In most cases, these individuals need assistance with speaking, walking, dressing, and eating. Usually delays in motor functioning, language abilities, and social milestones can be identified within the first two years of a child's life if he or she has more severe intellectual disabilities.
DSM-5 defines intellectual disabilities as neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in childhood and are characterized by intellectual difficulties as well as difficulties in conceptual, social, and practical areas of living.
The diagnosis of an intellectual disability is typically made through a test of intelligence or cognition, often assessed by the range of scores on an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test.
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.
An LD makes it difficult to acquire specific skills such as reading skills or math skills. By contrast, ADHD impacts more global skills and executive functions like the ability to focus, the ability to control emotions, and the ability to control impulsive behaviour.
Some of the most common known causes of intellectual disability – like Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, genetic conditions, birth defects, and infections – happen before birth. Others happen while a baby is being born or soon after birth.
Overall, most persons with mild ID function at mental age of 9–11 years as adults (10,13,15). Persons with mild ID need intermittent support in daily living activities such as self-care, shopping, food preparation and money management (10). They need assistance in making healthcare and legal decisions.
Most intellectual disabilities are caused by genetic factors. For example, intellectual disability can happen when a child: has altered chromosomes, as in Down syndrome. has an altered gene, as in Fragile X syndrome.
Fragile X Syndrome is the most prevalent form of inherited developmental and intellectual disability. This genetic disorder results from a change or mutation in the X chromosome. The disability affects the development of a person, more so in the areas of learning and behavior.
The most common known preventable or environmental cause of intellectual disability is fetal alcohol syndrome, the most common chromosomal cause is Down syndrome, and the most common genetic cause is Fragile X syndrome.
Borderline intellectual functioning, previously called borderline mental retardation (in the ICD-8), is a categorization of intelligence wherein a person has below average cognitive ability (generally an IQ of 70–85), but the deficit is not as severe as intellectual disability (below 70).
Children with ID have a low IQ score–most score between 70 and 55 or lower. Usually, children are not able to do an intelligence test (Intelligence Quotient Test or IQ test) until they are 4 to 6 years old. Therefore, parents may have to wait until a child reaches that age before knowing for sure if their child has ID.
Three things factor into the diagnosis of intellectual disability: interviews with the parents, observation of the child, and testing of intelligence and adaptive behaviors. A child is considered intellectually disabled if they have deficits in both IQ and adaptive behaviors.
Classification of intellectual disability
The terms mild, moderate, severe and profound may be used to describe the severity of a person's intellectual disability.
The Centers for Disease Control considers ADHD to be a developmental disability. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke does not consider ADHD to be a learning disability. It may be possible to receive disability benefits if you or your child has ADHD.
Persons with intellectual disability (ID) are said to have behavioral problems in the form of stereotypes, aggression, and violence that might lead to injury to self, to others, or destruction of property, etc.
Whereas ID is associated with general deficits across developmental domains, ASD is in fact defined by the observation that social communication deficits are particularly impairing.
Signs of Borderline Intellectual Functioning
Difficulty adapting to changes or learning new skills. Difficulty achieving independent living, executing daily life activities, and participating with others in social situations. Difficulty managing emotions and aggression, with moods swings and low frustration tolerance.
A person with an intellectual disability has a life-long condition of slow intellectual development, where medication has little or no effect. A person with mental illness has a disorder that can be treated with medication, psychotherapy or other supports.
Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting 1–3% of the world's population. Genetic factors play a key role causing the congenital limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.
About 1 percent of the general population is thought to have Intellectual Disability , and about 10% of individuals with Intellectual Disability also have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or autistic traits.
Some causes of intellectual disability—such as Down syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, birth defects, and infections—can happen before birth. Some happen while a baby is being born or soon after birth.
While anxiety is considered a disability, researchers don't regard it as an intellectual disability - they believe the two are separate entities. The evidence suggests that those who are socially anxious or have generalized anxiety disorder tend to have a higher IQ than those without.