Intellectual disability: Severe form of mental retardation

'Intellectual disability' denotes to broad range of cognitive and behavioural deficit related with a considerably impaired intelligence level. The severity of 'Intellectual disability' assessed by discrepancy between person’s skill in learning and the expectation of social environment.  

'Intellectual disability is common developmental disability around the globe. It occurs before 18 years of age. When it happens early in child’s life, it is termed as neurodevelopmental condition that impairs cognition, learning, and adaptive functioning in everyday life. 

Major causes of intellectual disability are infections (present at birth or occur after birth), chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down syndrome), environmental, metabolic (such as hyper bilirubinaemia, or very high bilirubin levels in babies), malnutrition, trauma (before and after birth).

Types of Intellectual Disabilities:

These are different categories of people with an intellectual disability.

1. Mild Intellectual Disability. In this category, learning is usually slow, but the ability to learn in a normal setting is possible with good support.  Most symptoms for MID appear in the preschool years, but sometimes problems do not appear until later in life.

2. Moderate Intellectual Disability: At this level, a person with an IQ between 35 and 50 is said to have a moderate intellectual disability. Learning is difficult and more support is required.

3. Severe Intellectual Disability. In this category, a person with an IQ between 25 and 40 is considered as a moderate intellectual disability. Learning is more difficult and may not be possible for some.

4. Profound Intellectual Disability: Person who fall in this category has an IQ below 20. There is little hope for person to learn and progress in life.

5. Unspecified Intellectual Disability:  Person who has an IQ score under 70 and has other social and learning problems that cannot be pinned down is said to have an unspecified intellectual disability.

Major symptom of an intellectual disability is trouble to learn new things. Others may find themselves having problems with adaptive behaviours.

People with intellectual disability have full range of behaviour and mental disorders. The prevalence of associated mental disorders are many times more in patient of intellectual disability than general population. Associated physical and mental syndrome with in individuals with intellectual disability include anxiety disorders, hearing loss, heart conditions,  obesity-related problems,  seizure activity and visual impairment.

These people are at high risk for exploitation of physical abuse. This is due to their adaptive behaviours are impaired. Intellectual disability is diagnosed through the use of standardized tests of intelligence and adaptive behaviour. Individuals who score very low on mental ability or intelligence tests may be diagnosed with one of several intellectual disabilities. People with these disabilities tend to have difficulties learning new things and adjusting well in social circumstances.

For treatment, patients with intellectual disabilities need rehabilitation counsellors and mental health therapists provide counselling services. Numerous therapies can improve the adaptive skills of patient with intellectual disabilities Occupational therapy, Talk therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy.

To wrap up, intellectual disability is manifestation of heterogeneous set of impairment and conditions that results in cognitive limitation. Intellectual disability is basically developmental debility, not a specific disease. It denotes to cognition and adaptive functioning.

Important: This article is developed through environmental information, academic experience and/ or personal view of writer. Writer is not responsible for any disagreement