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Developmental disability is a term used to describe severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments, manifested before the age of 22. The term is used most commonly in the United States to refer to disabilities effecting daily functioning in three or more of the following areas: The term disability, as it is applied to humans, refers to any condition that impedes the completion of daily tasks using traditional methods. ...
A disabled person is one who has a condition called a disability that interferes with his or her abiltiy to perform one or more activities of everyday living. ...
- capacity for independent living
- economic self-sufficiency
- learning
- mobility
- receptive and expressive language
- self-care
- self-direction
Usually people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, various genetic and chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome are described as having developmental disabilities. This use of the term is synonymous with the use of the term learning disability in the United Kingdom and intellectual disability in Australia, Europe, Canada and elsewhere. Cognitive disability is also used synonymously in some jurisdictions. Mental retardation (also called mental handicap and, as defined by the UK Mental Health Act 1983, mental impairment and severe mental impairment) is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills (milestones) during childhood, and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity as...
Cerebral palsy or CP is a group of permanent disorders associated with developmental brain injuries that occur during fetal development, birth, or shortly after birth. ...
A boy with autism and his mother Autism refers to a spectrum of disorders, and lies somewhere under the umbrella of a greater encompassing spectrum, that of pervasive developmental disorders that involve the functioning of the brain. ...
A genetic disorder, or genetic disease is a disease caused by abnormal expression of one or more genes in a person causing a clinical phenotype. ...
Fragile X Syndrome is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation, and is associated with autism. ...
A baby with FAS; his lifetime medical and welfare costs are calculated at $5 million. ...
World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ...
Developmental disabilities are usually classified as severe, profound, moderate or mild, as assessed by the individual's need for supports.
Causes of developmental disabilities
There are many social, environmental and physical causes of developmental disabilities, although for some a definitive cause will never be determined. Common factors causing developmental disabilities include: Developmental disabilities effect between 1 and 2% of the population in most western countries, although many government sources acknowledge that statistics are flawed in this area. The worldwide proportion of people with developmental disabilities is believed to be approximately 1.4% [1]. It is twice as common in males as in females, and some researchers have found that the prevalence of mild developmental disabilities is likely to be higher in areas of poverty and deprivation, and among people of certain ethnicities (Valuing People, p. 16). Traumatic brain injury (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called acquired brain injury, intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. ...
The updated USDA food pyramid, published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended food consumption. ...
This article is about the biological chromosome. ...
This stylistic schematic diagram shows a gene in relation to the double helix structure of DNA and to a chromosome (right). ...
Premature birth (also known as preterm birth) is defined medically as childbirth occurring earlier than 37 completed weeks of gestation. ...
In nutrition, the diet is the sum of the food consumed by an organism. ...
Health care or healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions [1]. The healthcare industry is one of the worlds largest and fastest-growing industries, consuming over...
Drug abuse has a wide range of definitions, all of them relating to the use, misuse or overuse of a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. ...
Pregnancy Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or fetuses by female mammals, including humans, inside their bodies. ...
In chemistry, alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom, which in turn is bound to other hydrogen and/or carbon atoms. ...
Various smoking equipment including different pipes, and cigars. ...
Associated issues
Physical health issues There are many physical health factors associated with developmental disabilities. For some specific syndromes and diagnoses, these are inherent (such as poor heart function in people with Down syndrome); however lack of access to health services and lack of understanding by medical professionals is also a major contributing factor. People with severe communication difficulties find it difficult to articulate their health needs, and without adequate support and education might not recognise ill health. Epilepsy, sensory problems (such as poor vision and hearing), obesity and poor dental health are over-represented in this population [2]. Life expectancy among people with developmental disabilities is estimated at 20 years below average, although this is increasing with advancements in adaptive and medical technologies, and as people are leading healthier, more fulfilling lives [3]. Communications is the process of exchanging information, usually via a common protocol. ...
Vision may mean: Visual perception via the visual system, one of the senses. ...
Hearing is the following: Hearing is the sense by which sound is perceived. ...
Oral hygiene is keeping the mouth clean. ...
World map showing Life expectancy Life expectancy is the average number of years remaining for a living being (or the average for a class of living beings) of a given age to live. ...
Mental health issues (dual diagnoses) Mental health issues, and psychiatric illnesses, are more likely to occur in people with developmental disabilities than in the general population. A number of factors are attributed to the high incidence rate of dual diagnoses: To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
A mental illness is defined by the medical profession as a disorder of the brain that results in a disruption in a persons thinking, feeling, moods, and ability to relate to others and to work. ...
- the high likelihood of encountering traumatic events throughout their lifetime (such as abandonment by loved ones, abuse, bullying and harassment)
- the social restrictions placed upon people with developmental disabilities (such as lack of education, poverty, limited employment opportunities, limited opportunities for fulfilling relationships, boredom)
- biological factors (such as brain injury, epilepsy, illicit and prescribed drug and alcohol misuse)
- developmental factors (such as lack of understanding of social norms and appropriate behaviour, inability of those around to allow/ understand expressions of grief and other human emotions)
These problems are exacerbated by difficulties in diagnosis of mental health issues, and in appropriate treatment and medication, as for physical health issues [4] [5]. Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. ...
Abuse is a general term for the misuse of a person or thing, causing harm to the person or thing, to the abuser, or to someone else. ...
A bully is an individual who tends to torment others, either through verbal harassment or physical assaults, or through more subtle methods of coercion. ...
Harassment refers to a wide spectrum of offensive behavior. ...
A boy from an East Cipinang trash dump slum in Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ...
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ...
In sociology, a norm, or social norm, is a pattern of behavior expected within a particular society in a given situation. ...
In psychology and common terminology, emotion is the language of a persons internal state of being, normally based in or tied to their internal (physical) and external (social) sensory feeling. ...
Abuse and vulnerability Abuse is a significant issue for people with developmental disabilities, and as a group they are regarded as vulnerable people in most jurisdictions. Common types of abuse include: Abuse is a general term for the misuse of a person or thing, causing harm to the person or thing, to the abuser, or to someone else. ...
- Physical abuse (withholding food, hitting, punching, pushing etc)
- Neglect (withholding help when required eg assistance with personal hygiene)
- Sexual abuse (from inappropriate closeness and touching to the more serious forms of sexual abuse)
- Psychological or emotional abuse (verbal abuse, shaming and belittling)
- Constraint and restrictive practices (turning off an electric wheelchair so a person cannot move)
- Financial abuse (charging unnecessary fees, holding onto pensions, wages etc)
- Legal or civil abuse (restricted access to services)
- Systemic abuse (denied access to an appropriate service due to perceived support needs)
- Passive neglect (a caregiver’s failure to provide adequate food, shelter)
Lack of education, lack of self-esteem and self-advocacy skills, lack of understanding of social norms and appropriate behaviour and communication difficulties are strong contributing factors to the high incidence of abuse among this population.
In addition to abuse from people in positions of power, peer abuse is recognised as a significant, if misunderstood problem. Rates of criminal offending among people with developmental disabilities are also disproportionately high, and it is widely acknowledged that criminal justice systems throughout the world are ill-equipped for the needs of people with developmental disabilities (as both perpetrators and victims of crime). [6] [7] [8]
Societal attitudes towards developmental disabilities Throughout history, people with developmental disabilities have been viewed as incapable and child-like in their capacity for decision-making and development. Until the Enlightenment in Europe, care and asylum was provided by families and the church (in monasteries and other religious communities), focussing on the provision of basic physical needs such as food, shelter and clothing. Stereotypes such as the dimwitted yokel, and potentially harmful characterisations (such as demonic possession for people with epilepsy) were prominent in social attitudes of the time. The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy, and is often thought of as part of a larger period which includes the Age of Reason. ...
Hillbilly is a pejorative nickname for people who dwell in remote, rural, mountainous areas. ...
The movement towards individualism in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the opportunities afforded by the Industrial Revolution, lead to housing and care using the asylum model. People were placed by, or removed from, their families (usually in infancy) and housed in large institutions (of up to 3000 people, although some institutions were home to many more, such as the Philadelphia State Hospital in Pennsylvania which housed 7000 people through the 1960s), many of which were self-sufficient through the labour of the residents. Some of these institutions provided a very basic level of education (such as differentiation between colours and basic word recognition and numeracy), but most continued to focus solely on the provision of basic needs. Conditions in such institutions varied widely, but the support provided was generally non-individualised, with aberrant behaviour and low levels of economic productivity regarded as a burden to society. Heavy tranquilisation and assembly line methods of support (such as 'birdfeeding' and cattle herding) were the norm, and the medical model of disability prevailed. Services were provided based on the relative ease to the provider, not based on the human needs of the individual. According to the classic medical notion of disability: Disability is the result of a sexual condition It is intrinsic to the individual (it is part of that individual’s own body) It may reduce the individuals quality of life and causes clear disadvantages A compassionate or just society will...
This segregation of people with developmental disabilities wasn't widely questioned by academics or policy-makers until the 1969 publication of Wolf Wolfensberger's seminal work "The Origin and Nature of Our Institutional Models" [9], drawing on some of the ideas proposed by SG Howe a hundred years earlier. This book posited that society characterises people with disabilities as deviant, sub-human and burdens of charity, resulting in the adoption of that 'deviant' role. He argued that this dehumanisation, and the segregated institutions that result from it, ignored the potential productive contributions that all people can make to society. He pushed for a shift in policy and practice that recognised the human needs of "retardates" and provided the same basic human rights as for the rest of the population. The publication of this book may be regarded as the first move towards the widespread adoption of the social model of disability in regard to these types of disabilities, and was the impetus for the development of government strategies for desegregation. Successful lawsuits against governments and an increasing awareness of human rights and self-advocacy also contributed to this process, resulting in the passing in the US of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act in 1980. Deviant behavior is behavior that is a recognized violation of cultural norms. ...
The social model of disability recognises that some people have impairments which affect how they function physically or mentally. ...
A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy. ...
By the mid-1970s, most governments had committed to de-institutionalisation, and had started preparing for the wholesale movement of people into the general community, in line with the principles of normalization. In most countries, this was essentially complete by the late 1990s.
Services and support Today, support services are provided by government agencies, non-governmental organisations and by private sector providers. Support services address most aspects of life for people with developmental disabilities, and are usually theoretically based in community inclusion, using concepts such as social role valorization and increased self-determination (using models such as Person Centred Planning). Support services are funded through government block funding (paid directly to service providers by the government), through individualised funding packages (paid directly to the individual by the government, specifically for the purchase of services) or privately by the individual (although they may receive certain subsidies or discounts, paid by the government). A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization which is not a part of a government. ...
The private sector of a nations economy consists of those entities which are not controlled by the state - i. ...
In psychology and social work practice, Social Role Valorization (SRV) is the name given to a concept for transacting human relationships and human service, formulated in 1983 by Wolf Wolfensberger, PhD, as the successor to his earlier formulation of the principle of normalization (Lemay, 1995; Wolfensberger, 1972). ...
Education and training - See main article: Special education
Education and training opportunities for people with developmental disabilities have expanded greatly in recent times, with many governments mandating universal access to educational facilities, and more students moving out of special schools and into mainstream classrooms with support. Special education, also known as special ed, SPED, or defectology, euphemistically describes an educational alternative that focuses on the teaching of students with academic, behaviorial, health, or physical needs that cannot sufficiently be met using traditional educational programs or techniques. ...
A special school, in the education system of The Netherlands, is a separate category from a public or private school. ...
Mainstreaming in education, also known as inclusion, is the process of grouping disabled students with general education students in the classroom. ...
Post-secondary education and vocational training is also increasing for people with these types of disabilities, although many programs offer only segregated "access" courses in areas such as literacy, numeracy and other basic skills. Legislation (such as the UK's Disability Discrimination Act 1995) requires educational institutions and training providers to make 'reasonable adjustments' to curriculum and teaching methods in order to accommodate the learning needs of students with disabilities, wherever possible. ...
A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ...
World illiteracy rates by country The traditional definition of Literacy is the ability to read and write. ...
Numeracy is a term that emerged in the United Kingdom as a contraction of numerical literacy. In the United States, it is familiar to math educators and intellectuals but not in the common usage. ...
// Background The Disability Discrimination Act is a UK parliamentary act of 1995, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. ...
At-home and community support Many people with developmental disabilities live in the general community, either with family members, or in their own homes (that they rent or own, living alone or with flatmates). At-home and community supports range from one-to-one assistance from a support worker with identified aspects of daily living (such as budgeting, shopping or paying bills) to full 24-hour support (including assistance with household tasks, such as cooking and cleaning, and personal care such as showering, dressing and the administration of medication). The need for full 24-hour support is usually associated with difficulties recognising safety issues (such as responding to a fire or using a telephone) or for people with potentially dangerous medical conditions (such as asthma or diabetes) who are unable to manage their conditions without assistance. A flatshare is the name given to a flat or house that is shared. ...
Budget generally refers to a list of all planned expenses. ...
Shopping is the examination of goods and services with the intent to buy. ...
Cooking is the act of preparing food for consumption. ...
Cleanliness is the absence of dirt, including dust, stains and a bad smell. ...
Supports of this type also include assistance to identify and undertake new hobbies or to access community services (such as education), learning appropriate behaviour or recognition of community norms, or with relationships and expanding circles of friends. Most programs offering at-home and community support are designed with the goal of increasing the individual's independence, although it is recognised that people with more severe disabilities may never be able to achieve full independence in some areas of daily life.
Residential accommodation Some people with developmental disabilities live in residential accommodation (also known as group homes) with other people with similar assessed needs. These homes are usually staffed around the clock, and usually house between 3 and 15 residents. The prevalence of this type of support is gradually decreasing, however, as residential accommodation is replaced by at-home and community support, which offers increased choice and self-determination for individuals.
Employment support Employment support usually consists of two types of support: - Support to access or participate in integrated employment, in a workplace in the general community. This may include specific programs to increase the skills needed for successful employment (work preparation), one-to-one or small group support for on-the-job training, or one-to-one or small group support after a transition period (such as advocacy when dealing with an employer or a bullying colleague, or assistance to complete an application for a promotion).
- The provision of specific employment opportunities within segregated business services. Although these are designed as 'transitional' services (teaching work skills needed to move into integrated employment), many people remain in such services for the duration of their working life. The types of work performed in business services include mailing and packaging services, cleaning, gardening and landscaping, timberwork, metal fabrication, farming and sewing.
Workers with developmental disabilities have historically been paid less for their labour than those in the general workforce, although this is gradually changing with government initiatives, the enforcement of anti-discrimination legislation and changes in perceptions of capability in the general community.
Day services Non-vocational day services are usually known as day centres, and are traditionally segregated services offering training in life skills (such as meal preparation and basic literacy), centre-based activities (such as craft, games and music classes) and external activities (such as day trips). Some more progressive day centres also support people to access vocational training opportunities (such as college courses), and offer individualised outreach services (planning and undertaking activities with the individual, with support offered one-to-one or in small groups).
Traditional day centres were based on the principles of occupational therapy, and were created as respite for family members caring for their loved ones with disabilities. This is slowly changing, however, as programs offered become more skills-based and focussed on increasing independence. Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. ...
Advocacy Advocacy is a burgeoning support field for people with developmental disabilities. Advocacy groups now exist in most jurisdictions, working collaboratively with people with disabilities for systemic change (such as changes in policy and legislation) and for changes for individuals (such as claiming welfare benefits or when responding to abuse). Most advocacy groups also work to support people to increase their capacity for self-advocacy, teaching the skills necessary for people to advocate for their own needs. Advocacy is a parasol term for organized activism related to a particular set of issues. ...
Other types of support Other types of support for people with developmental disabilities may include: - therapeutic services, such as speech therapy, massage, aromatherapy, or drama or music therapy
- supported holidays
- short-stay respite services (for people who live with family members or other unpaid carers)
- transport services, such as dial-a-ride or free bus passes
- specialist behaviour support services, such as high-security services for people with high-level, high-risk challenging behaviours
- specialist relationships and sex education services
See also The disability rights movement aims to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities. ...
Maslows hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation, which he subsequently extended. ...
Willowbrook State School was a state-supported institution for mentally retarded children located in central Staten Island in New York City. ...
Further reading
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