INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES Nur Zakiah Kamarudin Nutrition GTN 301

What is ID Also known as mental retardation Characterized by:  Below-average intelligence/ mental ability  Lack of skills necessary for day-to-day living IQ test result is below than 70-75

 INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING  Refers to the person’s ability to learn, reason, make decision and solve problems.  ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR  Ability to communicate effectively, interact with others and take care of oneself. Limitation in:

Common signs of ID in children  Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking late  Talking late or having trouble with talking  Slow to master things like potty training, dressing, and feeding himself or herself  Difficulty remembering things  Inability to connect actions with consequences  Behavior problems such as explosive tantrums  Difficulty with problem-solving or logical thinking

GENETIC CONDITION Includes syndrome down and fragile x syndrome PROBLEMS DURING PREGNANCY Things that can interfere fetal brain development PROBLEM DURING CHILDBIRTH If a baby is deprived of oxygen during childbirth/ born extremely premature ILLNESS/INJURY Meningitis, whooping, cough, measles. Head injury, near- drowning, extreme malnutrition, exposure to toxic substances. causes

Can we cure ID?  Some causes are preventable; such as fetal alcohol syndrome. Pregnant mother should not consume alcohol.  Get proper prenatal care, taking a prenatal vitamin, and getting vaccinated against certain infectious diseases can also lower the risk that your child will be born with intellectual disabilities  Genetic testing is recommended before conception in family with history of genetic disorders.  Ultrasound and amniocentesis test can also be performed during pregnancy to look for problems associated with intellectual disability.

 BABIES/TODDLERS:  A team of professionals work with the parents to write an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)  This document outlines the child’s specific needs and what services will help the child thrive.  Early intervention may include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, family counselling, training with special assistive devices, or nutrition services.  SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN  Given special education for free in the public school system.  Parents and educators work together to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) which outlines the child’s needs and the services the child will receive at school.  The point of special education is to make adaptations, accommodations, and modifications that allow a child with an intellectual disability to succeed in the classroom. SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH ID

 Provide yourself with knowledge about ID  The more you know, the more you can help your child coping with his/her condition.  Encourage the child’s independence  Let your child try new things and encourage them to do things by him/herself.  Guide them if necessary and give positive feedback when they do well or master something new.  Get your child involved in group activities  To build the social skills  Stay involved  Follow his/her progress by keeping in touch with their teachers and reinforce what they learned in school by practicing at home  Get to know other parents with intellectually disabled child WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED CHILD?

COMMUNICATION TIPS USE SHORT SENTENCE SLOW DOWN THE PACE OF CONVERSATION ONE IDEA AT A TIMETRY NOT INTERRUPT EXPECT AN ANSWER BUT PREPARE TO WAIT OPEN QUESTION – LET THE PERSON TELL THEIR STORIES USE BODY LANGUAGE MINIMIZE DISTRACTION REINFORCE IMPORTANT MESSAGE