Intellectual Disability Paper

Developmental disabilities include epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, cerebral palsy, and any other disorder occurring during the developmental period, in addition to intellectual impairment. These developmental disability syndromes are commonly associated with intellectual impairment. Also known as intellectual disability, intellectual impairment is characterized by severe cognitive deficits, generally relating to thought processes (FAQs on Intellectual Disability, 2013). Approximately 50% of individuals diagnosed with intellectual impairment also meet the definitional criteria of having a developmental disability. However, distinguishing differences between intellectual impairment and developmental disability include age of onset, limitation severity, and presence or absence of a low IQ. Individuals with a developmental disability are diagnosed before age 22, and they may or may not have a low IQ. However, individuals with an intellectual impairment have an onset before age 18, with the presence of a low IQ (FAQs on Intellectual Disability,
2013). Between one and three percent of Americans have intellectual impairment (Intellectual Disability, 2015).
The major criterion for diagnosing an individual with intellectual disability include: onset before age 18 and significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior (ability to perform activities of daily living).
Intellectual functioning can be assessed with an IQ test. Limitations in intellectual functioning are indicated with an IQ score of around 70 to 75. Adaptive behavior limitations are determined through tests that assess conceptual skills, social skills, and practical skills (FA Qs on Intellectual Disability, 2013). Severity of intellectual impairment can vary, as with most disorders. The range of abilities, therefore, the lifestyle effects of having an intellectual impairment, vary as well. Children with intellectual impairment may show severe milestone delays in areas such as speech, mobility, activities of daily living (ADL), eating, and learning (Intellectual Disability,
2015). Intellectual impairment may be caused by a number of factors. Primarily, a combination of the timing of exposure to risk factors, and the presence of biomedical, educational, social, and behavioral risk factors causes the disorder. There isn’t a known “cure” for intellectual impairment, although a plethora of factors play a significant role in providing the individual with supports to effectively obtain a range of functional skills for everyday life.

Assessment
The Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4rd Edition (WISC-4) is for children ages 6:0 to 16:11. The assessment consists of 13 subtests that are used to evaluate a child’s intellectual ability in language and visual-motor areas. It measures a child’s intelligence through verbal, performance, and full-scale IQ scoring. Assessment results provide index scores in verbal comprehension, working memory, processing speed, and perceptual reasoning, which provide assistance in future clinical decision making (Clinical Psychology, 2015).

Intervention A “key word signing program” has proved to be beneficial in adults with intellectual disability. A study by Meuris, Meas, and Zink showed that through the use of this program, clients with intellectual disability increased their production of manual signs. The adults with intellectual disabilities learned to express many more communicative functions in narrative language (2015). Clinicians are able to implement this program by manually sign intermittently throughout the day in interactions with their client. The program can be especially beneficial in facilities when it is utilized by multiple support workers and colleagues.