Question about Intellectual Developmental Disorder

[Oz67]

What is the difference between Intellectual Developmental Disorder and Specific Learning Disorder? Both of those neurodevelopmental disorders include difficulties with learning.

 

[PastelPetals]

SLD (I have a couple) is based on the idea that your global IQ is not low there is just one or more area(s) where academically you don't perform well. I have dyscalculia but my IQ when it comes to reasoning or other math skills is not below 70 I just don't understand math. IDD is based on IQ so global IQ is 70 or below so maybe this person can't do math but that is not due to an issue with the math itself and more about the lack of reasoning, problem solving, and abstract thinking skills.

The way I think about it is that I have the building blocks for intelligence I can reason and solve problems but numbers and how they interact don't work in my brain at all and I can't use my building blocks for that if somebody has an IDD their building blocks are not the same maybe they are smaller, more fragile, maybe a slower production of blocks, or maybe they don't exist at all. Their blocks don't exist mine are incompatible with a kind of task but can be used for other things. Hence the specific part of SLD.

To be clear SLD is a disability and depending on severity can really impact you post graduation from high school. I can't get a cashier job or really any job that handles money, I can't stock shelves or any other job that requires sequencing numbers, I can't really go to collage at this point as I can't take a math class at all, my time management and directional sense is awful, and I can't do most simple math you run into day to day. I would say many people if their SLD is helped from a young age in a way that works they can get a lot better but mine was based on foundational math and I didn't get the help I needed so not i'm an adult who can't do math above a mid elementary school level.

Hope this helps I know my metaphor was a big shaky also IQ is a whole other topic I talk a lot about not having a global IQ due to how spread apart my scores are (43 points between highest and second highest score) but none of my scores are below 70 and I do find that IQ while not perfect can be a good general indicator as long as the tester is able to take into account verbal skill, culture, socioeconomic background, and motor delays.

 

[Oz67]

That makes sense.

 

[Streetwise]

That makes sense.

Try not to do internet research as different countries have different terms and you could be VERY confused

 

[Neonatal RRT]

It can be confusing. One of the hallmarks of someone with an ASD is the presence of "asymmetrical intelligences". In other words, what @PastelPetals has put to word is a more accurate way of phrasing this. @PastelPetals describes the difficulties with maths, but, the post above, well-thought out, phrased well, not someone I would characterize as "low IQ", but quite the opposite. Even @Oren Franz pulls off a similar feat, frequently posting some well-thought and researched concerns about rather complex psychological conditions, at the same time speaking of his deficits as if he is of "low IQ". Sitting behind the computer screen, knowing the level of intellect it takes to put a thought to word in a meaningful way, I would never suspect anything but a "higher level" of thinking.

I think it is important for everyone to have some understanding of their limitations,...but be specific,...as @PastelPetals describes. Don't paint yourself with a "broad brush" and be so hard on oneself.

Welcome to autism 101 folks.

 

[Oz67]

He my man, thank you!

 

[Oz67]

Having co-morbidity of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Severe, Specific Learning Disorder and having trouble with adaptive-functioning looks similar to Intellectual Disability.

 

[Oz67]

Should Intellectual Developmental Disorders or Disorders of intellectual development be renamed to General Developmental Disorder? Because Intellectual Developmental Disorders or Disorders of intellectual development is like saying R-words. Thoughts?

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Should Intellectual Developmental Disorders or Disorders of intellectual development be renamed to General Developmental Disorder? Because Intellectual Developmental Disorders or Disorders of intellectual development is like saying R-words. Thoughts?

Well, the one thing the medical community tends to avoid is "politically correct" language, or to "whitewash" their terminology. Medical terminology, for the most part, has its roots in old Latin. The medical community has very specific definitions for "disorder". Now, the psychology community will do this from time to time, as comedian George Carlin will point out, has an affinity for "soft language". "Shell shock", becoming "battle fatigue", becoming "PTSD" for example.

From time-to-time we will get into these discussions on here regarding medical terminology and someone will get offended in some way about the words "disorder" or "disease". Keep in mind, old Latin doesn't care about your feelings. However, as our knowledge about specific "conditions" expands, we may change the language in order to be more accurate.

Personally, I don't let my self-esteem take a hit because of medical terminology. I don't give it a thought unless, I am discussing it like I am now. Just think of "disorder" as a statistical deviation from the mean, aka, "something different". If we consider an "intellectual developmental disorder", nowhere in that description does it imply intelligence, but what it does imply is that the brain has developed differently. Clearly, in autism, the brain develops differently, resulting in a difference in perception and thinking, but again, intelligence, per se, doesn't factor into it.

As you suggested though, if one has a cognitive bias towards thinking that an "intellectual developmental disorder" implies lower intelligence, which it clearly does not, then one would be inaccurate in one's thinking.

 

[Oz67]

Well, the one thing the medical community tends to avoid is "politically correct" language, or to "whitewash" their terminology. Medical terminology, for the most part, has its roots in old Latin. The medical community has very specific definitions for "disorder". Now, the psychology community will do this from time to time, as comedian George Carlin will point out, has an affinity for "soft language". "Shell shock", becoming "battle fatigue", becoming "PTSD" for example.

From time-to-time we will get into these discussions on here regarding medical terminology and someone will get offended in some way about the words "disorder" or "disease". Keep in mind, old Latin doesn't care about your feelings. However, as our knowledge about specific "conditions" expands, we may change the language in order to be more accurate.

Personally, I don't let my self-esteem take a hit because of medical terminology. I don't give it a thought unless, I am discussing it like I am now. Just think of "disorder" as a statistical deviation from the mean, aka, "something different". If we consider an "intellectual developmental disorder", nowhere in that description does it imply intelligence, but what it does imply is that the brain has developed differently. Clearly, in autism, the brain develops differently, but again, intelligence doesn't factor into it.

As you suggested though, if one has a cognitive bias towards thinking that an "intellectual developmental disorder" implies lower intelligence, which it clearly does not, then one would be inaccurate in one's thinking.

Although it's a comedy, this comedy is actually educational.