Intellectual disability is characterized by an intelligence or below-average mental ability and a lack of skills needed for daily living. People with intellectual disabilities can and do learn new skills, but they learn them more slowly. There are various degrees of intellectual disability, from mild to profound.
Formerly the term “mental retardation” was used, but nowadays it has fallen into disuse because it is offensive and has a negative tone and connotations. So, the correct thing is to use the term “intellectual disability”.
What is intellectual disability?
A person with an intellectual disability has limitations in two areas. These areas are as follows:
- intellectual functioning. Also known as IQ. It refers to a person's ability to learn, reason, make decisions, and solve problems.
- adaptive behaviors. These are necessary skills for everyday life, such as being able to communicate effectively, interact with others and take care of oneself.
Intelligence quotient (IQ) is measured by an IQ test. The average IQ is 100, with most people scoring between 85 and 115. A person is considered to have an intellectual disability if they have an IQ of less than 70 to 75.
To measure a child's adaptive behaviors, a specialist will look at the child's abilities and compare them to other children of the same age. Things that can be observed are, for example, his abilities to feed or dress himself, his ability to communicate and understand others, how he interacts with family, friends and other children his age.
Signs of intellectual disability in children
There are many different signs of intellectual disability in children. Signs may appear during infancy or may not be noticeable until the child reaches school age. Often depends on the severity of the disability. Some of the most common signs of this condition are as follows:
- Delay in gross motor milestones, such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking.
- delay in the appearance of speech, or have trouble speaking.
- Delay in bladder and/or sphincter control, self-dressing, or self-feeding.
- Difficulty remembering things.
- Inability to connect actions with consequences.
- Behavior problems such as explosive tantrums.
- Difficulty with problem solving or logical thinking.
In children with severe or profound intellectual disability, there may also be other health problems. These problems can be:
- seizures
- mood disorders (anxiety, autism, etc.)
- impaired motor skills
- vision or hearing problems
What causes intellectual disability?
Any time something interferes with normal brain development, intellectual disability can occur. However, a specific cause of this condition can only be identified about a third of the time. The most common causes
- genetic conditions, such as the síndrome de Down and fragile X syndrome
- problems during pregnancy. Alcohol or drug use, malnutrition, certain infections, or preeclampsia can interfere with fetal brain development.
- Problems during childbirth. It can result if a baby is deprived of oxygen during delivery or is born extremely premature.
- Disease. Infections such as meningitis, whooping cough, or measles can cause this problem in children.
- Serious head injuries, near drowning, extreme malnutrition, brain infections, exposure to toxic substances such as lead, and severe neglect or abuse can also cause it.
- None of the above. In two-thirds of all children who have intellectual disability, the cause is unknown.
Can intellectual disability be prevented?
Certain causes of intellectual disability are foreseeable. The most common of these is fetal alcohol syndrome. Pregnant women should not drink alcohol. Getting proper prenatal care, taking a prenatal vitamin, and getting vaccinated against certain infectious diseases can also reduce the risk of a baby being born with intellectual disabilities. In families with a history of genetic disorders, preconception genetic testing may be recommended.
Certain tests, such as ultrasound and amniocentesis, may also be done during pregnancy to look for problems associated with intellectual disability. Though these tests can identify problems before birth, they cannot correct them.