COGNITIVE

INTELLECTUAL
DEFINITION:

Intellectual disabilities, also known as developmental delay or mental

retardation, are a group of disorders defined by diminished cognitive and

adaptive development.

● Below average intelligence and set of life skills present before

age 18.

● Males are more likely than females to be diagnosed with ID

according to the National Health Interview Survey.

● Black non-Hispanic children are approximately twice as likely,

and Hispanic children approximately one and a half times as

likely, to be diagnosed with ID as white non-Hispanic children.

TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

● Individuals with intellectual disability are likely to need only

intermittent to limited support.

● Typically do not "look" different from their non-disabled peers.

● Often have only mild or moderate developmental delays, especially in

academics, which is often the major area of deficit.

SUPPORTS/TREATMENTS:

Special education and behavioral therapy can help a person live to

his or her fullest.

Therapies:

● Behavior therapy

● Sensory processing

● Animal-assisted therapy

Self-care:

● Physical exercise

● Special education

Specialists:

● Occupational therapist

● Speech therapist

● Clinical psychologist
SIGNS/SYMPTOMS:

The main symptom is difficulty of thinking and understanding. Life

skills that can be impacted include certain conceptual, social, and practical

skills.

● Delays in oral language development

● Delays in developing adaptive behaviors such as self-care or self-

help

● Difficulty thinking and understanding

● Difficulty with problem-solving skills

CAUSES:

● Lack of oxygen at birth, infections or other problems during labor

and delivery

● Fetal infection or fetal developmental issues

● Exposure to toxins such as lead, mercury, and drugs

● Fetal alcohol syndrome, which results from intrauterine exposure

to alcohol, can also cause intellectual disability

● Diseases such as whooping cough, meningitis, and measles

● Chromosomal abnormalities

● Trauma to the developing fetus

STIGMAS:

● They are rare.

○ In fact millions live with cognitive disabilities. These people

often get overlooked when most of the disabilities are "invisible"

disabilities.

● People with cognitive disabilities are “faking it” to be lazy.

○ People with these disabilities often look like their peers thus

making it difficult to understand a problem or struggle.

● Just like the movies.

○ Some perceive people with cognitive disabilities will act like just

as they are in the movies, being angelic or childlike as seen in

Forrest Gump, Rain Man, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

SIMULATION:

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Put a spoon in your mouth and read the last exercise aloud.