International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Intellectual Disability

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on December 3 each year to foster greater disability inclusion The global crisis of COVID19 has only deepened preexisting inequalities and exposed the extent of exclusion As per World Health Organization WHO estimates nearly 1 billion people 15 percent of the total global population live with some form of disability Owing to the extremely diverse nature of disabilities people suffering from intellectual disabilities often do not receive appropriate medical care as opposed to those with physical disabilitiesEven though several epidemiological studies conclude that roughly 1 percent of the global population suffers from intellectual disabilities our understanding of the subject is extremely limitedWe spoke to Kamna Chhibber Clinical Psychologist HeadMental Health Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Fortis HealthcareWhat is intellectual disabilityWhen we speak of intellectual disability we refer to a deficit in the individual on account of two aspectsChallenges in being able to learn reason make decisions or solve problems related to the intellectual functioning as represented by the IQ of the individualProblems in performing the necessary daytoday tasks and skills such as communicating relating to others taking care of the self maintaining hygiene to name a few These are the adaptive skills required to live lifeWhat are the indicating signs of intellectual disability Typically for an individual to be diagnosed with an intellectual disability an assessment of their intellectual and adaptive functioning is done to create a benchmark for their current level of functioning in comparison to a normative group Individuals who have an IQ of less than 75 and also show corresponding deficits in adaptive functioning are diagnosed with an intellectual disabilityldquoIdentifying an intellectual disability can be difficult at times as the signs may not be as glaringly prominent However some things which can indicate the presence of intellectual deficits include delays in a childrsquos development delays in acquiring skills like language skills for selfcare potty training feeding themselves remembering things being impulsive challenges in logically thinking through or analyzing a problem These would need to be looked at as a whole and the presence of anyone aspect is not an indicator in itself of the existence of an intellectual disability The more severe the intellectual disability the larger will be the deficits and gaps in skills that are observed rdquo explained MsChhibberWhat causes intellectual disabilitiesThe reasons thus far explicated for the causation of an intellectual disability include the development of the problem on account of genetic factors such as in the case of Downrsquos Syndrome or Fragile X Syndrome There can also be challenges brought about on account of difficulties during pregnancy that can interfere with fetal brain development This can happen due to alcohol or drug use malnutrition or some infections Problems during childbirth that can lead to deprivation of oxygen or premature birth are also known factors as are certain illnesses or injuries which can lead to the development and perpetuation of intellectual disabilitiesHow can one care for a child with intellectual disabilityKamna lists the following aspects which must be kept in mind when looking at working with and parenting a child with intellectual disabilitiesInform and educate yourself elaborately on what intellectual disabilities are Do not hesitate to ask questions from your primary care provider pediatrician psychologist special educator or any other expert you might be working with for your childBe prompt in meeting experts if you see any signs mentioned above Early intervention is an absolute must to take care of the deficits that can develop in adaptive and life skillsKeep working towards enabling your child to acquire skills and apply their learning Providing support is important but it is equally important to keep gently nudging them in the direction of asserting the self depending on the extent of deficitsEncourage your child to interact with others Sensitize those your child interacts with about the difficulties so they too can be empathetic in their interactionsStay involved with the work being done by the experts or at school to know how to keep modifying your approach to parenting your childKeep expectations in check to prevent experiencing significant disappointment at the relatively slower rate of changes you are likely to see when working with your childBuild a support system of friends and family membersldquoIntellectual disabilities must be diagnosed by an expert and as you work with your child do not forget to engage in taking care of your own self Care for the caregiver is a critical aspect in this regard due to the longitudinal nature of care provisionrdquo said MsChhibberMs Kamna Chhibberis a contributor to myUpchar an online health portalCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesMidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news