Results: Average age at death for people in state intellectual and developmental disabilities systems was 50.4-58.7 years and 61.2-63.0 years in Medicaid data, with a crude adult mortality rate of 15.2 per thousand.

What mental changes occur, as adults with mental- retardation grow older? Like the general population after age 50, people with mental retardation, who do not have Down syndrome, experience a gradual decline in overall intellectual capacity, a decrease in their speed of recall, and slower general cognitive functioning.

“We know that a small number of people with intellectual disabilities will have life-limiting genetic conditions that result in them dying sooner than people without those conditions,” Pauline Heslop said. Women with intellectual disabilities died at an average age of 63, 20 years earlier than women in general.

His research also revealed people with an intellectual disability have an average life expectancy of just 54 years. That’s 26 years shorter than the general population and, in part, it’s due to problems accessing health care.

Definition. Mild mental retardation is defined as significantly subaverage intellectual ability, which ranges between 50–55 and 70, and concurrent delays in adaptive functioning that present prior to the age of 18.

trauma before birth, such as an infection or exposure to alcohol, drugs, or other toxins. trauma during birth, such as oxygen deprivation or premature delivery. inherited disorders, such as phenylketonuria (PKU) or Tay-Sachs disease. chromosome abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.

Loony, loony bin, lunatic: All are considered offensive and should not be used except in direct quotes. See mental health entry . Mentally retarded: Always try to specify the type of disability being referenced. Otherwise, the terms mental disability, intellectual disability and developmental disability are acceptable.

Trouble paying attention to people. Being constantly on the move. Invading personal space, not reading social cues well and having meltdowns. These can all be signs of both ADHD and autism .

One of the most common categories of disorders to appear along with OCD is Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). ASD describes a category of pervasive developmental disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) that include Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder.