ASSIGNMENT!

1. WHAT IS INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY? DISCUSS

Intellectual disability is a condition where an individual usually manifest difficulty in
learning and have short- term memory, by this people with this condition experience
difficulty in retaining and recalling informations processing information; problems with
abstract thought; and problems with social interactions occur at varying levels unique to
each individual.. An IQ score below 70 is considered to be a sign of mental retardation, or
intellectual disability, by most experts. Many experts consider a score between 70 and 80 to
be at the lower range, or borderline range, of intellectual functioning
2. HOW ARE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES DIAGNOSED?
Intellectual disability can be diagnosed by A thorough assessment usually includes the
following:

 comprehensive medical exam;

 possible genetic and neurological testing;
 social and familial history;
 educational history;
 psychological testing to assess intellectual functioning;
 testing of adaptive functioning;
 interviews with primary caregivers;
 interviews with teachers;
 social and behavioral observations of the child in natural environments
As mentioned, intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning are the primary diagnostic
criteria. In the next section, we discuss various tests used to assess intellectual functioning
and adaptive functioning. Since significant limitations in these two areas are the defining
features of intellectual disabilities, these tests are essential to the diagnostic process.

3. WHAT ARE THE DEGREE OF INTELLECTUAL DIASABILITY

The category details are as follows:

Mild intellectual disability

 IQ 50 to 70
 Slower than typical in all developmental areas
 No unusual physical characteristics
 Able to learn practical life skills
 Attains reading and math skills up to grade levels 3 to 6
 Able to blend in socially
 Functions in daily life

About 85 percent of people with intellectual disabilities fall into the mild category
and many even achieve academic success. A person who can read, but has difficulty
comprehending what he or she reads represents one example of someone with mild
intellectual disability.

Moderate intellectual disability

 IQ 35 to 49
 Noticeable developmental delays (i.e. speech, motor skills)
 May have physical signs of impairment (i.e. thick tongue)
 Can communicate in basic, simple ways
 Able to learn basic health and safety skills
 Can complete self-care activities
 Can travel alone to nearby, familiar places
People with moderate intellectual disability have fair communication skills, but
cannot typically communicate on complex levels. They may have difficulty in social
situations and problems with social cues and judgment. These people can care for
themselves, but might need more instruction and support than the typical person.
Many can live in independent situations, but some still need the support of a group
home. About 10 percent of those with intellectual disabilities fall into the moderate
category.

Severe intellectual disability

 IQ 20 to 34
 Considerable delays in development
 Understands speech, but little ability to communicate
 Able to learn daily routines
 May learn very simple self-care
 Needs direct supervision in social situations

Only about 3 or 4 percent of those diagnosed with intellectual disability fall into the
severe category. These people can only communicate on the most basic levels. They
cannot perform all self-care activities independently and need daily supervision and
support. Most people in this category cannot successfully live an independent life
and will need to live in a group home setting.

Profound intellectual disability

 IQ less than 20
 Significant developmental delays in all areas
 Obvious physical and congenital abnormalities
 Requires close supervision
 Requires attendant to help in self-care activities
 May respond to physical and social activities
 Not capable of independent living

4. WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MENTAL DISABILITY?

Intellectual disability can be caused by any condition that impairs development of the brain
before birth, during birth or in the childhood years. Several hundred causes have been
discovered, but in about one-third of the people affected, the cause remains unknown. The
three major known causes of intellectual disability are Down syndrome, Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Fragile X syndrome. The causes can be categorized as
follows: • Genetic conditions - These result from abnormalities of genes inherited from
parents, errors when genes combine, or from other disorders of the genes caused during
pregnancy by infections, overexposure to x-rays and other factors. There are many genetic
diseases associated with intellectual disability. Some examples include PKU
(phenylketonuria), a single gene disorder. Due to a missing or defective enzyme, children
with PKU cannot process a part of a protein called phenylalanine. Without treatment,
phenylalanine builds up in the blood and causes intellectual disability. Down syndrome is
an example of a chromosomal disorder. Chromosomal disorders happen sporadically and
are caused by too many or too few chromosomes, or by a change in structure of a
chromosome. Fragile X syndrome is a single gene disorder located on the X chromosome
and is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability. • Problems during pregnancy -
Use of alcohol or drugs by the pregnant mother can cause intellectual disability. In fact,
alcohol is known to be the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability. Recent
research has implicated smoking in increasing the risk of intellectual disability. Other risks
include malnutrition, certain environmental toxins, and illnesses of the mother during
pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella and syphillis. • Problems at
birth - Prematurity and low birth weight predict serious problems more often than any
other conditions. Difficulties in the birth process such as temporary oxygen deprivation or
birth injuries may cause intellectual disabilities. • Problems after birth - Childhood
diseases such as whooping cough, chicken pox, measles, and Hib disease that may lead to
meningitis and encephalitis can damage the brain, as can injuries such as a blow to the
head or near drowning. Lead, mercury and other environmental toxins can cause
irreparable damage to the brain and nervous system. • Poverty and cultural deprivation -
Children growing up in poverty are at higher risk for malnutrition, childhood diseases,
exposure to environmental health hazards and often receive inadequate health care. These
factors increase the risk of intellectual disability. Also, children in disadvantaged areas may
be deprived of many common cultural and educational experiences provided to other
youngsters. Research suggests that such understimulation can result in irreversible
damage and can serve as a cause of intellectual disability.