Adults developmental disability

High-functioning pervasive developmental disorders PDDs have only recently been widely recognised; they are diagnosed mainly in children. Key features are impaired social cognition and communication; obsessive interests, routines or activities; and social or occupational dysfunction. There are scant data about the prevalence of high-functioning PDDs in adults, and it is possible that many Australian adults with these conditions are undiagnosed. A specialist multidisciplinary approach is used for both children with PDDs and adults with other neuropsychiatric disabilities, and has the potential to help adults with high-functioning PDDs. Increased awareness and diagnosis of these conditions should not limit career or personal goals of individuals with PDDs but should aid them in finding happy and productive careers and lives.

Developmental disabilities are attributable to a cognitive impairment, physical impairment, or both. They manifest during the developmental period from birth to early adulthood, and are likely to continue indefinitely. The life expectancy of most persons with developmental disabilities now approaches that of the general population. According to the neurodiversity model of care, developmental disability is accepted as a valued part of human neurologic diversity.

METHODS: The authors compared data on health status, health risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and utilization of medical care across three groups of adults: No Disability, Disability, and Developmental Disability. RESULTS: Adults with developmental disabilities were more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles and seven times as likely to report inadequate emotional support, compared with adults without disabilities. Adults with disabilities and developmental disabilities were significantly more likely to report being in fair or poor health than adults without disabilities.

In this module, we will explore how to work with people with developmental disabilities. We will discuss what it means to have a developmental disability , some of the causes of disability, and how normal functioning can be affected. We will take a closer look at some specific developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities , cerebral palsy , autism, and neurological impairments. A disability is an impairment of functioning. Functional impairments may be physical affect the body or cognitive affect mental functioning.