Posts Tagged ‘disability’
Intellectual Disability Causes
December 18, 2011 | 
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The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) defines intellectual disability since the disability occurring prior to the chronilogical age of 18 years. This disability causes limitations in intellectual ability, functioning and adaptive behavior of a person. These limitations include conceptual skills, practical adaptive skills, and social skills.
You will find standard tests that help determine if an individual or perhaps a child is suffering from intellectual disability. The most important test that can help determine intellectual disability is the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test. Individuals with an IQ of 70 or below with limitations in a single area of adaptive behavior are said to be struggling with this disability. This brings us to intellectual disability causes. What are the causes that lead to intellectual impairments? Let’s have a look at these causes in detail, in the following paragraphs.
Causes of Intellectual Disability
The causes of intellectual disability include conditions that occur before birth, during birth or after birth, during childhood years. These conditions lead to impaired growth and development of the mind. There are many known causes of this brain development impairment. However, 1 / 3 of those may take a hit with this disability because of unknown reasons. The reasons are divided into the next categories:
Genetic Conditions
One of the common causes of intellectual disabilities is abnormal genes inherited through the child from his parents. Any error in the coding like addition or deletion because of contamination during pregnancy, contact with radiation, etc., can lead to intellectual disabilities. Missing or defective enzymes, chromosomal glitches, gene disorders, etc., may cause this mental disability. The most common genetic conditions that lead to intellectual disabilities include -
Phenylketonuria
Down syndrome
Fragile X syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Williams syndrome
Angelman syndrome
Toxic Chemical Abuse while pregnant
Use of toxic substances like smoking, alcohol, drugs (cocaine), teratogenic medications, etc., can result in many fetal development issues. These substances affect the development of the fetus and prevent brain development. This leads to highly underdeveloped mental abilities along with physical disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is among the most common causes of mental disability in children. Ladies who consume alcohol during their pregnancy term cause severe intellectual disabilities in their babies. Before one indulges in these addictions, think about the baby in the womb. It is the child who will pay for that mistakes produced by the mother while pregnant, its its life. They are preventable intellectual disabilities, and something should therefore abstain from smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking drugs while pregnant.
Infections
There are many infections that affect a pregnant woman. The mind rise in the fetus begins about 3 weeks after fertilization. This is the time when it’s highly vunerable to diseases. Infections like contracting rubella during the first trimester, can lead to intellectual disability in the child, along with other birth defects. Other infections like encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, etc., can lead to intellectual disabilities.
Environmental Toxins
Contact with environmental toxins can lead to mild or moderate to severe mental disabilities in the child. Included in this are ingestion of chemical toxins like lead, mercury and cadmium. Also, exposure to radiations like X-rays, chemicals, etc., can interfere with the brain growth and development of the fetus.
Problems with Childbirth
Ladies who are malnourished mostly give birth to premature babies. These babies have low birth weight and may suffer from numerous health issues. Throughout the birth process, the infant are affected from temporary oxygen deprivation (anoxia) or another birth injuries because of utilization of forceps, prolonged or shortened labor, vacuum birth, etc. When the mother suffers from gonorrhea, or is given excessive painkillers at birth, given careless medical assistance or remains unattended during labor, it could cause intellectual disabilities in the baby. Children who’re born breech or by other unconventional birth methods may also suffer from mild to severe intellectual disabilities. You can read a bit more from the listing of mental disorders.
Problems After Childbirth
Since the baby starts growing, it may be susceptible to many illnesses. Infections such as whooping cough, measles, meningitis, encephalitis, malaria, mumps, allergies, etc., can result in intellectual problems. Children who are physically, mentally and sexually abused show signs of decreased mental ability. Pollutions in the environment, domestic violence, accidental ingestion of poisons, malnutrition, etc., can also result in decrease in mental capability. Acquired brain injuries because of traumatic brain injury, stroke, infections, and drug abuse, may lead to neurodegenerative disorders that impair their mental capability.
There isn’t any specific or permanent intellectual disability treatment. These children are given special counseling along with their parents. Occupational therapy, physical rehabilitation, special learning schools, etc., help these children overcome their disabilities to some extent. One should undergo genetic counseling before conceiving a child, especially if there is a family history of genetic disorders. One should abstain from drug abuse while pregnant and ensure they do not take any medications without the advice of the doctor. Women should make sure they are immunized before they get pregnant. Vaccinations will reduce the chances of catching a devastating infection. Proper nutritional diet and regular antenatal checkups can help prevent intellectual disabilities.
It was by pointing out intellectual disability causes and treatment. Prevention may be the only type in reducing the chances of intellectual disabilities in a child.
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Learning Disability: Kinds of Learning Disabilities
Learning disability (LD) is a neurological disorder affecting one or more basic psychological functions such as understanding or using written or spoken language. People with this disability may have difficulty in speaking, reading, listening, writing, spelling and mathematical calculations. It’s the result of a difference in brain structure at birth and it is mostly hereditary. The brain’s information processing ability is affected, leading to learning disorders.
Learning disability doesn’t have any particular cause, symptoms, treatment and outcome. Actually, learning disability is a broad term covering a swimming pool of probable causes, symptoms and treatments, since it can show up in various forms. Not every learning disabilities can be referred to as learning disabilities, as many children exhibit slower skill development. Learning troubles are not the same as learning disabilities, and are only categorized like a disability when academic performance and adaptive functions are hampered. Specific criteria should be met to ensure that the disability to become diagnosed as LD.
Kinds of Learning Disabilities
LD could be broadly classified under three categories:
Developmental Speech and Language Disorders
The earliest indicators of learning disability are speech and language problems. People may have difficulty in making use of spoken language for communication, comprehending what others say, and producing speech sounds. This category can be further classified, based on the specific diagnosis.
Developmental Articulation Disorder: This disorder is common, and appears in at least 10 percent of children younger than 8. Kids with this disorder find it hard to control their speech rate. However, children are seen to become successfully treated with speech therapy.
Developmental Expressive Language Disorder: These children find it difficult to express themselves in speech.
Developmental Receptive Language Disorder: These children have a problem to understand various facets of speech. Toddlers don’t react to their name, and youngsters make mistakes in correlating name of objects using the actual object. For instance, when asked for a ball, they give a bell, etc. Thus, despite the fact that they hear what correctly, they’re not able to comprehend what they hear.
Academic Skills Disorders
These children develop their academic skills slower than their classmates. This category is further classified as:
Developmental Reading Disorder: This disorder is also known as dyslexia, and affects 2 to eight percent of elementary school children. Kids with this reading and language-based disability face difficulties with language skills for example writing, spelling, recognizing words, and pronouncing words. Dyslexic children think it is very difficult to succeed academically within the typical educational environment. Other problems for example poor decoding skills, poor handwriting and being aware of what they read also exist.
Developmental Writing Disorder: To create, the mind networks for grammar, vocabulary, memory and hand movement must function correctly. A developmental writing disorder or dysgraphia, migh result from the condition in any of the above mentioned areas. These children are not able to construct complete grammatical sentences.
Developmental Arithmetic Disorder: This disorder is also known as dyscalculia, and involves an existence long difficulty associated with mathematical calculations. These children have difficulty to understand simple mathematical concepts and therefore are unable to solve math problems.
Certain other Coordination Disorders and Learning Disabilities
Certain other motor skill disorders and particular developmental disorders that don’t are categorized as the above mentioned categories are put here. Included in this are coordination disorders leading to poor motor skills, such as poor penmanship and body language. Certain memory, visual and spelling disorders are available under this category.
People could be identified as having several kind of learning disability, as various functions and abilities are interconnected. Disruption of 1 function will result in the coexistence of numerous kinds of learning disabilities. The ability to speak depends on the ability to view the language and comprehend it. Thus, wherewithal to understand the language will hamper the individuals ability to speak. This will further increase the risk for wherewithal to read.
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