Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, especially in "language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living".[1] Developmental disabilities can be detected early on and persist throughout an individual's lifespan. Developmental disability that affects all areas of a child's development is sometimes referred to as global developmental delay.[2]
The most common developmental disabilities are:
Diagnosis and quantification[edit]
Developmental disabilities can be initially suspected when a child does not reach expected child development stages. Subsequently, a differential diagnosis may be used to diagnose an underlying disease, which may include a physical examination and genetic tests.
The degree of disability can be quantified by assigning a developmental age to a person, who may be classified by age group resulting from their test scores. This, in turn, can be used to calculate a developmental quotient (DQ) as follows:[11][12]
Associated issues[edit]
Physical health issues[edit]
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. People with severe communication difficulties find it difficult to articulate their health needs and, without adequate support and education, might not recognize ill health. Epilepsy, sensory problems (such as poor vision and hearing), obesity, and poor dental health are over-represented in this population.[13] Life expectancy among people with developmental disabilities as a group is estimated at 20 years below average, although this is improving. Society has advanced in its adaptive and medical technologies, and other methods to help people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.[14] In addition, some conditions (such as Freeman–Sheldon syndrome) do not affect life expectancy.
Mental health issues (dual diagnoses)[edit]
Mental health issues, and psychiatric illnesses, are more likely to occur in people with developmental disabilities than in the general population, including amongst children who need the support of caregivers who have sufficient psychoeducation and peer support.[15] A number of factors are attributed to the high incidence rate of dual diagnoses: