Learning Disability Flashcards
What diagnostic label will be used for learning disbility in the ICD-11?
Intellectual disability
What percentage of the general population have a learning disability?
3%
Patients with learning disabilities have increased comorbidity and mortality. TRUE/FALSE?
TRUE
Patient with learning difficulty often present with more advanced disease. Why is this?
Poor access to screening programmes (as they do not understand the concept/ how to be screened)
Why are patients disabilities often “invisible” whilst receiving healthcare?
Lack of effective flagging systems on patients records
What do hospital staff often not understand about patients with disabilities?
- specific requirements of people with learning disabilities
- adjustments to services that people may need
- capacity issues
- communication
What is a learning disability?
- condition of incomplete development of mind,
- characterised by impairment of skills usually appearing during developmental period
- contribute to the overall level of intelligence
What are the 3 criteria for a learning disability to be diagnosed?
Deficits in intellectual functioning (IQ < 70) Deficits in adaptive functioning Developmental aetiology (occurs < 18 years)
What different psychometric assessments are used to diagnose learning disabilities in adults vs in children?
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC),
What is the average IQ?
100
What is the Flynn effect?
IQ average is increasing (American study)
- roughly by 3 points per decade
Why is the Flynn effect thought to now be “slowing” in developed countries?
youth culture = less books and conversation, more computer gaming
Schooling = training towards test vs general education
What racial differences come across in average IQ?
Average IQ of Asian higher than european
Developed countries higher than developing
How could you potentially tell if someone has a learning disability?
- May be immediately apparent (e.g. dysmorphic features)
- Information from self / carers
- History of special schooling
- Behaviour
- Communication
How is the severity of a learning disability classified by IQ?
Borderline LD IQ 70+ Mild LD IQ 50-69 Moderate LD IQ 35-49 Severe LD IQ 20-34 Profound LD IQ < 20
People with a borderline learning disability have what mental age?
mental age 12 to <15 years.
Patients with a mild learning disability have what mental age?
mental age 9 to <12 years.
What tasks do patients with mild learning disabilities struggle with?
Delayed speech - but are able to use everyday speech
Difficulties in Reading and Writing
Difficulty in high-skilled work
Problems with Social/Emotional Immaturity
What mental age is a patient with a moderate learning disability?
mental age 6 to <9 years
What tasks do patients with a moderate learning disability struggle with?
Slow with Comprehension and Language
Limited Achievements
Delayed Self care and Motor Skills
Simple Practical Tasks often require Supervision
What comorbidities are common in a moderate learning disability?
Epilepsy and Physical Disability
What mental age are patients with severe OR profound learning disabilities?
Severe = mental age 3 to under 6 years Profound = mental age < 3 years.
Explain the restrictions of a patient with a profound learning disability
Severe limitation in understanding/complying with requests or instructions.
Little or no self-care.
Often severe mobility restriction.
In 1959 the Mental Health Act made it possible to detain patients with learning difficulties in hospital, but what problems did this cause?
Meant hospital and community care was very different and MORE patients were admitted in order to be detained and treated
