Research Paper - Intellectual Disability

Junilda Antoniou
EDU 203
07-17-2021
Professor: Constantina Pappas M.Ed., BCBA

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 People with intellectual disability have limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive

behaviors. Intellectual functioning is related to a person’s ability to reason, learn, make

decisions, and solve problems. Adaptability is related to the skills necessary to communicate

effectively, interact with others, and take care of oneself. People with ID can learn new skills, but

they learn them more slowly. Intellectual disability can vary from mild to profound.

The earliest references to intellectual disability date back to the Papyrus of Thebes, c.

1500 B.C., which included the first identified records reporting disabilities of the mind

(Scheerenberger, 1983). However serious and appropriate interventions for persons with

intellectual disabilities did not start until the 1700s and 1800s. Edouard Seguin, for example,

started a program at Paris's Salpetriere Hospital. This program utilized behavioral management

techniques as well as individualized instruction for people with such disorders. More recently,

the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) heightened social awareness. As a

result, the quality of life has improved for persons with ID. In October 2010, President Barrack

Obama signed into law a bill known as Rosa's Law which required that the terms "mental

retardation" and" mentally retarded" be replaced with "intellectual disability" and "individual

with an intellectual disability."

Intellectual disability can be caused by a problem that begins before a child reaches the

age of 18 - even before birth. It can be caused by an accident, an illness, or brain damage. The

cause of intellectual disability is unknown for many children. Some of the most known causes of

intellectual impairment originate before birth, such as Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome,

fragile X syndrome, genetic disorders, birth defects, and infections. Others occur during or

shortly after a baby's birth. Other causes of intellectual impairment do not happen until a child is

older; these may include a major brain injury, a stroke, or certain infections.

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 Various therapeutic services such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical

therapy can improve the behavioral skills of a person with ID. These therapies benefit many

people with ID to help them learn many things. With an improved understanding of genetic and

cellular mechanisms, novel treatment options are beginning to appear for several specific

conditions. Fragile X and Tuberous sclerosis offer paradigms for the development of targeted

therapeutics but advances in the understanding of other disorders such as Down syndrome and

Rett syndrome for example are also resulting in promising treatment directions. Furthermore, a

better understanding of the underlying neurobiology is resulting in novel developments in

enzyme replacement therapy for storage disorders, adjunctive therapies for metabolic disorders,

and potentially more generalizable approaches that target dysfunctional cell regulation via RNA

and chromatin. Physiologic treatments, such as deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic

stimulation, provide another approach for improving cognitive functioning. Current options and

evolving opportunities for the intellectually disabled are reviewed and exemplified (Picker, J. D.,

& Walsh, C. A., 2013).

Having an intellectual disability can cause stress and vulnerability for the person as well

as his or her support network. People with an intellectual disability may also face higher rates of

abuse than the general population, necessitating additional support needs. Families of children

with ID encounter a high degree of stress such as physical, financial, and emotional stress.

Parents may feel overwhelmed by the needs of their children and feel helpless with meeting

these needs. These helpless feelings may be associated with heightened levels of depression,

especially among mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Olsson &

Hwang, 2001). Intellectual disability is a major problem for society from a financial perspective;

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in the United States in 2006, 11% of total government spending was for disability support, and

this is expected to increase (Braddock, 2010. p.14).

With the progress in knowledge, social policies and legislation are adapted to offer equal

opportunities to people regardless of their disabilities. People with ID are provided with proper

support and education which helps them integrate into their communities. Gradually they are

given more chances to become contributing members of society. Research and advances in the

understanding of intellectual disability have resulted in promising treatment directions.

References:

Scheerenberger RC. A history of mental retardation: PH Brookes. 1983.

Picker, J. D., & Walsh, C. A. (2013). New innovations: therapeutic opportunities for intellectual

disabilities. Annals of neurology, 74(3), 382–390.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24002

Olsson, M.B., & Hwang, C.P. (2001). Depression in mothers and fathers of children with

intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 45, 535-543.

Braddock D. Public spending for disability in the United States: 1997–2006. Washington, D.C.:

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston; 2010. p. 14. 2010.