Just as is the case with physical abilities, all of us are not born with the same intellectual abilities. There are many individuals with intellectual disabilities in Portsmouth, VA. What this simply means is that these special groups of people may have limitations in the level of problem solving, reasoning and learning. These disorders are almost always noticed in the affected person before the age of 18.
The condition is also called mental retardation in some quarters but this term is slowly becoming obsolete. It may be seen in isolation but a number of people have it coexisting with physical abnormalities. This has been observed with conditions such as foetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome. Risk factors that have been identified may be biomedical, social, educational or behavioural. Infections associated with pregnancy and the perinatal period is particularly harmful.
One of the biggest challenges that the affected persons face is the inability to grasp issues fast. Most of them need to have issues repeated to them over and over before they can understand. It is therefore very important when one is attempting to impart knowledge and skills in such children. If possible, these children should be taught in special schools in which they have the attention of a specially trained teacher.
While some of the cases are obvious from the onset, there are many others that have rather subtle features. It is important that the affected child is reviewed by a psychiatrist for a proper diagnosis to be made. There are three main things that must be present for a proper diagnosis to be made: an onset at an age of less than 18, accompanying intellectual limitations and the presence of compromised adaptive behaviour.
Adaptive behaviour has three main components. These are conceptual skills, practical skills and social skills. The conceptual skills are those that are related to money, number concepts, language and literacy and self direction. Social skills are useful in the creation and maintenance of interpersonal skills. Practical skills are useful for virtually all the activities we do on a daily basis. These include personal grooming, eating, and playing. The extent of limitation varies among affected persons.
The different classifications used for groups of individuals affected help in creating appropriate management options. When assessing a child for the condition it is important to consider the immediate surroundings. The community in which a child grows up has a big influence on what kind of adult they will grow into. The child can only be said to have a limitation when compared to their immediate community and not any other.
It has been shown through research that a number of measures can be undertaken to reduce the incidence. Ensuring that there is strong social support structure for an expectant mother is one of them. With such a strong structure, cases of malnutrition and abuse are immensely reduced. Premarital genetic counselling has also been shown to be useful as it gives potential couples an opportunity to undergo screening.
Intellectual disability is considered the commonest developmental disability. While it is a major challenge for the parents and the affected individual, near normal lives can be realised with proper training. Early identification and training are central to the realisation of this. It is important to point out that the limitation is not a disease; it cannot be transmitted from one person to another.
The condition is also called mental retardation in some quarters but this term is slowly becoming obsolete. It may be seen in isolation but a number of people have it coexisting with physical abnormalities. This has been observed with conditions such as foetal alcohol syndrome and Down syndrome. Risk factors that have been identified may be biomedical, social, educational or behavioural. Infections associated with pregnancy and the perinatal period is particularly harmful.
One of the biggest challenges that the affected persons face is the inability to grasp issues fast. Most of them need to have issues repeated to them over and over before they can understand. It is therefore very important when one is attempting to impart knowledge and skills in such children. If possible, these children should be taught in special schools in which they have the attention of a specially trained teacher.
While some of the cases are obvious from the onset, there are many others that have rather subtle features. It is important that the affected child is reviewed by a psychiatrist for a proper diagnosis to be made. There are three main things that must be present for a proper diagnosis to be made: an onset at an age of less than 18, accompanying intellectual limitations and the presence of compromised adaptive behaviour.
Adaptive behaviour has three main components. These are conceptual skills, practical skills and social skills. The conceptual skills are those that are related to money, number concepts, language and literacy and self direction. Social skills are useful in the creation and maintenance of interpersonal skills. Practical skills are useful for virtually all the activities we do on a daily basis. These include personal grooming, eating, and playing. The extent of limitation varies among affected persons.
The different classifications used for groups of individuals affected help in creating appropriate management options. When assessing a child for the condition it is important to consider the immediate surroundings. The community in which a child grows up has a big influence on what kind of adult they will grow into. The child can only be said to have a limitation when compared to their immediate community and not any other.
It has been shown through research that a number of measures can be undertaken to reduce the incidence. Ensuring that there is strong social support structure for an expectant mother is one of them. With such a strong structure, cases of malnutrition and abuse are immensely reduced. Premarital genetic counselling has also been shown to be useful as it gives potential couples an opportunity to undergo screening.
Intellectual disability is considered the commonest developmental disability. While it is a major challenge for the parents and the affected individual, near normal lives can be realised with proper training. Early identification and training are central to the realisation of this. It is important to point out that the limitation is not a disease; it cannot be transmitted from one person to another.
About the Author:
At Lucas Professional Center, individuals with intellectual disabilities can acheive their goals and become involved in the community. To learn more about the programs, go to http://lucaslodge.com now.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment