What is an intellectual disability?
It is a delay in learning, reasoning, and problem solving. Children with intellectual disabilities also have trouble with social and self-care skills. These skills are called adaptive functioning skills. Examples of such skills include:
- dressing.
- managing money.
- preparing and cooking meals.
What causes intellectual disabilities?
The cause may not be known. A child is more likely to have intellectual disabilities if they:
- have a genetic condition.
- were exposed to alcohol or drugs before they were born.
- had problems at birth, like a lack of oxygen or being born too early.
How can intellectual disabilities affect my child?
Children may:
- be slow to reach developmental milestones.
- need more time to learn how to do things for themselves, like eating and getting dressed.
- need more time to learn new things and to solve problems. Learning often levels off later in elementary school or middle school.
- have less interest in learning if work is not adjusted for them. This is because they get frustrated.
- have a hard time using what they learned in new settings. They need things clearly explained.
- have delays in social judgment. They are often innocent and trusting. They can be easily led by others.
- have a hard time with reading or counting and using money.
- act much younger than their age.
- need routine and lots of structure for success. Be consistent with them.
- have a hard time with emotions and behaviors. They may act out or be aggressive.
How can I help my child?
There is no cure, but there are many ways to help your child do their best.
At home
- Support independence. Help your child learn self-care skills like dressing and eating.
- Show your child what you want them to do when telling them.
- Talk with your child about what they are doing. Praise them when they do something well.
- Keep routines and structure. This will help your child know what to expect.
At school
- Work with your child’s school to create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that lists goals for all major subject areas. Include needed special education services.
- Often extra supports like occupational therapy and speech and language are needed.
- A smaller class size can offer more personal support and is often part of an IEP.
- Model problem solving and new ideas.
- Use pictures.
- Review often so your child is able to understand and remember new ideas. This means moving slowly through school lessons.
- Give lessons in small chunks, with many breaks.
- Teach and practice life skills at school. These include social skills, self-care in the bathroom, hand washing, and counting money.
Resources
http://www.wifacets.org Offers parent support and information about special education in Wisconsin. English and Spanish.
http://www.lifenavigators.org/ Life Navigators offers family education and many support services. English only.
https://www.independencefirst.org/home IndependenceFirst has programs (leadership, social and peer groups, sexuality and dating workshops) for teens with intellectual disabilities and other developmental concerns. English only.
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/intellectual/ American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Spanish resources.