INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY OR DELAY COGNITIVE?

Intellectual disability or cognitive delay is a term that is used when a person has certain limitations in their mental functioning and performance of tasks such as communication, personal care and social networking.
These limitations cause a slowing of the learning and development of these people.
Children with cognitive delay may need more time to learn to speak, to walk and to learn the skills needed to care for themselves, such as dressing or eating independently. It is natural to face difficulties in school. However learn, but need more time. It is possible that some children can not learn a few things as anyone who also can not learn tudo.Os researchers found many causes of intellectual disability and the most common are:
Genetic conditions: Sometimes, mental retardation is caused by abnormal genes inherited from the parents, produced by mistakes or accidents at the time when the genes are combined with each other or for other reasons genetic in nature. Some examples of genetic conditions conducive developing an intellectual disability include Down syndrome or phenylketonuria.
Problems during pregnancy: The cognitive delay can result from improper development of the embryo or fetus during pregnancy. For example, it may happen that the time of cell division, problems arise that affect the child's development. An alcoholic woman or contracting an infection during pregnancy, such as rubella, for example, can also have a child with mental development problems.
Problems at birth: If the baby has problems during labor, such as, if not get enough oxygen, it can also happen that will have mental development problems.
Health Issues: Some diseases, such as measles or meningitis may be the cause of a mental disability, especially if they are not taken all necessary health care. The extreme bad nutrition or exposure to poisons such as mercury or lead can also cause serious problems for the mental development of children.
None of these causes produces, by itself, an intellectual disability. However, risks are, more serious some less, should be avoided as much as possible. For example, a disease such as meningitis not necessarily causes an intellectual retardation; excessive consumption of alcohol during pregnancy also not; however, are too serious risks to not look all necessary health care to fight the disease, or who do not avoid alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The delay is not a cognitive mental disease (mental suffering), such as depression, schizophrenia, for example. Not being a disease, makes no sense to look for or expect a cure for intellectual disabilities.
The vast majority of children with intellectual disabilities can learn to do many useful things for your family, school, society and they all learn something for their usefulness and well-being of the community in which they live. For this need, as a rule, more time and support to lograrem success.
 Intellectual disability or cognitive delay is diagnosed by observing two things:
The ability of the person's brain to learn, think, solve problems, to make sense of the world, a world intelligence around them (this ability is called cognitive functioning or intellectual functioning)
The skills necessary to live independently and independence in the community in which it operates (this competence is also called adaptive behavior or adaptive functioning).
While the diagnosis of cognitive functioning is usually performed by authorized technicians (psychologists, neurologists, speech therapists, etc.) since the adaptive functioning should be subject to observation and analysis from family, parents and educators living with the child .
For information about adaptive behavior should seek to know-what the child can do in comparison with children of the same chronological age.
Certain skills are very important for the organization of this adaptive behavior:
The skills of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, eating.
Communication skills, how to understand what you say and know how to respond.
Social skills with peers, with family members and other adults and children.
To diagnose the Intellectual Disability, professionals studying the mental abilities of the person and their adaptive skills. These two aspects are part of the definition of common cognitive delay to most scientists engaged in the study of higher intelectual.A deficiency of the studies points to a frequency of 2% to 3% of children over 6 years. Not the same thing determine this frequency in younger adults or children. The US Administration considers the 3% of value for planning purposes of the support to be provided to students with cognitive delay. This percentage is a reference value that deserves enough credibility. But it is not more than a reference value. Find out more about intellectual disabilities: other parents, teachers and technicians can help.
Encourage your child to be independent: for example, help him learn the skills of daily living, such as dressing, eating alone, bathing, grooming to leave.
Give it own responsibility and tasks. Always keep in mind your actual age, your ability to be alert and skills. Divide the tasks into small steps. For example, if the task your child is to set the table, ask them first to choose the appropriate number of napkins; then ask them to place each napkin in place of each family member. If necessary, help him every step of the task. Never leave a situation where it is not able to successfully accomplish. If he fails to demonstrate how it should be.
Praise your child whenever you can solve a problem. Do not forget to also praise when your child merely observe how they can solve the task: he also accomplished something important, was with you so that things go better in the future.
Find out what skills your child is learning in school. Find ways to apply these skills at home. For example, if the teacher is teaching you to use the money, take your child to the grocery store. Help them to recognize the money needed to pay for purchases. Explain and demonstrate how to always does, even if the child seems not to notice. Do not give up, and never leave your child in a failure situation, if you can help.
Look for opportunities in your community so that it can participate in social activities, eg scouts, clubs, sports activities. This will help to develop social skills and having fun.
Talk to other parents who have children with intellectual disabilities: parents can share practical advice and emotional support.
Do not miss to school meetings, where teachers will develop a plan to better meet your child's needs. If the school does not remember to invite parents, show their willingness to participate in solving the problems. Never give up to offer help to the teachers so that they know your child best. Also ask teachers how you can support the school education of your child at home.
Learn everything you can about intellectual disabilities. Look who can advise in finding adequate bibliography or use libraries, internet, etc.
Recognize that your efforts can make a big difference in the life of a student with disabilities and without disabilities. Find out what are the strengths and interests of the student and concentrate all their efforts on their development. Provide opportunities for success.
Actively involved in the preparation of the Single Plan for Student Teaching and Education Plan.
Be as specific as possible to make the learning experienced. Demonstrate what you mean. Do not just give verbal instructions. Some verbal instructions shall be accompanied by a supporting image, drawings, posters. But not limited to support the verbal messages with images. Where necessary and possible, provide the student materials and practical experience and opportunity to try things out.
Divide the new tasks into small steps. Demonstrate how it performs each of these steps. Provide help in proper measure of the student's needs. Do not let the student leave the task in a failure situation. If necessary, ask the student whether to help the teacher to solve the problem. Share with students the pleasure of finding a solution.
Track the performance of each step of a task with immediate and useful feedback for continuous operation.
Develop the student skills of daily living, social and operational skills and awareness of the surrounding world. Encourage the student to participate in group activities and in school organizations.
Work with parents to develop and carry out an educational plan that meets the needs of the student. Share regular information on the situation of the student in school and at home.
We now know that 87% of children with intellectual disabilities will only be a little slower than most other children in learning and acquiring new skills. Often it is even difficult to distinguish them from other children with learning problems without intellectual disabilities, especially in the early years of school. What distinguishes each other is the fact that the intellectual deficient leaves to achieve and consolidate learning, even when does not have the right skills to integrate them harmoniously in all of their knowledge. It follows not a simple delay that time and experience will help to compensate, but a process of understanding the world. This different understanding of the world does not leave, so be smart and really adequate to solve many problems of daily life. It is possible that its limitations are not very visible in the early years of childhood. Later, in adulthood, it can also happen that they can lead a fairly independent and responsible life. In fact, the limitations will be visible depending on the tasks that are requested them.
The remaining 13% will have more difficulties in school, their family and community life. A person with more severe retardation will need more intensive support throughout their life.
All people with intellectual disabilities are able to grow, learn and develop. With the right help, all children with intellectual disabilities can live satisfactorily his adult life.

A child with intellectual disabilities can get very interesting school results. But not always the suitability of functional or individual curriculum needs of the child requires additional means very different from those that must be provided to all students, without exception.
Before going to school and up to three years, the child should benefit from an early intervention system. Educators and other technical early intervention service must implement an Individual Plan Family Support.
This plan defines the individual child's needs and unique. Also defines the type of support to meet those needs. On the other hand, fits the needs of the child in the individual and unique needs of the family, so that parents and other family members know how to help the child.
As the child in kindergarten and then in elementary school, educators in partnership with the family should practically an educational program that meets the individual and unique needs of the child. This program is at all similar to the first, only adjusted to the child's age and its inclusion in the school environment. Sets the student's needs and the types of school support and out of school.
Most students need support to develop adaptive skills necessary to live, work and play in the community.
Some of these skills include:
Communication with other people.
Meet personal needs (dressing, bathing).
Participate in family life (setting the table, dusting, cooking).
Social skills (know the rules of conversation, behave well with others, play and have fun).
Health and safety.
Reading, writing and basic math; and as they grow, skills that will help children in the transition to adulthood.
LET YOUR CHILD TO FLY IN YOUR POSSIBILITIES!

DraJOSIANE ODILA