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Active context: patient_care_menuDevelopmental Disorders
Description:
The term "developmental disorder" or "developmental disability" means a severe, chronic disability of an individual that:
- is attributable to a mental or physical impairment, or combination of mental and physical impairment
- is manifested before the individual attains the age of 22
- is likely to continue indefinitely
-
results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:
- self-care
- receptive and expressive language
- learning
- mobility
- self-direction
- capacity for independent living
- economic self-sufficiency
- reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, individualized support or other forms of assistance that are of lifelong or of extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.
*As defined by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, Public Law 106-402.
Developmental Delay
Developmental delay is defined as failure to meet expected developmental milestones in one or more of the following areas: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, speech and language and/or adaptive development (sometimes called self-help skills, which include dressing, toileting, feeding, etc).
These delays are diagnosed when a child performs approximately 25 to 30 percent below age norms in one or more of these areas (with adjustment for prematurity in affected children). Progress occurs at a slower than expected rate following the anticipated sequence. Various medical and environmental causes exist.
Some examples of physical or mental disorders likely to result in delayed development are:
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Genetic or congenital disorders
- Severe sensory impairments, including hearing and vision
- Inborn errors of metabolism
- Disorders reflecting disturbance of the development of the nervous system
- Congenital infections
- Disorders secondary to exposure to toxic substances, including fetal alcohol syndrome.
The verification of delay is obtained through an evaluation process, which includes at least three of the following: informed clinical opinion to include observational assessment, standardized development test(s), developmental inventory, behavioral checklist, adaptive behavior measure and parent interview. Developmental delay can occur temporarily, or it can be long-term and never fully resolve.
Examples, Subsets and Synonyms for Developmental Delay:
- Language Delay
- Motor Delay
- Global Delay
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- Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders
- International Dyslexia Society
- National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
- Learning Disabilities--LD Online
- Integration of Resources for Families with Disabilities
- Children with Special Health Care Needs Knowledge Path
- American Psychological Association
- National Brain Injury Association
- National Association of School Psychologists
- Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council
- The Association for Behavior Analysis
- The Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
- Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies
- The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
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