TEACHERS’ TREANING

What to know about intellectual disability (Medical approch)

 Definition
 Causes
 Symptoms
 Diagnosis
 Management
 Tips for parents
 Summary

Intellectual disability causes significant limitations to a person’s intellectual

functioning and adaptive behavior.

Intellectual disability is also sometimes known as cognitive disability. An

outdated and now offensive term for this condition was “mental retardation.”

Read on to learn more about the definition of intellectual disability, its common
causes, its symptoms, and some tips for parents and caregivers. This article also
covers diagnosis, treatment, and management (Medically reviewed by Angela M.
Bell, MD, FACP — By Jennifer Huizen on December 1, 2020).

Definition

Intellectual disability occurs when a person has difficulty with general mental
abilities. This may impact their:

 intellectual functioning, such as their learning, judgment, problem

solving, abstract thinking, memory, reasoning, and academic skills
 practical functioning, which refers to the ability to function and take
care of oneself independently, such as performing personal care tasks,
managing money, and performing work, school, or home tasks
 social functioning, which refers to the ability to function normally in
society by using skills such as social judgment, communication,
understanding and following social rules and cues, understanding the
consequences of one’s actions, and making friends

According to the American Psychiatric Association, 1% of the population have

intellectual disability. Around 85% of these people have mild cases.

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In the United States, intellectual disability affects around 1 in 10 families.

Males are more likely to receive a diagnosis of intellectual disability.

Causes

In many cases, the precise cause of intellectual disability is unknown. Typically,

however, the condition develops due to injury, disease, or certain brain
conditions.

Any condition that impacts the brain and begins before the age of 18 years, even
before birth, can cause intellectual disability. However, intellectual disability
can also develop later in childhood or adolescence due to conditions that cause
brain damage.

Some common causes of intellectual disability include:

 certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome; or fragile X

syndrome
 fetal alcohol syndrome
 congenital anomalies or brain malformations
 some infections, such as meningitis, measles, or whooping cough
 exposure to toxins such as mercury or lead
 serious head injury
 stroke
 maternal disease, such as rubella, drug use, or infection during pregnancy
 problems at birth, such as insufficient oxygenation
 extreme malnutrition
 insufficient medical care

Symptoms

People with more severe forms of intellectual disability usually experience more
severe symptoms that are noticeable at a young age.

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There are a variety of signs and symptoms that a person with intellectual
disability might experience. Generally, people with this condition tend to take
longer to learn and develop intellectually than other people.

They also tend to have difficulty with adaptive behaviors. Adaptive behaviors
are the conceptual, social, and practical skills that people learn and use in
everyday life to function.

Some common symptomsTrusted Source of intellectual disability include:

 reaching developmental milestones — such as sitting up, crawling,

walking, or talking — later than other children
 difficulty speaking or reading
 difficulty understanding or following social rules or cues
 difficulty understanding the results or consequences of their actions
 difficulty solving problems, thinking logically, or thinking abstractly
 difficulty planning or following schedules or routines
 difficulty remembering things
 difficulty letting others know their needs
 difficulty understanding systems such as the need to pay for things, time,
or how to use a phone
 difficulty with social skills
 a reduced ability to perform regular personal care, such as eating, getting
dressed, or completing household tasks
 limited functioning in one or more daily activities
 reduced judgment and decision making skills
 difficulty learning from experience
 communicating using nonverbal means, such as expressions and gestures
 difficulty regulating emotions and behaviors

In most cases, the symptoms of intellectual disability start in early childhood or

adolescence. In particular, difficulty with language and motor skills may occur
by the age of 2 years.

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People with mild intellectual disability may not show any obvious signs until
they begin to have difficulty with schoolwork.

Diagnosis

To diagnose intellectual disability, a doctor will perform several tests to assess

the person’s intellectual and adaptive functioning.

These tests may include:

 an IQ test (a score of 70–75 may indicate intellectual disability)

 interviews with the individual and others who have observed their
adaptive functioning — that is, their conceptual, social, and practical
functioning — such as family members or teachers
 whether or not someone has the skills necessary to live independently
 general medical tests
 neurological tests
 psychological tests
 special education tests
 hearing, speech, and vision tests
 physical therapy evaluations

Intellectual disability tends to develop and cause noticeable symptoms before

the age of 18 years.

Treatment and management

Intellectual disability is a lifelong condition.

Although there is currently no cure, most people can learn to improve their
functioning over time. Receiving early, ongoing interventions can often improve
functioning, thereby allowing someone to thrive.

Most treatment plans for intellectual disability focus on the person’s:

 strengths
 needs
 support needed to function
 additional conditions
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Many services exist to help people with intellectual disability and their families
get the support they need. Most of these services allow someone with
intellectual disability to function normally in society.

Someone’s diagnosis typically determines which services and protection of

rights, such as special education or home or community services, they are
eligible to receive under federal or national law. It also usually helps determine
which supportive services they may need.

Supportive services include:

 early interventions that work to identify intellectual disability in infants

and toddlers
 special education and academic support, such as individual education
plans, which are available in the U.S. under federal law for free to every
child with intellectual disability
 transition services that help people with intellectual disability transition to
adulthood after high school
 day programs
 vocational programs, such as job coaching or skill learning
 housing options
 case managers to help coordinate services and ensure that the individual
receives proper care
 psychological or psychiatric services
 speech and language pathology or audiology services
 therapeutic recreation
 rehabilitation counseling
 adapted equipment or assistive technology

Family members, caregivers, friends, co-workers, and community members can

also provide additional support to people with intellectual disability.

With proper support and treatment, most people with intellectual disability are
capable of achieving successful, production roles in their communities.

However, how well someone is able to cope and function with intellectual
disability is also dependent on the severity of their condition and any other
underlying genetic or medical conditions they have.
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Tips for parents and caregivers

Parents and caregivers who think that their child may have intellectual disability
should talk with their child’s doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Receiving
early, ongoing intervention is very important in ensuring that someone with this
condition can reach their full potential.

If the doctor suspects intellectual disability or the child continues to experience

symptoms, they should visit a pediatrician who specializes in diagnosing
developmental conditions.

Other tips for parents and caregivers include the following:

 Learn the specifics about the child’s intellectual disability, including their
limitations, strengths, needs, and other individual factors.
 Connect with other parents who have children with intellectual disability.
 Encourage activities that support independence and responsibility, such as
chores, dressing, feeding, or bathing.
 Seek support from community, medical, or other supportive services.
 Be patient, kind, hopeful, and understanding.
 Get involved with social, recreation, sports, or other activities.
 Try to avoid negative thinking, projections, or words.
 Work with early intervention services to develop an Individualized
Family Services Plan that focuses on the child’s and family’s needs.
 Contact local school systems or elementary schools to get access to
special education and related services.
 Practice social and communication skills.
 Recognize that parents and caregivers can help improve the functioning of
someone with intellectual disability.
 Be as clear as possible, using demonstrations such as a picture or hands-
on materials rather than verbal directions.
 Break longer and new tasks into simpler steps.
 Work with teachers and academic support workers to assess the child’s
progress at school and at home.

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  Work with adolescent or child psychiatrists to set appropriate expectations
for the individual.

Summary

People with intellectual disability have varying limits to their ability to learn and
function in society, and they often learn slower than others.

However, receiving early, ongoing treatment in the form of supportive services

can often help people with intellectual disability function normally or
independently.

Contact a doctor as soon as possible if a child has any signs or symptoms of

intellectual disability.

Some terms’ definitions

(Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Chromosomes are
small “packages” of genes in the body. They determine how a baby's body forms and functions as it
grows during pregnancy and after birth. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes) ,

Phenylketonuria (fen-ul-key-toe-NU-ree-uh), also called PKU, is a rare inherited disorder that

causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to build up in the body. PKU is caused by a change in the
phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. This gene helps create the enzyme needed to break down
phenylalanine)

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. There are three forms: L-, D-, and DL- phenylalanine. L-
phenylalanine is found naturally in foods such as meat and eggs.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. L-phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. It
is the only form of phenylalanine found in proteins. D-phenylalanine is not an essential amino
acid, and its role in the body is not currently understood. DL-phenylalanine is made in a lab.

HOMEWORK

Through this knowledge according ID, describe a case study of your class and
propose the way for handling this issue. What advices do you give to his/her
parents?