Intellectual Disability
NATURE OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Intellectual Disability (ID) is also known as “Mental Retardation” (MR). The term MR was replaced to the term ID by the doctors, professionals and health care practitioners because of the undesirable or negative connotation in our society. In 2010, President Obama signed the S. 2781 (111th): Rosa’s Law, A bill to change references in Federal law to mental retardation to references to an intellectual disability, and to change references to a mentally retarded individual to references to an individual with an intellectual disability.
The term ID is usually used when a child/person has a certain limit in mental functioning. We should be aware that Intellectual disability is not a disease. It’s also not a type of mental illness, like depression. It is a condition wherein a person has difficulties in learning due to incomplete mental development. There is no cure for intellectual disabilities. However, most children with ID can learn to do many things. An individual with ID may take longer to learn to speak, walk, dress and eat without supervision. It just takes them more time and effort than other regular individual
“Intellectual disability means a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills (impaired intelligence). This results in a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), and begins before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development. Disability depends not only on a child’s health conditions or impairments but also and crucially on the extent to which environmental factors support the child’s full participation and inclusion in society.
The use of the term intellectual disability in the context of the WHO initiative “Better health, better lives” includes children with autism who have intellectual impairments. It also encompasses children who have been placed in institutions because of perceived disabilities or family
Intellectual Disability (ID) is also known as “Mental Retardation” (MR). The term MR was replaced to the term ID by the doctors, professionals and health care practitioners because of the undesirable or negative connotation in our society. In 2010, President Obama signed the S. 2781 (111th): Rosa’s Law, A bill to change references in Federal law to mental retardation to references to an intellectual disability, and to change references to a mentally retarded individual to references to an individual with an intellectual disability.
The term ID is usually used when a child/person has a certain limit in mental functioning. We should be aware that Intellectual disability is not a disease. It’s also not a type of mental illness, like depression. It is a condition wherein a person has difficulties in learning due to incomplete mental development. There is no cure for intellectual disabilities. However, most children with ID can learn to do many things. An individual with ID may take longer to learn to speak, walk, dress and eat without supervision. It just takes them more time and effort than other regular individual
“Intellectual disability means a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills (impaired intelligence). This results in a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), and begins before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development. Disability depends not only on a child’s health conditions or impairments but also and crucially on the extent to which environmental factors support the child’s full participation and inclusion in society.
The use of the term intellectual disability in the context of the WHO initiative “Better health, better lives” includes children with autism who have intellectual impairments. It also encompasses children who have been placed in institutions because of perceived disabilities or family
References: Inciong, T. G. Quijano, Y.S., Capulong, Y.T., Gregorio, J. A., & Gines, A.C. (2007). Introduction to Special Education