Issues Treated in Therapy:

Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability is defined as significantly impaired cognitive functioning with deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors that appear before adulthood. Limitations of intellectual disability or cognitive function will cause a child to develop and learn more slowly than a typical child. It may take longer to learn language, self-care, and develop social skills. General learning will take longer and require more repetition.

Symptoms of Intellectual Disability
Some Causes of Intellectual Disability
Psychotherapy for Intellectual Disability
Medical Classification and Help for Intellectual Disability

Symptoms of Intellectual Disability

Symptoms of intellectual disability may include:

Deficits in memory skills
Delays in oral language development
Delays in developing adaptive behaviors such as self-care or self-help
Difficulty learning social rules
Difficulty with problem-solving skills
Lack of social inhibitors

Some Causes of Intellectual Disability

While not all causes of intellectual disability are known, many causes have been identified. They include:

At birth: lack of oxygen or other problems during labor and birth
During pregnancy: improperly developed fetus, fetal infection
Exposure to toxins/disease: lead and mercury poisoning; whooping cough, meningitis, measles
Genetic: abnormal genes inherited from parents
Iodine deficiency
Inborn: fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, down syndrome
Malnutrition

Psychotherapy for Intellectual Disability

Psychotherapy may be offered at the many thousands of agencies around the world that provide assistance for persons faced with intellectual disabilities. These agencies may include services such as residential homes, day rehabilitation programs and workshops where people faced with intellectual disabilities can obtain jobs, homes, and much more. There are specific psychotherapeutic programs for people faced with intellectual disabilities where they can take part and learn basic life skills, and set and achieve life goals while learning to obtain independence.

Medical Classification and Help for Intellectual Disability

Listed under additional codes in the DSM is borderline intellectual functioning. Intellectual disability is characterized as a generalized disorder in which a person's cognitive functioning is significantly impaired and has deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors that appear before adulthood. Although there is no cure or specific medication for persons faced with intellectual disabilities, some medications have been found useful in treatment. Anti-psychotic drugs or mood stabilizers may help with behavior and/or depressive symptoms.

If there's something important we should consider adding to this page, please feel free to suggest your ideas.