Intellectual Disability An intellectual disability is not a disease.

You can’t catch an intellectual disability from

What is an   Intellectual Disability? anyone. It’s also not a type of mental illness,
Intellectual disability is a term used when a like depression. There is no cure for
person has certain limitations in mental intellectual disabilities. However, most
functioning and in skills such as children with an intellectual disability can
communicating, taking care of him or learn to do many things. It just takes them
herself, and social skills. These limitations more time and effort than other children.
will cause a child to learn and develop more
slowly than a typical child. How Common are   Intellectual
Children with intellectual disabilities Disabilities?
(sometimes called cognitive disabilities or, Intellectual disability is one of the most
previously,  mental retardation) may take common developmental disability. It is
longer to learn to speak, walk, and take care estimated that seven to eight million people
of their personal needs such as dressing or in the United States have an intellectual
eating. They are likely to have trouble disability, which means that 1 in 10 families
learning in school. They will learn, but it will are affected.   More than 425,000 children
take them longer. There may be some (ages 3-21) have some level of intellectual
things they cannot learn. disability and receive special education
What Causes an   Intellectual Disability? services in public school under this category
Doctors have found many causes of in IDEA, the nation’s special education law.
intellectual disabilities. The most common In fact, 7% of the children who need special
are: education have some form of intellectual
disability.
 Genetic conditions. Sometimes an
intellectual disability is caused by abnormal What are the Signs of   Intellectual
genes inherited from parents, errors when Disability?
genes combine, or other reasons. Examples There are many signs of an intellectual
of genetic conditions are Down syndrome, disability. For example, children with an
fragile X syndrome, and phenylketonuria intellectual disability may:
(PKU).
 Problems during pregnancy. An intellectual  sit up, crawl, or walk later than other
disability can result when the baby does not children;
develop inside the mother properly. For  learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking,
example, there may be a problem with the  find it hard to remember things,
way the baby’s cells divide as it grows. A  not understand how to pay for things,
woman who drinks alcohol or gets an  have trouble understanding social rules,
infection like rubella during pregnancy may  have trouble seeing the consequences of
also have a baby with an intellectual their actions,
disability.  have trouble solving problems, and/or
 Problems at birth. If a baby has problems  have trouble thinking logically.
during labor and birth, such as not getting How are Intellectual   Disabilities
enough oxygen, he or she may have an Diagnosed?
intellectual disability. Intellectual disabilities are diagnosed by
 Health problems. Diseases like whooping looking at two main things. These are:
cough, the measles, or meningitis can
cause intellectual disabilities. They can also  the ability of a person’s brain to learn, think,
be caused by extreme malnutrition (not solve problems, and make sense of the
eating right), not getting enough medical world (called IQ or intellectual functioning);
care, or by being exposed to poisons like and
lead or mercury.
 whether the person has the skills he or she After the initial diagnosis is made, we look
needs to live independently (called adaptive at a person’s strengths and weaknesses.
behavior, or adaptive functioning). We also look at how much support or help
Intellectual functioning, or IQ, is usually the person needs to get along at home, in
measured by a test called an IQ test. The school, and in the community. This
average score is 100. People scoring below approach gives a realistic picture of each
70 to 75 are thought to have an intellectual individual. It also recognizes that the
disability. To measure adaptive behavior, “picture” can change. As the person grows
professionals look at what a child can do in and learns, his or her ability to get along in
comparison to other children of his or her the world grows as well.
age. Certain skills are important to adaptive
behavior. These are: Help for   Babies and Toddlers
 daily living skills, such as getting dressed, When a baby is born with an intellectual
going to the bathroom, and feeding one’s disability, his or her parents should know
self; that there’s a lot of help available—and
 communication skills, such as immediately. Shortly after the diagnosis of
understanding what is said and being able ID is confirmed, parents will want to get in
to answer; touch with the early intervention system in
 social skills with peers, family members, their community. We’ll tell you how in a
adults, and others. moment.
 To diagnose an intellectual disability,
professionals look at the person’s mental Early intervention is a system of services
abilities (IQ) and his or her adaptive skills. designed to help infants and toddlers with
Both of these are highlighted in the disabilities (until their 3rd birthday) and their
definition of this disability within our nation’s families. It’s mandated by IDEA. Staff work
special education law, the Individuals with with the child’s family to develop what is
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is known as an Individualized Family Services
the federal law that guides how early Plan, or IFSP. The IFSP will describe the
intervention and special education services child’s unique needs as well as the services
are provided to infants, toddlers, children, he or she will receive to address those
and youth with disbilities. In IDEA, needs. The IFSP will also emphasize the
“intellectual disability” is defined as follows: unique needs of the family, so that parents
Definition of “Intellectual Disability” under and other family members will know how to
IDEA Until Rosa’s Law was signed into law help their young child with intellectual
by President Obama in October 2010, IDEA disability. Early intervention services may be
used the term “mental retardation” instead provided on a sliding-fee basis, meaning
of “intellectual disability.” Rosa’s Law that the costs to the family will depend upon
changed the term to be used in future to their income.
“intellectual disability.” The definition itself, To access early intervention services in
however, did not change. Accordingly, your area, ask your child’s pediatrician for a
“intellectual disability” is defined as… referral or call the local hospital’s maternity
“…significantly subaverage general ward and ask for contact information for
intellectual functioning, existing concurrently your local services program.
with deficits in adaptive behavior and
manifested during the developmental Help for   School-Aged Children
period, that adversely affects a child’s Just as IDEA requires that early intervention
educational performance.” be made available to babies and toddlers
with disabilities, it requires that special
Providing services to help individuals with education and related services be made
intellectual disabilities has led to a new available free of charge to every eligible
understanding of how we define the term. child with a disability, including preschoolers
(ages 3-21). These services are specially disabilities to be educated with nondisabled
designed to address the child’s individual children to the maximum extent appropriate.
needs associated with the disability—in this Thus, for families and teachers alike, it’s
case, an intellectual disability. important to know what changes and
School staff will work with the child’s accommodations are helpful to students
parents to develop an Individualized with intellectual disabilities. These need to
Education Program, or IEP. The IEP is be discussed by the IEP team and included
similar to an IFSP. It describes the child’s in the IEP, if appropriate.
unique needs and the services that have
been designed to meet those needs. Adaptive skills. Many children with
Special education and related services are intellectual disabilities need help with
provided at no cost to parents. adaptive skills, which are skills needed to
To access special education services for a live, work, and play in the community.
school-aged child in your area, get in touch Teachers and parents can help a child work
with your local public school system. Calling on these skills at both school and home.
the elementary school in your neighborhood Some of these skills include:
is an excellent place to start.  communicating with others;
 taking care of personal needs (dressing,
Educational   Considerations bathing, going to the bathroom);
A child with an intellectual disability can do  health and safety;
well in school but is likely to need the  home living (helping to set the table,
individualized help that’s available as cleaning the house, or cooking dinner);
special education and related services. The  social skills (manners, knowing the rules of
level of help and support that’s needed will conversation, getting along in a group,
depend upon the degree of intellectual playing a game);
disability involved.  reading, writing, and basic math; and
 as they get older, skills that will help them in
General education. It’s important that the workplace.
students with intellectual disabilities be Transition planning. It’s extremely important
involved in, and make progress in, the for families and schools to begin planning
general education curriculum. That’s the early for the student’s transition into the
same curriculum that’s learned by those world of adulthood. Because intellectual
without disabilities. Be aware that IDEA disability affects how quickly and how well
does not permit a student to be removed an individual learns new information and
from education in age-appropriate general skills, the sooner transition planning begins,
education classrooms solely because he or the more can be accomplished before the
she needs modifications to be made in the student leaves secondary school.
general education curriculum. IDEA requires that, at the latest, transition
Supplementary aids and services. Given planning for students with disabilities must
that intellectual disabilities affect learning, begin no later than the first IEP to be in
it’s often crucial to provide supports to effect when they turn 16. The IEP teams of
students with ID in the classroom. This many students with intellectual disabilities
includes making accommodations feel that it’s important for these students to
appropriate to the needs of the student. It begin earlier than that. And they do.
also includes providing what IDEA calls
“supplementary aids and services.” Tips for Teachers
Supplementary aids and services are Learn as much as you can about intellectual
supports that may include instruction, disability. The organizations listed below will
personnel, equipment, or other help you identify techniques and strategies
accommodations that enable children with to support the student educationally. We’ve
also listed some strategies below.
Recognize that you can make an enormous skills, such as dressing, feeding him or
difference in this student’s life! Find out herself, using the bathroom, and grooming.
what the student’s strengths and interests Give your child chores. Keep her age,
are, and emphasize them. Create attention span, and abilities in mind. Break
opportunities for success. down jobs into smaller steps. For example,
If you are not part of the student’s IEP if your child’s job is to set the table, first ask
team, ask for a copy of his or her IEP. The her to get the right number of napkins. Then
student’s educational goals will be listed have her put one at each family member’s
there, as well as the services and classroom place at the table. Do the same with the
accommodations he or she is to receive. utensils, going one at a time. Tell her what
Talk to others in your school (e.g., special to do, step by step, until the job is done.
educators), as necessary. They can help Demonstrate how to do the job. Help her
you identify effective methods of teaching when she needs assistance.
this student, ways to adapt the curriculum, Give your child frequent feedback. Praise
and how to address the student’s IEP goals your child when he or she does well. Build
in your classroom. your child’s abilities.
Be as concrete as possible. Demonstrate Find out what skills your child is learning at
what you mean rather than giving verbal school. Find ways for your child to apply
directions. Rather than just relating new those skills at home. For example, if the
information verbally, show a picture. And teacher is going over a lesson about money,
rather than just showing a picture, provide take your child to the supermarket with you.
the student with hands-on materials and Help him count out the money to pay for
experiences and the opportunity to try your groceries. Help him count the change.
things out. Find opportunities in your community for
Break longer, new tasks into small social activities, such as scouts, recreation
steps. Demsonstrate the steps. Have the center activities, sports, and so on. These
student do the steps, one at a time. Provide will help your child build social skills as well
assistance, as necessary. as to have fun.
Give the student immediate feedback. Talk to other parents whose children have
Teach the student life skills such as daily an intellectual disability. Parents can share
living, social skills, and occupational practical advice and emotional support. Find
awareness and exploration, as appropriate. out more about,  and connect with, Parent
Involve the student in group activities or Groups.
clubs. Meet with the school and develop an IEP to
Work together with the student’s parents address your child’s needs. Keep in touch
and other school personnel to create and with your child’s teachers. Offer support.
implement an IEP tailored to meet the Find out how you can support your child’s
student’s needs. Regularly share school learning at home.
information about how the student is doing Take pleasure in your beautiful one. He—
at school and at home. she—is a treasure. Learn from your child,
Tips for Parents too. Those with intellectual disabilities have
Learn about intellectual disability. The more a special light within—let it shine.
you know, the more you can help yourself
and your child. See the list of organizations
at the end of this fact sheet.
Be patient, be hopeful. Your child, like every
child, has a whole lifetime to learn and
grow.
Encourage independence in your child. For
example, help your child learn daily care