulty adapting to school
 May need assistance when experiencing social or academic stress
 85% of all persons with IDD
 Can achieve social and vocational skills for minimum self-support
 “educable”- can acquire academic skills up to approximately sixth grade level.
 Can read, write or do arithmetic
Moderate
 I.Q. 35 to 55
 Poor awareness of the needs of others
 Usually no progression beyond second grade level.
 Need moderate supervision due to self-care deficit.
 Require supervision and guidance under mild social or economic stress
 10% of all persons with IDD
 May profit from vocational training
 Can function in sheltered workshops as unskilled or semi-skilled persons.
 Can achieve a mental age of 3 to 7 yrs. Old.
 “trainable”
 Offer simple, repetitive tasks because it facilitates learning.
Severe
 I.Q. 25 t0 35
 Poor motor development and minimal speech.
 Unable to learn academic skills but may learn to talk and be trained in elementary
hygiene skills or activities of daily living.
 Require complete supervision in a controlled environment.
 Can achieve a mental age of 0 to 2 years old.
 3% To 4% of all persons with IDD
 May learn to perform simple work tasks.
Profound
 I.Q. below 20 0r 25
 Minimal capacity for sensorimotor functioning.
 Require total nursing care and highly structured environment with supervision due to
self-care deficit.
 1% to 2% of all persons with IDD
 “custodial”- requires total care.
 May attain a mental age of young infant
 Does not relate with peers; more secure with adults
 Comforted by physical touch
 May repeat words
 Short attention span but usually attracted to music

Signs of IDD
 Sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children.
 Learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking.
 Find it hard to remember things.
 Not understand how to pay for things
 Have trouble understanding social rules.
 Have trouble seeing the consequences of their actions.
 Have trouble solving problems.
 Have trouble thinking logically