Explaining intellectual disability

Post Reply New Topic

I mentioned being intellectually disabled in another forum and got this response:
"Intellectual disability and you? O.o seems bizarre for such a brilliant brain as yours."

They way I explained it is:
"Yeah it's bizarre. There are a few of us on the autism forum like me. It's not a lack of smarts, but an inability to process certain things. Like I do poorly with brain teasers. Not able to handle conceptualization in a lot of debates and philosophy. Not able to deal with most types of formulas. Not able to maintain a sense of direction so I get lost easily."

Is there any other way I could have explained it better do you think?

No, you explained it very well I think.

That is a good explanation. Many people think of intelligence as a single thing that a person has more of or less of. The full IQ score encourages this by giving a single number. When you break it apart like you did, you give a much more accurate picture. This information gets picked up in IQ subtest scores but then lost when the subtest scores get put together.

this isnt questioning the genuiness of diagnosis,but am actualy surprised are diagnosed as intelectualy disabled because are under such little support at a young age,are not experiencing severe challenging behavior [a side effect to ID] beyond what is expected of autism,and also use complex concepts and words that self at thirty cannot understand.
its possible the verbal difficulties coud have played a part in the IQ assessment,knocking it into ID territory,the difficulties have got with self help coud be executive functioning issues,getting older will give a clearer idea of which side it lies on.

Yep. I have trouble with planning things (like eating). Good at using words. In several ways i understand better over doing. Two or three word instructions helps when what I hear goes way down. To know what I am looking for, I need a picture now instead of a word. Processing is easier this way.

I'm never sure of the correct terms to use. I've heard learning disabled too and other stuff like that. Have always needed special ed in most areas. I really did not qualify for public school even with special ed until last year. In person I appear a lot more autistic than here. Nonverbal and inattentive looking. I have to have an assigned helper with me at all times at school. People often think I'm blind because I have to be escorted everywhere and my eyes are askew or whatever. Either that or they think I'm mentally ret*d, because of my awkward gait and movements. Or both.



When it comes to being a "wordsmith" I have an above average ability for may age.
When it comes to most other stuff, it's below average to challenged. "intellectually challenged" and "academically challenged" are other terms that have been applied to me far as I remember. Dyspraxia, dyslexia, and dyscalcula are also things I'm dx with. Oy what a mess.

One area I lack is memorization. I work with desktop type troubleshooting, and when there are multiple passwords to input, I have to have a cheat sheet with them written down. It takes me a lot of repetition to learn things most people regard as simple. When I was in school and had a combination lock to open, I had to keep the combination with me. It's awkward, and I never mention it because in the past people have taken t as a sign of stupidity.
Otherwise I can process procedures as easily as mu co-workers, except I prefer using sure fire methods such as rebooting a computer rather than going through a lengthy string of commands.

I also have an intellectual disability, I feel that, for me its not a matter of intelligence but a matter of input and output, I have understanding and knowledge but putting it on paper is where is goes wrong.

so that's why I stick to Science, English, history anything that requires a lot of writing I tend to fail on. although I love English, reading and I like doing essays about Shakespeare and Jane Austen so I find it upsetting that I just can't get it all on paper.


I think you described it very well, I think people sometimes equate intellectual disability as always being less intelligent which is not always the case at all

[/quote]


You must find it quite frustrating, especially when people presume you are unintelligent. I suppose it could be likened to being locked inside your brain in some ways.

Intellectual disability is the new term for mental retardation. I assume that is what you meant when you said you have it.

Oh man, this thread makes me depressed.

I don't know where I am on the spectrum but my cognitive abilities have always been frustrating. I deal with poor executive function, working memory, task flexibility, problem solving, execution, calculating, abstract thought, learning, emotional knowledge, decision making. Examples are grasping math/programming/philosophy, understanding dialogue (Most movies/TV shows/books/PC games with dialogue and characters), following instructions, understanding my own complex emotions.

Yet people think I am intelligent?

NO, maybe not in the classical definition.

I hate the term intelligence and how it is perceived, It means nothing to me. Intelligence simply means performance and efficiency. I have excellent reasoning, self-awareness, logic and knowledge which I feel makes up for any deficits.

exactly I don't like the term intelligence, or rather what intelligence is perceived to be. from that I have seen intelligence is quantified through tests, exams and IQ. that is very frustrating because anyone with disabilities will not perform in IQ tests or exams in a way that reflects their true intelligence, for example they told me they were not even going to try to give me an IQ test because they know it would not be fair.

The only way I can show intelligence and understanding is through speech, on paper everything is rubbish.

No I did not know that's what it was supposed to mean. I have never been diagnosed as mentally ret*d far as I know. Just impaired and challenged in different ways.



Yeah it is like being locked up inside yourself in some ways. I'm glad that I am able to get released so to speak in the forums. But at the same time when it comes to getting myself ready for school, getting out to where I catch the bus, going to classes and doing regular schoolwork like a regular kid - I'm not capable of doing any of that. I need assistance and special ed.

How did you learn to write and communicate your thoughts so well at age 13? I couldn't do these at all at your age, but I could do academic subjects well.

I used to have an above average IQ. Right now my IQ is just average. I don't know the exact numbers because they don't tell you that stuff in Canada. I have issues with executive functioning and working memory.

The only thing I have an above average score in is spelling. I also did well in verbal skills and abstract thinking, but it was still in the average range. I am still considered smart by most people despite my average IQ.

I also suffer from brain fog, which can lower your IQ quite a bit. I think a lot of people on Wrong Planet suffer from brain fog without knowing it. I drink apple cider vinegar to cleanse my body and brain.

When I don't have brain fog I feel extremely happy and productive. Unfortunately that rarely happens. 99% of the time I have some degree of brain fog. When it gets really bad I often call in sick and try to sleep as much as possible.

There are a lot of kids my age on the two teen forums I'm on who write as well as I do or better. There are lots of conversations and debates they participate in that are way beyond my ability to keep up with.