Intellectual disability
What is an Intellectual Disability?
An intellectual disability is a lifelong neurological difference that affects a person’s intellectual skills and behaviour in different situations or everyday activities. It can result in difficulties with communication, memory, understanding, problem solving, self-care, social and emotional skills and physical abilities. People with an intellectual disability have the same feelings and rights as everyone else; intellectual disability does not define who a person is or how they should be treated. A person can be born with an intellectual disability or acquire it later in life (e.g. from a brain injury). Some of the most common causes of intellectual disability include Down Syndrome, Fragile-X Syndrome or a complicated premature birth.
Children with an intellectual disability may take longer to develop language, social, and self-care skills. They might need extra support with things like understanding instructions, solving problems, learning at school, or playing and socialising. Intellectual disabilities can range from mild to more significant, and every child's abilities and support needs are different.
How is an Intellectual Disability diagnosed?
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Intellectual disability is diagnosed in children under 18 by a clinical psychologist. Depending on specific features of the disability, genetic testing may also be involved. The diagnosis is usually based on two key areas: a child’s intellectual functioning (how they think, learn, and solve problems) and their adaptive functioning (how they manage everyday skills like communication, self-care, and social interaction). In some cases the exact cause may not be identifiable.
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A psychologist will typically complete a combination of assessments to measure a child’s thinking and learning abilities. At the same time, information is gathered from parents, teachers, and therapists to understand how the child copes in daily life. Speech pathologists cannot diagnose intellectual disability, but they can provide supporting information to help advise a diagnosis.
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A diagnosis can help families and individuals understand the specific differences, strengths and challenges that may present from an intellectual disability. It can also help with gaining access to NDIS funding. The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) is a government-run scheme that provides funding for children and people with disabilities to improve accessibility to supports such as speech pathology services or occupational therapy.
How can a speech pathologist support someone with an Intellectual Disability?
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Speech pathologists hold an important role in supporting children with intellectual disabilities to communicate, socialise and participate in everyday activities. Every child is different and holds individual strengths and differences, so the types of support services recommended will vary depending on your family’s individual needs.
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A speech pathologist will work closely alongside children and their families or teachers to create personalised and meaningful goals. This may include things such as helping to build skills, understanding and using language to express needs and ideas, or developing social skills like starting conversations in the playground and turn-taking. Speech pathologists can also assist in introducing and supporting other ways to communicate using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), such as key word sign, picture boards, or speech-generating devices.
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Additionally, Speech Pathologists have a role in supporting families and teachers to understand how best to support the child’s communication in daily routines, learning, and play. They can create resources such as visual schedules to help support regulation and clear communication across various contexts.
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An Intellectual Disability diagnosis is not required to access speech pathology support.
What should you do if you require support? ​
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If you have concerns about your child’s development, talking to a professional who knows your child best is a good place to start. This could be your child’s doctor, early childhood educator or paediatrician. Your doctor will be able to refer you to a clinical psychologist if this is recommended.
If your child is experiencing challenges with communication or participation in everyday activities (whether it be verbal language, speech clarity, understanding messages, literacy or social/play skills), speech pathology support can help. Contact Inner North Speech Pathology to discuss how we can help.
The NDIS also offers support for children under 7yrs of age with no diagnosis necessary- you can chat to an NDIS representative or one of our therapists at Inner North Speech Pathology to find out more about available supports and navigating NDIS applications. We help many clients apply for NDIS funding.
Additional resources​​
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