Intellectual disability does not define who a person is, how they should be treated, or how they want to live. Most people think of an intellectually disabled person as someone who is not able to learn or function in the same way as other people. An intellectually disabled person is someone who has a mental impairment that affects their ability to learn, think, and communicate. Some people with intellectual disabilities may have difficulty reading, writing, speaking, or doing basic maths. 

Others may have more severe disabilities that prevent them from performing daily duties such as clothing or caring for their personal needs. In short, intellectual disability is a lifelong condition that affects a person’s intellectual skills and behaviour in different situations. The various types of intellectual disability are as follows:

• Down syndrome
• Fragile X syndrome
• Developmental delay
• Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder

There are a few things that you can do to handle an intellectually disabled person in a respectful and appropriate way. Here are 5 tips:

• Be aware of their capabilities and limitations. Don’t expect them to understand everything or be able to carry out complex tasks on their own. Know what abilities they have and respect those boundaries.

• Speak slowly and calmly to them, keeping your voice level so that they can understand you perfectly. Use simple sentences and avoid using any pressure or harsh language when communicating with an intellectually disabled person.

• Avoid making assumptions about what they know or don’t know. Just because someone is intellectually disabled doesn’t mean that they aren’t capable of understanding certain things, and just because someone has difficulty speaking doesn’t mean that he or she cannot communicate well in other ways.

• Make sure the environment is comfortable for them. If the room is too bright, noisy, or crowded, it will be difficult for an intellectually disabled person to focus on anything else besides trying not to get distracted by the discomfort. Try putting away any highlighters, calculators, etc., so there’s less visual stimulation.

• Also, consider removing any large screens from view so people can’t watch television all day long. Finally, make sure the furniture isn’t too soft or bouncy. Most intellectually disabled people need some gentle but firm support throughout the day in order for them not to feel overwhelmed emotionally as well as physically.

As a result, if you are concerned about your intellectually disabled loved ones, assistance is available. You can discuss ways to identify and assess the extent of your disability with your doctor or a mental health expert.

Talk to us if you need any information regarding such services; Bharosa is always available!