Exploring

Intellectual
Capacity
Submitted by: Fakiha Tayyab
01-279232-004
Intellectual Disability
An Intellectual Disability formerly referred to as
‘Mental Retardation’ is characterized by the
combination of deficits in cognitive functioning and
adaptive behavior.

ID severity Individual’s capabilities in

learning versus social expectations
Exploring Intellectual Capacity
 The first thing when a parent brings their child is he/she is very weak in
studies, unable to understand anything.
 Usually when 5-6 years old. They can’t do adaptive behaviors on their own.
 They are developed from day 1 after birth. Usually, it starts with
complications during pregnancy.
Exploring Intellectual Capacity Cont.
● First observe the child.
● If a child is 4 years old (e.g.,), does he actually look like one?
● Hypoxic kids: who don’t cry right after birth (within 2 minutes). Hypoxic
kids’ brain development is badly affected and then it’s confirmed ID.
● Ask the parents when he cries right after birth. If there was any
complication with the pregnancy or delivery of their child. Did he/she
have any health problems at birth?
● Ask parents about his Milestones. Did your child experience any
developmental delays (e.g., neck holding, crawling, walking, speech, toilet
training etc.) Check his milestones and compare them with his age-related
behaviors.
Exploring Intellectual Capacity Cont.
History Taking:
● Parents age when they married and have this child. (If they are above 35,
the genetic abnormalities risk is 2 times)
● Inquire about birth time. If it was a full-term or premature birth.
● If it was a home birth or hospital birth. What was his/her birth weight?
● Kitne bache hain?
● Bache ne chalna kb shoro kia?
● Bolna kab shoro kia?
● Dosre bacho se milta hai ya nhi?
● Kabhi koi chot wagira to ni lgi? Ya teez bukhar hua ho.
History Taking Cont.
● If the child is not looking like his age ask the parents, Kia baqi behn
bhaiyo jaisa hai jab wo iss umar ke they?
● Ask about any family history. (medical or psychological)
● Ask the mother about her education, her siblings and their kids.
● Same about father.
● Assess the overall level of functioning and intellectual capacity of parents
and the emotional climate at home.
Explore his school
● How the child is in school? Does he like going to school? Is there any
subject he likes? What does his teacher say about him? How is he in his
studies? (Usually, parents tell this when the child is suffering from
intellectual disability, if not, then ask)
Explore Each Area Separately
Language/Communication Skills:
● Can you tell me about the child’s ability to speak and understand (let’s
say) Urdu?
● Does he use complete sentences?
● Can he tell stories or explain his thoughts and feelings?
● Does he show any interest in learning new words or reading?
• How does your child communicate their needs and wants to you and
others?
• Can your child follow simple instructions? Can you give an example?
• Does your child understand and use age-appropriate vocabulary?
(You can check his command-following behavior by asking him to untie/tie
his laces, unbutton/button his shirt, or count the coins)
Social Interaction:
○ How does your child behave with family members, other children, and
strangers?
○ Does your child make eye contact and respond to social cues?
○ How does your child express emotions, and can they recognize emotions
in others?
Daily Living Skills:
○ Can your child perform age-appropriate self-care tasks such as dressing,
feeding, and grooming?
○ How does your child cope with changes in routine?
○ What responsibilities, if any, does your child manage at home?
Problem-solving and Reasoning:
• Can you describe any situations where you've seen your child solve
problems or figure things out on his own?
• Does he enjoy puzzles or games that require thinking and planning?
• How does he react when faced with challenges or new situations?
Memory and Learning:
• Can you give examples of how Ali learns new things? Does he remember
instructions or information easily?
• Does he seem curious and eager to learn new things?
• How does he typically perform in school, if he attends?
• Can he follow instructions with multiple steps?
• Collect detailed family history from both paternal and maternal sides,
including immediate family members (parents, siblings), extended family
(aunts, uncles, cousins), and previous generations if possible.
• Note any known genetic disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental
delays, or related conditions in the family.

• Other than that, we can also use combinations of psychological tests to

explore intellectual capacity. We can check IQ and adaptive behavior.
(Standford Binet, BGT, DAP, VABS etc.)