Intellectual disability, formerly known as mental retardation, is characterized by below average intelligence and a lack of skills necessary for daily living. It affects approximately 3% of the global population. There are different levels of intellectual disability ranging from mild to profound depending on IQ scores and adaptive functioning. Causes can include genetic conditions, problems during pregnancy or childbirth, illnesses, injuries, and other factors. Services and support are available for people with intellectual disabilities throughout their lives.

1. INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITY

2. Once called mental
retardation, intellectual
disability is characterized by
below-average intelligence or
mental ability and a lack of
skills necessary for day-to-day
living.
2

4. 7,714,576,923
World population projection of 2019
231,437,308
individuals
3%
of the total world population
have intellectual diability
4
At least
that is

5. Intellectual functioning
Also known as IQ, this
refers to a person’s
ability to learn, reason,
make decisions, and
solve problems.
Someone with intellectual
disability has limitations in
two areas. These areas are:
Adaptive behaviors
These are skills
necessary for day-to-day
life, such as being able to
communicate
effectively, interact with
others, and take care of
oneself.
5

6. Levelsof
Intellectual Disability

7. Mild
Intellectual Disability
× IQ 50 to 70
× Slower than typical in all developmental areas
× No unusual physical characteristics
× Able to learn practical life skills
× Attains reading and math skills up to grade
levels 3 to 6
× Able to blend in socially
× Functions in daily life
7

8. 8
of people with
intellectual disabilities
falls into the mild
category and many
even achieve academic
success.
85%

9. 9
Whoever can read this, but has
difficulty comprehending what he
or she read represents an example
of someone with mild intellectual
disability.

10. Are you sure
you’re not
intellectually
disabled?
10

11. 11
× IQ 35 to 49
× Noticeable developmental delays (i.e.
speech, motor skills)
× May have physical signs of impairment
(i.e. thick tongue)
Moderate
Intellectual Disability

12. 12
People with moderate intellectual
disability have fair communication skills, but
cannot typically communicate on complex levels.
They may have difficulty in social situations and
problems with social cues and judgment.
These people can care for themselves,
but might need more instruction and support
than the typical person. Many can live in
independent situations, but some still need the
support of a group home.
Moderate
Intellectual Disability

13. of people with
intellectual
disabilities falls into
the moderate
category.
13

14. × IQ 20 to 34
× Considerable delays in development
× Understands speech, but little ability to
communicate
× Able to learn daily routines
× May learn very simple self-care
× Needs direct supervision in social situations
14
Severe
Intellectual Disability

15. These people can only communicate
on the most basic levels. They cannot
perform all self-care activities
independently and need daily supervision
and support. Most people in this category
cannot successfully live an independent life
and will need to live in a group home setting.
15
Severe
Intellectual Disability

16. of those diagnosed with
intellectual disability fall
into the severe category
16
3to 4%

17. Profound
Intellectual Disability
× IQ less than 20
× Significant developmental delays in all areas
× Obvious physical and congenital abnormalities
× Requires close supervision
× Requires attendant to help in self-care
activities
× May respond to physical and social activities
× Not capable of independent living
17

18. People with profound intellectual
disability require round-the-clock support
and care. They depend on others for all
aspects of day-to-day life and have
extremely limited communication ability.
Frequently, people in this category have
other physical limitations as well
18
Profound
Intellectual Disability

19. 19
Causesof
Intellectual Disability

20. Genetic conditions
These include things like Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome.
Problems during pregnancy
Things that can interfere with fetal brain development
include alcohol or drug use, malnutrition, certain infections,
or preeclampsia.
Problems during childbirth
Intellectual disability may result if a baby is deprived of oxygen
during childbirth or born extremely premature
20
Illness or injury
Infections can lead to intellectual disability. Severe head injury,
near-drowning, extreme malnutrition, infections in the brain,
exposure to toxic substances such as lead, and severe neglect or
abuse can also cause it.

21. 21
Examplesof
Intellectual Disability

22. 22
Fragile X
is a genetic
condition that
affects a
person’s
development,
especially
behavior and
the ability to
learn.
Down
syndrome
describes a set
of cognitive and
physical
symptoms that
result from
having an extra
copy or part of a
copy of
chromosome 21.
Autism
is a complex
neurological
and
developmental
condition that
affects how a
person learns,
communicates
and interacts
with others.
22

23. Can intellectual
disability be
prevented?
23

24. The most common of these IDs is fetal alcohol
syndrome. Pregnant women shouldn’t drink alcohol.
Getting 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.
In families with a history of genetic disorders,
genetic testing may be recommended
before conception.
Certain tests, such as ultrasound and
amniocentesis, can also be performed during
pregnancy to look for problems associated with
intellectual disability. Although these tests may
identify problems before birth, they cannot correct
them.
24

25. 25
Servicesavailable for
people with intellectual
disability

26. × Individualized Family Service Plan or IFSP- This
outlines the child’s specific needs and what
services will help the child thrive
× School-age children with intellectual disabilities
(including preschoolers) are eligible for special
education for free through the public school
system. This is mandated by the Individuals
With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
26

27. Parents and educators work
together to create an
Individualized Education
Program, or IEP, which
outlines the child’s needs and
the services the child will
receive at school.
27

28. 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.
28

29. Thanks for
listening
Any questions?
29

30. Credits
Special thanks to the following websites for making this
informative report possible:
× https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/intellectual-
disability-mental-retardation#3
× https://www.healthyplace.com/neurodevelopmental-
disorders/intellectual-disability/mild-moderate-
severe-intellectual-disability-differences
× https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fetal-
alcohol-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20352901
And to my younger brother for the power point's designs.
30