Classification of intellectual disability
The terms mild, moderate, severe and profound may be used to describe the severity of a person's intellectual disability. These terms simply refer to the range of IQ within which your client has been assessed.
Examples of intellectual disabilities are Fragile X Syndrome, Down syndrome, dyslexia, or fetal alcohol syndrome. Examples of psychological disabilities are chronic depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
An individual is diagnosed with mild mental retardation if they have an IQ score of 50-69,6 and the majority of cases fall within this category. Individuals with mild mental retardation typically develop social and communication skills adequate for self support, but may need assistance during times of unusual stress.
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.
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 (or ID) is a term used when a person has certain limitations in cognitive functioning and skills, including conceptual, social and practical skills, such as language, social and self-care skills.
Mental retardation is incomplete mental de- velopment. Mentally retarded persons are those whose normal intellectual growth was arrested at some time be- fore birth, during the birth process, or in the early years of development. Mental illness can be described as inappropriate, irra- tional, or unrealistic behavior.
The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a developmental disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , developmental disabilities are conditions that affect learning, language, physical, or behavioral areas.
Diseases like HIV, meningitis, listeriosis, encephalitis, congenital toxoplasmosis, congenital rubella and congenital CMV present before or occurring after birth can cause mental retardation. Toxins like alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines and other drugs the mother consumes while pregnant can also be the causes.
Intellectual disability is diagnosed using formal tests with your child. This is normally done by a school counsellor or a psychologist. They will gather information from parents, childcare or school teachers, therapists and doctors.
IQ test results fall along the normal (bell-shaped) curve, with an average IQ of 100, and individuals who are intellectually disabled are usually two standard deviations below the average (IQ below 70).
Diagnosing Intellectual Disability
While a specific full-scale IQ test score is no longer required for diagnosis, standardized testing is used as part of diagnosing the condition. A full-scale IQ score of around 70 to 75 indicates a significant limitation in intellectual functioning.
Frequently Asked Questions. Is ADHD considered a mental illness or disorder? ADHD is considered a psychiatric disorder because its symptoms involve mental functioning and cause significant impairment.
Mental illnesses can be covered by the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act. It is against the law to discriminate against a person because of their disability. There are some limited exceptions and exemptions.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
Sometimes anxiety disorders can cause fear so intense it totally disables its victims. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental illnesses, and they are also the most treatable.
It is often assumed, erroneously, that Autism is just another form of Mental Retardation. Nothing could be further from the truth. While Mental Retardation has to do with cognitive functioning, Autism has to do with behavioral and communication abilities and is unrelated to the patient's intellectual level.
However, a much higher percentage of individuals on the autism spectrum have Intellectual Disability . As of the most recent prevalence study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which studied records from 2008, 38% of children with ASD had Intellectual Disability .