Learning difficulties Flashcards
what is the ICD-10 criteria for learning disability
emphasises need for deficits in:
-intellectual functioning
-adaptive functioning (how well a person handles common demands in life and how indepedent they are comapred to others of a similar age and background)
-onset before childhood
now called intellectual disability
what is the DSM-5 criteria for learning disability?
limited functioning in 3 areas:
social skills - communicating with others
conceptual skills- reading and writing
practical ability - bathing one’s self
Define learning disability and is the life expectancy higher or lower?
a significant reduced ability to understand new or complex info and learning new skills with reduced ability to cope independently impaired social fucntioning, which started before adulthood with lasting effect on development
now called intellectual disability
lower
what is the difference between disability and difficulty
Disability is impairment
difficulty does not have an effect on general intellect
disability onset- infancy
difficulty onset- childhood
dificulty- diminishes progressively wiht age and support
what is the average IQ
Bell shaped curve with 100 being the mean.
how can severity of learning disabilities be classified
Severity of learning disabilities classified by IQ
-Mild (speech delay)- need extra support from tutor/TA, genuinely independent in self-care and may have employment with extra support
-Moderate (difficult with speech delay have deficit in language/comprehension)-not passing year ¾ at school. Less paid employment
-Severe (Minimal speech, poor motor development, live in supervised living situations/ group homes)
-Profound (very minimal language, assistance for almost all aspect of daily living, might have physical difficulty/ comorbidities like epilepsy)-usually organic cause
what are some criticisms of IQ
-Not fixed throughout life
-difficult to meaure in severe learning diability patients as they may not be able to communicate
-doesnt mesuare social and practical function
-distractions or anxiety can affect their score
-depression/motivational factors so outcome may not reside with actual IQ
what is the IQ for borderline intelligence and what is it usually associated with?
between 71-84
associated with ADHD and autism
what is mencap
delivering services for people with a learning disability that offer great experiences, quality of life, and peace of mind for families
what are some components involved in transforming care in LD? what are the 3 main parts?
-deinstitutionalise
-homes not hospitals
-patients in community
-LD services MDT approach:
Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, psychiatry
3 main components:
-deinstitionalisation
-patinets in community
-homes not hospitals
what is the developmental perspective for LD and what is development vulnerable to?
Brain development is prenatal and the first years of life and in adolescence.
vulnerable to adverse affects like child neglect
very vulnerable to damage
what are some environment factors that can hinder brain development?
-intra-uterine - in the womb/uterus (foetal alcohol syndrome)
-perinatal complications - the period of time when you become pregnant and up to a year after giving birth
- early infancy
-poverty
what are some prenatal, perinatal and postnatal causes?
prenatal - chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome or trisomy, deletion causing angel man, sex chromosome abnormality causing klinefelters, environmental influences such as alcohol intake and folic acid deficiency which increases risk of developing spina bifida, developmental disorders of brain formation eg spina bifida
perinatal - low birth weight, herpes simplex and syphilis, congential infection -HIV
postnatal - biological such as intake of sufficient nutrients, psychosocial eg attachment, child abuse and neglect, infection, TBI
What is the most common inherited cause of LD and what is the commonest chromosomal abnormality causing LD?
Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome
what are some metabolic and structural causes of LD?
Amino acid- phenylketoneuria
carbohydrate - galactosaemia
Spina bifida - a neural tube defect
anencephaly - born with our parts of the brain and skull
what is there increased risk of as they get older
hearing impairment, epilepsy and dementia
what are some of the differential diagnosis?
Autism, cerebral palsy
how can you do an assessment
look at behaviour and social functioning and make sure it does not overlap with other conditions.
what are some psychiatric comorbidites
OCD
ADHD
disruptive behaviour
substance misuse (less common)
what are some of the behavioural characteristics that can be seen and what is the prevalence of challenging behaviour, what gender and age is it more prevalent in?
aggresion - hitting
destruction - throwing objects
self injury - head banging
tantrums
That headbanging much be pleasurable and soothing for them, so this can be quite tricky
the repetitive self inuring behaviour can be associated with institutionalisation, abuse, neglect
10-15%
more common in males
and more prevalent in 15-24 years
and is more frequent with an increase in severity of LD?
what is autism and what is it characterised by and what are ways to aid communication?
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication, behavior, and social interaction.
It’s called a “spectrum” disorder because it includes a wide range of symptoms and abilities.
People with autism might have difficulty understanding social cues, may engage in repetitive behaviors, and can have varied levels of language skills.
Things to aid communication-
Speech/communication therapy- keep sentences short
-visual aids
-images that associate with certain emotions to understand what they need
-use sign language to support communication
Open body language
what does make macaron help with
helps children and adults who have difficulty communicating, paying attention and listening to understanding. speech.
