Intellectual disability

[Zipporah Schumaker]

Intellectual disability is significantly below average intellectual functioning present from birth or early infancy, causing limitations in the ability to conduct normal activities of daily living.

Intellectual disability can be genetic or the result of a disorder that interferes with brain development.
Most children with intellectual disability do not develop noticeable symptoms until they are in preschool.
The diagnosis is based on the results of formal testing.
Proper prenatal care lowers the risk of having a child with intellectual disability.
Support from many specialists, therapy, and special education help children achieve the highest level of functioning possible.

Intellectual disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder.
The previously used term mental retardation has acquired an undesirable social stigma, so health care practitioners have replaced it with the term intellectual disability.
Intellectual disability (ID) is not a specific medical disorder like pneumonia or strep throat, and it is not a mental health disorder. People with ID have significantly below average intellectual functioning that is severe enough to limit their ability to cope with one or more areas of normal daily living (adaptive skills) to such a degree that they require ongoing support. Adaptive skills may be categorized into several areas including

Conceptual area: Competence in memory, reading, writing, and math
Social area: Awareness of others