Abstract
The life expectancy of people with developmental disabilities approaches that of the general population. In a healthy, supportive environment with education, social support, and opportunity, all people with developmental disabilities can be included in their communities and lead meaningful lives. Developmental disability is not a disease, illness, prognosis, or set of specific cognitive or physical traits. Rather, it is a social construct, defined in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 as a severe, chronic disability that manifests during the developmental period of life, and is expected to continue indefinitely. It results in substantial functional limitations in three or more areas of major life function including self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. It is a disability that requires special interdisciplinary services and supports and lifelong, individually planned and coordinated care [1]. Developmental disabilities can result from genetics, injury, or intrauterine, perinatal, or postnatal environmental conditions. Developmental disabilities include diagnoses such as autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and intellectual disability.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Public Law 106-402. Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/about-acl/2016-12/dd_act_2000.pdf
National Council on Disability.Genetic Testing and the Rush to Perfection. 23 Oct 2019. https://ncd.gov/publications/2019/bioethics-report-series
Lettercase. The National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Resources. https://www.lettercase.org/. Accessed 29 Sep 2020.
Gill SK, Broussard C, Devine O, Green RF, Rasmussen SA, Reefhuis J, et al. Association between maternal age and birth defects of unknown etiology: United States, 1997–2007. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2012;94(12):1010–8.
Council on Children With D, Section on Developmental Behavioral P, Bright Futures Steering C, Medical Home Initiatives for Children With Special Needs Project Advisory C. Identifying infants and young children with developmental disorders in the medical home: an algorithm for developmental surveillance and screening. Pediatrics. 2006;118(1):405–20. Reaffirmed Aug 2014.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/autism-spectrum-disorder-in-young-children-screening. February 2016.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/speech-and-language-delay-and-disorders-in-children-age-5-and-younger-screening. Apr 2019.
Vitrikas K, Savard D, Bucaj M. Developmental delay: when and how to screen. Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(1):36–43.
Bull JM and the Committee on Genetics. Health supervision for children with down syndrome. Pediatrics 2011;128(2)393–406. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/5/e20180518 (reaffirmed 2018).
Office of Developmental Primary Care. Everybody Communicates: Toolkit for Accessing Communication Assessments, Funding, and Accommodations. 2018. https://odpc.ucsf.edu/communications-paper. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. U.S. Department of Education. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Think College. https://thinkcollege.net/about/what-is-think-college. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Integrated Employment. https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/IntegratedEmployment.htm. Office of Disability Employment Policy. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Centers for Disease Control. Early Intervention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Victims with Physical, Cognitive, or Emotional Disabilities. Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center. https://www.ovcttac.gov/taskforceguide/eguide/4-supporting-victims/45-victim-populations/victims-with-physical-cognitive-or-emotional-disabilities/. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Crisp-Cooper M. Our Sexuality, Our Health: A disabled advocate’s guide to relationships, romance, sexuality and sexual health. 2018. https://odpc.ucsf.edu/advocacy/sexuality-sexual-health/our-sexuality-our-health-a-disabled-advocates-guide-to#pdf. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Crisp-Cooper M. What’s Next: A Self-Advocate’s Guided Tour through Transition for Parents and Other Supporters. https://odpc.ucsf.edu/advocacy/transition-successful-community-living/whats-next-a-self-advocates-guided-tour-through#author. Accessed 2 July 2020.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Kripke, C. (2022). Developmental Disability Across the Lifespan. In: Paulman, P.M., Taylor, R.B., Paulman, A.A., Nasir, L.S. (eds) Family Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54441-6_167
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54441-6_167
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-54440-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-54441-6
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine