Research on Intellectual Disabilites

Description- describes the condition of a child whose intellectual functioning level and adaptive skills are significantly below average for a child or his/her chronological age.

Etiology-

            -Result of genetic or chromosomal disorder

-Attributed to injuries or illnesses that occur during pregnancy or early infancy

-Extreme malnutrition or inadequate medical care

-Exposure to environmental toxins

-Many other possible causes

Prevalence-

-Out of 52 studies the average prevalence was about 10.37/1000 people in the population

-An estimated seven to eight million Americans have intellectual disabilities, ranging from very mild to severe

Diagnostic Criteria-

            - IQ Test of 70 or below

                        -Mild: IQ of 50 to 70

                        -Moderate: IQ of 55 to 35

                        -Severe: IQ of 20-40

                        -Profound: IQ below 20

Characteristics-

            -Delays in reaching early childhood developmental milestones

            -Difficulty in retaining information and learning simple routines

            -Confusion and behavior problems in new situations or places

            -Short attention span

            -Lack of curiosity

            -Difficulty understanding social rules

            -Sustained infantile behavior into toddlerhood or preschool years

            -Difficulty understanding consequences of actions

            -Limited and/or inconsistent communication skills

            -Lack of age appropriate self-help or self-care skills

Recommended Educational Practices-

-Minimize classroom disturbances such as, too much noise, to much light and have parents involved

-Tutorials, materials, examples

-Allow lectures to be recorded and provide notes of your lecture

-Focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities

-Get to know your students and their learning needs