I need to do a redo on this assignment that will be Attch. to this ($10)

Running head: INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES 1

Intellectual Disabilities 6

Intellectual Disabilities

Introduction

Intellectual disability in lay man terms would be the disability to perform intelligent functioning of the human brain. The performance of everyday social and practical skills requires intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour which are in-built abilities in most normal human beings. The ones who possess intellectual disability are often limited by their intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour skills. This disability is generally spotted in individuals before they reach the age of 18 (Intellectual Disability (n.d.)).

Now we read more into the two parts of intellectual disability: intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour.

· Intellectual functioning: In lay man terms, intellectual functioning is more commonly known as intelligence which largely helps in learning, reasoning, problem solving, mental capacity, etc. This is also known as IQ or the intelligence quotient and generally a score of 70 or 75 indicates a limitation in intellectual functioning. Basically, intellectual functioning part helps an individual to learn something, reason, make decisions and solve problems.

· Adaptive behaviour – These skills are required to deal with day-to-day life and the activities that we engage in every day. This involves communicating with other individuals, analysing the behaviour of others and respond accordingly. The limitations of adaptive behaviour can also be screened by standardized tests which comprises three basic skill types:

· Conceptual skills – this involves language, education, money, time and number concepts along with self direction

· Social skills – this involves interpersonal skills, social responsibility, self-esteem, gullibility, social problem solving, the ability to follow rules and to avoid being victimized

· Practical skills – this involves the daily activities, occupational skills, healthcare, travel, routines, usage of money and telephone usage

Hence in order to determine the intellectual disability of an individual, the above mentioned characteristics need to be kept in mind (Definition of Intellectual Disability, ( n.d.)).

Symptoms and causes of intellectual disability

There are various symptoms of intellectual disability that could go unnoticed for years till it becomes very evident. Sometimes it is noticeable during infancy and sometimes may remain dormant until the child reaches school going age and then the degree of disability starts to deteriorate and then show major symptoms. “The symptoms are as follows:

· Rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking late

· Talking late or having trouble with talking

· Slow to master things like potty training, dressing, and feeding himself or herself

· Difficulty remembering things

· Inability to connect actions with consequences

· Behaviour problems such as explosive tantrums

· Difficulty with problem-solving or logical thinking” (Intellectual Disability, (n.d.)).

It has been seen over medical history that children with severe intellectual disability have other medical/health conditions as well which deteriorates as the intellectual disability deteriorates. These health conditions include seizures, mental disorders, motor handicaps, vision problems or hearing problems (Intellecutal Disability Treatment).

The causes for intellectual disability have perplexed doctors for ages and it can only be deciphered for one-third of the cases. The causes that have generally come out more often in medical history are as follows:

· Genetic conditions – The most common are Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome

· Problems during pregnancy – These include the various things that might interfere with foetus development like drugs, smoking, alcohol, malnutrition, certain infections or preeclampsia.

· Problems during childbirth – It might occur if the child has limited access to oxygen during childbirth or is delivered prematurely

· Illness or injury – “Infections like meningitis, head injuries, near-drowning, and exposure to toxic substances, whooping cough or measles can lead to intellectual disability”. (Intellectual Disability, (n.d.)).

These are the most noted symptoms and causes of intellectual disability (Treatment of an intellectual disability).

Treatment and diagnosis of intellectual disability

It is true that there is no cure for intellectual disability but the conditions around them can be altered so that they thrive for their entire lifetime. The environment around the disabled can be made safer to allow for lifetime independent survival. The services and support play a very important role in these matters which cover everything from employment, education, healthcare, recreation, justice, housing, etc. We are already aware of the standardized tests that the doctors use for analysing intellectual disability (Treatment of an Intellectual Disability).

The services that aid the disable in maintaining a healthy life and live under a comfort zone are as follows:

· Case management which involves a manager to help the person put in an application for Medicaid that will allow the disabled to received a variety of support like daily living needs, health care and long term support and services

· Family support like respite care

· Vocational programs

· Day programs

· Residential options

· Early intervention

· Special education

· Transition services

Every individual diagnosed with intellectual disability has a differentiated case and there is no particular treatment for any generalised disability. Hence every case needs to be treated with utmost care and attention. Specialized treatment officers have to be allocated for different individuals and the individuals must be monitored over a period of time to see whether the treatment is having any kind of effect on the disabled person (Psychological treatments in intellectual disability: the challenges of building a good evidence base, (n.d)).

The supports may also include the resources and individual strategies required for the development of the disabled, education, interest and the well-being of the treated person. Such support can come from anywhere like family, friends, and community or from a service centre. The support can also be provided by a parent, sibling, friend, teacher or any other person who is willing to extend a hand. The safety of the disabled is a must whenever there is a support or multiple supports in place and apart from the development feature of the individual or the support’s objective, the environment created by the support must be made comfortable for the disable person undergoing treatment through such support (Historical And Contemporary Perspectives on Intellectual Disabilities).

Conclusion

Intellectual disabilities are essentially complex and stands apart from other classes of disabilities that have no particular treatment and it is indeed a challenge for the disabled to thrive over time and in most cases, the disabled are unaware of their circumstances and the medical conditions. These disabilities manifest in many different ways and due to many different causes. It does not only vary across periods but also across cultures.

The challenges are mainly due to the daily difficulties of living with a certain diagnosed disability and such challenges are intensified by social stigma and cruelty. The ignorance about the same gives way to negative social perceptions which affects both the people with the disability and their families.

Initially the intellectual disabilities were known by many names but now many cases have been generalized and there is continued research in the same field. The social prejudices of certain periods were responsible for the nomenclature of many of distinguished disabilities. Due to the social illogical construct, the humanity of these people was assumed to be overshadowed by their illness. They are often called “mental retards” which objectifies them as things and not a person which is an insult on their personality. Irrespective of a medical condition of person, it is degrading to be called such names and it has haunted many generations of families to treat their disabled family member as it would bring along a social stigma that would ruin their prestige in this so called informed and rational society.

References

Definition of Intellectual Disability. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://www.aaidd.org/content_100.cfm

Historical And Contemporary Perspectives on Intellectual Disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://www.hsccs.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=10353&cn=208

Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation). (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://children.webmd.com/intellectual-disability-mental-retardation

Intellecutal Disability Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://www.thirdage.com/hc/c/intellectual-disability-treatment

Psychological treatments in intellectual disability: the challenges of building a good evidence base . (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/198/6/428.full

Treatment of an intellectual disability. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 23, 2013, from http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2545