Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities are often used interchangeably, although an individual may have both Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities.

Intellectual Disabilities 

Intellectual disability is mental condition that is typically, but not always, discovered within the first two years of an individual's life. Intellectual disabilities affect intellectual functioning, such as learning and judgement, as well as adaptive functioning, communication, life skills, etc. ​

Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities, also referred to as DD, are defined as “conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime.”

The Difference 

Developmental disabilities include physical disability, intellectual disability, or both in an individual. Whereas, intellectual disability includes adaptive behavior, learning, and intelligence. Someone who has an intellectual disability doesn’t always have a developmental disability, but it is common that an individual has both. 

Examples of developmental disabilities include: 

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Cerebral Palsy 

• Down syndrome

• Intellectual Disability 

• Traumatic Brain Injury 

• Angelman syndrome 

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

• Prader-Willi syndrome 

• Fragile X syndrome

• and more

Below are articles on the history of different developmental disabilities:

• https://www.3da.org/post/john-langdon-down-and-the-history-of-down-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/hans-asperger-leo-kanner-and-the-history-of-autism

• https://www.3da.org/post/william-john-little-and-the-history-of-cerebral-palsy

• https://www.3da.org/post/the-history-of-prader-willi-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/martin-bell-and-the-history-of-fragile-x-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/the-history-of-tourette-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/the-history-of-fetal-alcohol-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/rett-zoghbi-and-the-history-of-rett-syndrome

• https://www.3da.org/post/harry-angelman-and-the-history-of-angelman-syndrome
  

Disclaimer: When writing the names of conditions that are named after someone, only capitalize the person's name, not the term "syndrome", "disorder", etc, as it takes away the individuality of the individual with said condition.

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/capitalization/diseases-disorders-therapies