What is developmental disability
The medical term given to a mental disorder or abnormality that results in impaired development of the physical and mental abilities of a person, especially when that person becomes very young, is termed as 'developmental disability'. 'Mental retardation' is also another medical term given to an impairment of mental skills, which starts before birth and remains throughout life. 'Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder' is another such term indicating a range of disorders, which start in pregnancy at a very low level and may continue after birth. 'Pervasive Developmental Disorders' are disorders that start before birth and remain through the life. As far as what is a developmental disability is concerned, all these terms mean essentially the same thing. The impairment starts during the normal growth process, from birth. It may be subtle or it may involve a range of symptoms. Some of these symptoms are visible and some are not, depending on the particular disorder. Autism spectrum disorder, for instance, involves extreme social ineptness and can be recognized by various different combinations of symptoms such as overactive communication, profound emotional distress, limited interests, great difficulty in relating to others, extreme frustration, and being easily annoyed. There are a number of different ways in which what is a developmental disability can affect a person. The impairments may be evident at birth, but they might take place later or manifest later due to a variety of reasons. Some of these disabilities can be detected at birth. Such disabilities include: spasticity or fluid retention, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. Other disabilities develop at a later stage in life. The medical community defines what is a developmental disability as anyone who experiences communication, adaptive functions, and receptive vocabulary skills below their normal range. This means that, at a minimum, a person should be capable of expressing their thoughts and feelings to others. Those with this impairment also need to have appropriate knowledge of the physical world. Most people with developmental disabilities have a very restricted range of motion, an inability to perform simple tasks such as eating, bathing, or going to the bathroom, a tendency to wander, a low self-esteem, chronic pain, and limited ability to see. Some of these conditions might also trigger some form of psychological distress. What is Developmental Disability is a syndrome that is characterized by a collection of symptoms that generally occur together. These symptoms generally interfere with day to day activities of a person. Some of the most common disabilities are: autism, dyspraxia, intellectual disability, physical impairment, gastrointestinal disorders, learning disabilities, multiple sclerosis, and seasonal affective disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most common syndromes of developmental disabilities. It includes Asperger's Syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders, and autism. ASD has been found to be
significantly linked to a number of health issues such as cardiovascular disease, asthma, hyperactivity, irritability, conduct disorder, and depression. A person with ASD may be described as having normal to above average intelligence and well-developed cognitive skills. However, people with ASDs are often unable to communicate with others. Some of the typical symptoms of ASDs include: resistance to social interaction, the need to repeatedly repeat instructions, the need to be the center of attention, and the tendency to be focused on one's problems rather than the world around them. The most common genetic cause of ASDs is X-linked inheritance. Children of parents who have severe developmental disabilities are likely to have the same developmental disabilities. Researchers have identified several genes that seem to be responsible for ASDs. What is Developmental Disability is a syndrome that is characterized by a series of symptoms that generally occur together, although what is a developmental disability varies from one individual to another. There are two main categories of what is a developmental disability; these are categorized according to the level at which the disability develops. Majority of those with ASDs fall in the moderate to severe category, making it more difficult to diagnose and treat. Those with an intellectual disability are far less likely to be categorized as having ASDs, and what is considered a mild mental retardation is far less severe than what is classified as a full-blown developmental disability.