According to the World Health Organization (WHO), intellectual disability refers to neurodevelopmental conditions that affect functioning in two areas: cognitive functioning, such as learning, problem-solving, and judgment, and adaptive functioning, activities of daily life such as communication skills and social participation.
Additionally, intellectual and adaptive deficits begin early in the developmental period, typically before the age of 18 for a diagnosis.
Intellectual (ID) Disability affects about 1 % of the population, and of those about 85 % have mild intellectual disability. In high-income countries, 2–3 % of children have an intellectual disability.
Accordingly, intellectual disability is identified by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior.
The clinical symptoms and signs of intellectual disability are first recognized during infancy and childhood. Intellectual disability is identified as mild, moderate, severe, or profound.
Even though intellectual disability is a life-long condition, there are several early and ongoing interventions that may improve functioning and enable the person to thrive throughout their lifetime. Underlying medical or genetic conditions and co-occurring conditions frequently add to the complex lives of people with intellectual disability.
Once a diagnosis of intellectual disability is made, help for individuals with intellectual disability is focused on looking at the individual’s strengths and needs, and the support he or she needs to function at home, in school/work, and in the community.
More importantly, sustainable psychosocial support is important to create a better future for persons with Intellectual Disabilities.
In Ethiopia, there are numerous activities being undertaken to create a better future for persons with intellectual disabilities.
Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities (FENAID) has been among the leading organizations working in this area for the past three decades.
Association, President, Mihret Nigussie said that the Association, for the past three decades has been undertaking various activities to support and empower children and young people with intellectual disabilities, thereby making tangible differences in their lives.
The Association, established in 1994, will mark its 30th anniversary through various events at the national level aiming to create more awareness regarding the issue.
“The past 30 years were fruitful in the efforts made to address the challenges that persons with intellectual disabilities face. Thus, marking the 30th anniversary of the Association would have significant contributions to empowering persons with intellectual disabilities and advocating for their rights. The past 30 years’ journey of the Association beamed a ray of hope among children with intellectual disabilities and their parents,” she said.
According to her, preparations have been finalized to mark the 30th anniversary of the Associations at the Ethio-Cuba Fraternity Park through organizing photo exhibition and staging various entertainment programs that display its 30th year’s progress.
The Association still faces challenges in the efforts to create a better future for persons with intellectual disabilities due to the lack of suitable buildings inside its compound to embrace more children, she noted.
Accordingly, having well-organized facilities inside the Association’s headquarter is fundamental to bringing a tangible change in the efforts to create a better Ethiopia that creates an inclusive opportunity for every citizen.
Therefore, the Association will continue its noble activities through generations.
Currently, the Association has 17 branches in nine states and embraces more than 15,000 members throughout the country.
As to the President, the main objective of the Association is to support the efforts made at the national level to improve the social and economic conditions of people with intellectual disabilities.
Promoting inclusive education, economic empowerment, human rights, and advocacy, and ensuring inclusive health for persons with intellectual disabilities are among the Association’s four thematic areas of inclusion.
On his part, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs Representative Alemayehu Mamo said that physical and mental disabilities are a common national agenda that everyone should actively participate in.
“Disability can happen to anyone at any time and in every situation. Thus, the issue should get due attention to creating an inclusive opportunity and ensuring the inclusive participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in the country’s political, social, economic, and other opportunities. Easing the hurdles of persons with intellectual disabilities should not be an assignment left for tomorrow,” he added.
According to him, pursuant to its role and responsibilities, the Ministry has been providing continuous support, including capacity building and backing financially to associations working on persons with intellectual disabilities including Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities.
Concurrent to this, the Ministry has been working effectively through materializing policies and laws that ensure the inclusive participation of persons with disabilities to ease access to essential services from governmental and other service providers, he said.
Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities announced that it will celebrate its 30th anniversary for ten consecutive days, from November 04-08, 2024.
The closing ceremony of the Association will be marked on November 14 at Skylight Hotel in the presence of high-ranking officials, pertinent stakeholders, individuals, and other concerned bodies, it was learnt.
Fikir Ethiopian National Association on Intellectual Disabilities is an indigenous non-profit making, non- political and non- religious associations, and was formed in 1994 by 89 parents of children with intellectual disability.
In sum, there are many different causes of intellectual disability. It can be associated with a genetic syndrome, such as Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome. It may develop following an illness such as meningitis, whooping cough or measles; may result from head trauma during childhood; or may result from exposure to toxins such as lead or mercury. Other factors that may contribute to intellectual disability include brain malformation, maternal disease, and environmental influences (alcohol, drugs, or other toxins). A variety of labor and delivery-related events, infection during pregnancy, and problems at birth, such as not getting enough oxygen, can also contribute.
Intellectual functioning is measured with individually administered and psychometrically valid, comprehensive, culturally appropriate, and psychometrically sounding intelligence tests. While a specific full-scale IQ test score is no longer required for diagnosis, standardized testing is used as part of diagnosing the condition. A full-scale IQ score of around 70 to 75 indicates a significant limitation in intellectual functioning. However, the IQ score must be interpreted in the context of the person’s difficulties in general mental abilities. Moreover, scores on subtests can vary considerably so the full-scale IQ score may not accurately reflect overall intellectual functioning. Therefore, clinical judgment is needed in interpreting the results of IQ tests.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2024
