It is the desire of every parent to have a normal child both physically as well as mentally. Many parents are gripped with anxiety as they watch their young ones undergo growth and development. As a parent or guardian in Portsmouth, PA, it is important to note that things will not always turn out as planned. Indeed, there a good number of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Commonly, this problem will be identified before the age of eighteen.
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.
Some cases are very obvious from the onset especially to the parents or babysitter. Some, however, remain subtle and manifest later on as the child continues to develop into an adult. Commonly, an IQ test is used as a screening test to determine whether or not a child has mental limitation. For a diagnosis to be made, though, there is need to have a comprehensive review by a psychiatrist. There must be a limitation in adaptive behaviour and intellectual functioning.
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.
Since there are different degrees of limitation, classification is often necessary to help in instituting the appropriate form of management. The assessment of an individual should take into account their immediate community. The intellectual functioning of the individual must be below that of the surrounding population for a positive diagnosis to be made.
Research has established that a number of things can be done so as to minimise the chances of having a child suffering from the disability. One area that ca be used for intervention is social support. Expectant women should get proper nutrition and care to provide a conducive environment for foetal growth. Genetic counselling of prospective couples is another strategy that has had tremendous success.
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.
Some cases are very obvious from the onset especially to the parents or babysitter. Some, however, remain subtle and manifest later on as the child continues to develop into an adult. Commonly, an IQ test is used as a screening test to determine whether or not a child has mental limitation. For a diagnosis to be made, though, there is need to have a comprehensive review by a psychiatrist. There must be a limitation in adaptive behaviour and intellectual functioning.
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.
Since there are different degrees of limitation, classification is often necessary to help in instituting the appropriate form of management. The assessment of an individual should take into account their immediate community. The intellectual functioning of the individual must be below that of the surrounding population for a positive diagnosis to be made.
Research has established that a number of things can be done so as to minimise the chances of having a child suffering from the disability. One area that ca be used for intervention is social support. Expectant women should get proper nutrition and care to provide a conducive environment for foetal growth. Genetic counselling of prospective couples is another strategy that has had tremendous success.
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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