Learning Disability Flashcards
What is a Learning Disability?
Disorders of intellectual development originating during the developmental period characterized by significantly below average intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior that are approximately two or more standard deviations below the mean.
What are the diagnostic criteria for Learning Disability?
Intellectual impairment (IQ < 70), social or adaptive dysfunction, onset in the developmental period (before age 18).
What is the IQ range for Mild Learning Disability?
IQ: 50-69.
What cognitive age corresponds to Mild Learning Disability?
Cognitive age: 9 to under 12 years.
What are some features of Mild Learning Disability?
- Often don’t appear to be disabled
- People tend to overestimate them
- Need more time to think
- Need concrete information
- Need repetition to learn
- Struggle to solve problems
- Struggle to remember.
What is the IQ range for Moderate Learning Disability?
IQ: 35-49.
What cognitive age corresponds to Moderate Learning Disability?
Cognitive age: 6 to under 9 years.
What are some features of Moderate Learning Disability?
- May not appear disabled
- Surface understanding
- Rigid thinking
- May read but struggle to understand content
- Need routine and structure
- Struggle to understand conversations
- Struggle with the use of language
- Struggle to generalise skills and rules.
What is the IQ range for Severe Learning Disability?
IQ: 20-34.
What cognitive age corresponds to Severe Learning Disability?
Cognitive age: 3 to under 6 years.
What are some features of Severe Learning Disability?
- Need help with most everyday tasks
- Very basic understanding of language
- Use the environment to understand situations
- Can learn simple repetitive practical tasks
- Always need support available.
What is the IQ range for Profound Learning Disability?
IQ: <20.
What cognitive age corresponds to Profound Learning Disability?
Cognitive age: below 3 years.
What are some features of Profound Learning Disability?
- Complex care needs
- Additional health needs
- Often have multiple disabilities
- Little or no ability to care for own basic needs
- Require constant help and supervision
- Unlikely to understand any language
- Can communicate through noises and facial expressions.
What are some genetic causes of Learning Disabilities?
- Fragile X
- PKU
- Rett Syndrome
- DiGeorge Syndrome
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Angelman syndrome
- Down Syndrome
- Sex chromosome abnormalities.
What are some acquired causes of Learning Disabilities?
- Infective: Rubella, Zika virus
- Traumatic: Hypoxic injury during birth, head injury in childhood
- Toxic: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome/Spectrum Disorders, maternal Valproate usage.
What conditions are associated with Learning Disability?
- Cerebral Palsy
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Epilepsy.
What investigations are used for Learning Disability?
- Intellectual Impairment: WAIS/WISC: IQ <70
- Social or Adaptive Dysfunction: Vineland Scale or ABAS: shows ≥ 2 impairments in social skills.
What is Diagnostic Overshadowing?
Presenting symptoms attributed to learning disability rather than seeking another potentially treatable cause.
What factors should be considered when assessing for Diagnostic Overshadowing?
- Social causes: change in carers, lack of support
- Psychological issues: bereavement, abuse
- Physical problems: pain or discomfort
- Psychiatric causes: depression, anxiety, psychosis, dementia.
What behaviors indicate Stress and Distress in Learning Disability assessment?
- Harm to self or others
- Property destruction
- Sexually inappropriate behavior.
What physical co-morbidities are common in Learning Disabilities?
- Epilepsy
- Sensory impairments (40% hearing, 20% vision)
- Obesity
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Respiratory problems
- Cerebral palsy
- Orthopaedic problems
- Dermatological and dental problems.
What mental health co-morbidities are associated with Learning Disabilities?
- Schizophrenia/Psychosis
- Mood Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Developmental Disorders (e.g. Autism, ADHD)
- Dementia.
