Intellectual Disability: 7 Signs That Your Child Has Been Touched
With intellectual disability, people can have varying degrees of disability. By reading today’s article, you will learn about the main symptoms and treatments available.
Intellectual disability has been defined in many ways over the years. These are neurodevelopmental disorders that manifest themselves in cognitive functioning at a lower than average level. It also influences other areas of life, such as social relationships and the ability to function in the environment.
There are different levels of intellectual disability. For this reason, the real impact that a person has on a person’s life is determined by the difficulty of exercising basic adaptive skills such as reading, writing, organizing, relating to others, and caring for oneself every day.
How do professionals measure a person’s cognitive skills?
Intellectual disability is usually measured using standardized tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children on Friday Edition ( WISC-V ). Such tests give a result that indicates a person’s IQ. In other words, the ratio of mental age to chronological (physical) age.
Experts estimate that the population mean is around 100, which means that two standard deviations below the mean (IQ below 70) indicate intellectual disability.
However, while intellectual disability is present from birth or from early childhood, many children do not develop visible symptoms until preschool age. Early diagnosis is facilitated by prenatal tests and routine pediatric developmental tests.
Related symptoms
Intellectual disability is characterized by symptoms other than IQ. Here are signs that indicate a baby is not developing well:
- First of all, difficulties in achieving the main stages of development. For example, it may take longer for your baby to sit up, crawl, or walk.
- Delays in language acquisition and verbal expression.
- Problems with memory.
- Inability to perceive the consequences of their actions.
- Difficulty learning, thinking logically, and solving problems.
- Difficulty understanding social rules and dealing with other people.
- And finally, the lack of the ability to function independently in the field of daily tasks.
Main causes
Although intellectual disability can have many causes, the exact origin of the disorder is only established in 25% of cases. The main factors include chromosomal abnormalities (for example, Down’s syndrome) and inherited disorders.
Possible causes include problems during pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia or the use of alcohol or stimulants by the mother. In addition, the risk of developing disorders is increased by infections, malnutrition of mother and child, severe head injuries or significant emotional neglect of the child.
Intellectual disability and its levels
As mentioned earlier, disturbances of this kind can have several levels of severity. Experts distinguish four levels of intellectual disability, based on the affected person’s IQ and their autonomy :
Gentle
Most people with intellectual disabilities are in this range. Their IQ levels range from 50 to 70.
Although their cognitive and learning skills are limited to some extent, they are usually able to adapt to the educational system and be professionally active. Most of them have the right social skills and only need occasional help to function in their environment.
Moderate
The IQ of such people ranges from 35 to 50, which translates into greater cognitive difficulties, especially when processing complex concepts. They can train their skills and perform low-skilled jobs under supervision.
They are also able to make social contacts, although their communication skills are limited. Moreover, they are even able to travel alone to familiar places, but may require help in social contexts.
Heavy
IQ ranging from 20 to 35 means that people with severe intellectual disability often require constant supervision and support. Their language acquisition is delayed and limited.
They can learn to read certain words and understand simple social communication. In addition, they can perform simple tasks with help and attention. However, they are not very independent.
Deep
Severe intellectual disability affects only 1-2% of cases. Such persons often have profound cognitive, social, and practical difficulties and other related disabilities. However, they can develop relationships with people they know and manage their day-to-day lives, as long as they have enough support.
Therapies available
Therapies mainly consist in helping people with intellectual disabilities to achieve their full educational, social and practical potential.
A multidisciplinary team of various professionals, including doctors, psychologists, speech therapists and professional therapists, form an individualized program. It is based on both strengths and weaknesses, and addresses the needs of the patient and his family.
How to reduce the risk of intellectual disability?
Prevention should begin before pregnancy, with appropriate prenatal care, including folate and immunization.
Pregnant women must avoid malnutrition, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and exposure to toxic environmental factors.
In addition, proper medical care during childbirth helps to reduce the risk of complications. After giving birth, you need to take care of your baby in the right way, which means that you need to meet their physical and emotional needs. But be aware that a risk cannot be excluded.
The importance of family and professional support
Intellectual disability makes life difficult not because of a person’s low IQ, but rather because of a lack of support. Taking the right medication, applying therapy, or adjusting the core curriculum play an important role as they help the patient develop and enjoy a better quality of life.
In addition, family support plays a key role, thanks to which such people are able to establish proper relations with their environment. They should be provided with practical and functional tools to help them develop their full potential. It is also important to support the family as much as possible.
