Developmental Disabilities

Excerpt

Developmental Disabilities are disorders of the developing nervous system that manifest during infancy or childhood as developmental delay or as limitations of function in one or multiple domains, including cognition, motor performance, vision, hearing and speech, and behavior. Because of the variable nature, extent, and timing of the disorders in the developing nervous system their clinical expression varies enormously from one individual to another, both in severity and in relative effect on the different areas of function. Because developmental disabilities are a composite of a large number of different health conditions, primary and secondary prevention strategies vary for each of the component conditions, whereas tertiary prevention strategies, which address later effects on capacities in broad areas of function, are largely shared across disorders. These disabilities are likely to continue indefinitely and to result in substantial limitations on many life activities, such as affected individuals' ability to care for themselves, express and receive language, learn, be mobile, and live independent and economically self-sufficient lives.