Fact Sheet on Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities

There are many things considered a developmental disability and the term mental retardation is also broad. Figuring out what each means can be difficult, but is simpler when broken down into individual parts.

Physical Disorders

• Developmental disabilities are not necessarily always forms of mental retardation. A developmental disability is any problem evident from birth that affects the individual throughout life. It may involve the way a person's body handles things the individual consumes, or it may be a birth-related, nervous disorder.

Intellectual Disability

• This type of developmental disability may include mental retardation. Down Syndrome is a type of intellectual disability, for example. This is categorized by how capable the individual is of handling daily tasks required to survive in a modern society. This may include cooking skills or the ability to communicate successfully.

Treatments

• Treatments vary wildly since the term developmental disabilities encompasses so many disorders. Some patients may require permanent care and therefore be placed in a facility where they are cared for around the clock. Other people may require medications or therapies to cope with their disorders or disabilities.