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Intellectual disability is a life long
condition, characterised by significantly below average intellectual
ability and adaptive skills. It is NOT a mental illness and should not be confused with developmental
delay
. With appropriate assistance, children
and adults with intellectual disability can learn new
information and lead a fulfilling life. The key
factors are early identification and long term
planning.
What is an Intellectual
Disability?
Children with
intellectual disability show difficulties with thinking, learning,
communication (both verbal and non-verbal), memory, problem solving,
judgment and social functioning. Intellectual disability is
diagnosed if a child's intellectual ability (IQ) is notably below
average and shows severe limitations in at least two areas of
adaptive functioning.
Significantly below average
intellectual ability refers to an IQ score of 70 or less
as measured by standardised tests. An IQ score of 70 is
two standard deviation (1 standard deviation = 15 IQ points)
below the mean, occurring in approximately 2% of all children.
Limitations in adaptive
functioning refer to skills necessary for everyday living, such as
communication, self care, memory, social skills, problem solving and
work/study skills.
Some children develop slower than
others and may show a delay in one or more developmental
areas. This is not intellectual disability and children with
delay in one or more areas of functioning can still achieve
their required milestones, even if at a later stage.
What We
Offer
The most important part
of the diagnostic process when a child is suspected to suffer from
intellectual disability is the evaluation of his/her
intellectual level. At CPAC we provide intellectual ability
assessments that are aimed at identifying severe difficulties. At the same time we aim to highlight a child's
intellectual strengths (e.g., non-verbal abilities) and work
together with parents and other agencies to provide the best long
term plan for each individual child.
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