Question
How can I teach a child who doesn’t understand or can’t perform during learning, and I suspect they might have intellectual disability? What symptoms might this condition present?
Answer
Intellectual disability may result in limited child development and manifest through various traits. Children with intellectual disabilities often have longer sleep times, are quiet, and cry less; they generally master sitting, standing, walking, and speaking later than typically developing children. Their cries may be sharp or weak, with little variation in pitch. They may respond slowly to external stimuli, requiring multiple stimuli before crying or becoming restless. They may lack interest in toys and not play even when holding them; behaviors such as excessive sleeping as infants might transform into constant, purposeless movement as they grow older. However, not all children with intellectual disabilities will show these early signs, and it’s not appropriate to diagnose intellectual disability based on the presence of some or several of these traits.