Just as is the case with physical abilities, all of us are not born with the same intellectual abilities. There are many individuals with intellectual disabilities in Portsmouth, VA. What this simply means is that these special groups of people may have limitations in the level of problem solving, reasoning and learning. These disorders are almost always noticed in the affected person before the age of 18.
This condition was formerly known as mental retardation. In some cases, it may coexist with physical developmental abnormalities such as is the case of Down syndrome and foetal alcohol syndrome. There are a number of risk factors that have been identified. These are broadly divided into biomedical, social, behavioural and educational. Infections occurring during the prenatal period are a significant case.
Perhaps the biggest challenge that is faced by affected persons is the inability to learn things fast. This may be frustrating to an instructor especially in a school setting. When instructing this group of children, therefore, it is important that one is patient enough. If possible, the affected children should be taught in special schools where teachers are trained to handle them appropriately.
Although the signs may be obvious from the onset, the general advice is that one should consult a psychiatrist for proper diagnosis. Contrary to common belief, an IQ test alone is not enough. In addition to a low IQ there should also be impairment in intellectual functioning, adaptive behaviour and an onset before 18 years of age. An IQ test of less than 75 is regarded as unfavourable.
Adaptive behaviour comprises three main areas. These include conceptual skills, practical skills and social skills. Conceptual skills relate to language and literacy, self direction, number concepts, understanding and using money and number concepts. Social skills are useful in the creation of interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution. Practical skills are important for daily survival. The degree of limitations varies among different people depending on the severity of the disability.
The different classifications used for groups of individuals affected help in creating appropriate management options. When assessing a child for the condition it is important to consider the immediate surroundings. The community in which a child grows up has a big influence on what kind of adult they will grow into. The child can only be said to have a limitation when compared to their immediate community and not any other.
It has been shown through research that a number of measures can be undertaken to reduce the incidence. Ensuring that there is strong social support structure for an expectant mother is one of them. With such a strong structure, cases of malnutrition and abuse are immensely reduced. Premarital genetic counselling has also been shown to be useful as it gives potential couples an opportunity to undergo screening.
Intellectual disability is the commonest type of developmental disabilities. Although it presents a major challenge to both the child and the parent, it can be managed. The outcomes are variable and depend mainly on the extent of limitation and level of training. The key to better results is depends on timely diagnosis and specialised training. It is wrong to discriminate against persons with the disability since it is not a disease.
This condition was formerly known as mental retardation. In some cases, it may coexist with physical developmental abnormalities such as is the case of Down syndrome and foetal alcohol syndrome. There are a number of risk factors that have been identified. These are broadly divided into biomedical, social, behavioural and educational. Infections occurring during the prenatal period are a significant case.
Perhaps the biggest challenge that is faced by affected persons is the inability to learn things fast. This may be frustrating to an instructor especially in a school setting. When instructing this group of children, therefore, it is important that one is patient enough. If possible, the affected children should be taught in special schools where teachers are trained to handle them appropriately.
Although the signs may be obvious from the onset, the general advice is that one should consult a psychiatrist for proper diagnosis. Contrary to common belief, an IQ test alone is not enough. In addition to a low IQ there should also be impairment in intellectual functioning, adaptive behaviour and an onset before 18 years of age. An IQ test of less than 75 is regarded as unfavourable.
Adaptive behaviour comprises three main areas. These include conceptual skills, practical skills and social skills. Conceptual skills relate to language and literacy, self direction, number concepts, understanding and using money and number concepts. Social skills are useful in the creation of interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution. Practical skills are important for daily survival. The degree of limitations varies among different people depending on the severity of the disability.
The different classifications used for groups of individuals affected help in creating appropriate management options. When assessing a child for the condition it is important to consider the immediate surroundings. The community in which a child grows up has a big influence on what kind of adult they will grow into. The child can only be said to have a limitation when compared to their immediate community and not any other.
It has been shown through research that a number of measures can be undertaken to reduce the incidence. Ensuring that there is strong social support structure for an expectant mother is one of them. With such a strong structure, cases of malnutrition and abuse are immensely reduced. Premarital genetic counselling has also been shown to be useful as it gives potential couples an opportunity to undergo screening.
Intellectual disability is the commonest type of developmental disabilities. Although it presents a major challenge to both the child and the parent, it can be managed. The outcomes are variable and depend mainly on the extent of limitation and level of training. The key to better results is depends on timely diagnosis and specialised training. It is wrong to discriminate against persons with the disability since it is not a disease.
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