National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Developmental Disabilities is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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National Institutes of Health
Developmental Disabilities
Developmental disabilities are severe, long-term problems. They may be physical, such as blindness. They may affect mental ability, such as learning disorders. Or the problem can be both physical and mental, such as Down syndrome. The problems are usually life-long, and can affect everyday living.
There are many causes of developmental disabilities, including
- These cause conditions such as Down syndrome and Rett syndrome.
- Prenatal exposure to substances. Drinking alcohol when pregnant can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
- Certain viral infections during pregnancy
- Preterm birth
Often there is no cure, but treatment can help the symptoms. Treatments include physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Special education classes and psychological counseling can also help.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Start Here
- Facts about Developmental Disabilities(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Developmental Disabilities(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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What Are Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs)?(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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Latest News
- More Kids Diagnosed with Mental Health Disabilities, Study Finds(05/06/2013, HealthDay)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
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How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDDs)?(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDDs)?
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Treatment
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What Are Treatments for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDDs)?(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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What Are Treatments for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDDs)?
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Prevention/Screening
- Developmental Screening(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
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Coping
- Caring for a Person with Mental Retardation or Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD)(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Specific Conditions
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Angelman Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Short Summary
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Developmental Dyspraxia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
- Intellectual Disability(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Intellectual Disability(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities)
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Learning about Cri du Chat Syndrome(National Human Genome Research Institute)
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Williams Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
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Angelman Syndrome
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Related Issues
- Communicating with Your Child's School through Letter Writing(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
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Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)
- If You're Concerned - Act Early(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Occupational Therapy(Nemours Foundation)
- Outlook for Children with Intellectual Disabilities(American Academy of Pediatrics)
- Overview of Early Intervention(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities)
- Parent Training and Information Centers(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - PDF
- Partnering with Your Child's School: A Guide for Parents(HSC Foundation) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Physical Therapy(Nemours Foundation)
- Sexuality and Intellectual Disability(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
- Speech-Language Therapy(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Taking Your Child to a Therapist(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- What Is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician?(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Videos
- Baby Steps: Learn the Signs. Act Early(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Developmental Disabilities(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Mental Retardation(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Developmental Disabilities
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: 15q13.3 microdeletion(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 15q24 microdeletion(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 16p11.2 deletion syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 1p36 deletion syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 1q21.1 microdeletion(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 22q11.2 duplication(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 2q37 deletion syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 9q22.3 microdeletion(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Alpha thalassemia X-linked intellectual disability syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Angelman syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Aspartylglucosaminuria(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Christianson syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Coffin-Lowry syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Coffin-Siris syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Cornelia de Lange syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Costello syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Cri-du-chat syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Donnai-Barrow syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Emanuel syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: FG syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Genitopatellar syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Isodicentric chromosome 15 syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Jacobsen syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Kabuki syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Kleefstra syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Koolen-de Vries syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Lowe syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Lujan syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: MECP2 duplication syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Mowat-Wilson syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Mucolipidosis type IV(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Myhre syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Ohdo syndrome, Maat-Kievit-Brunner type(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Ohdo syndrome, Say-Barber-Biesecker-Young-Simpson variant(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Pallister-Killian mosaic syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Pitt-Hopkins syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: PPM-X syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Renpenning syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Ring chromosome 14 syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Smith-Magenis syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Tetrasomy 18p(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: VACTERL association(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Williams syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: X-linked infantile spasm syndrome(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: 15q13.3 microdeletion
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Research
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Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm infants at 2.5 years after...
- Article: Corticostriatal connectivity and its role in disease.
- Article: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infections.
- Developmental Disabilities -- see more articles
- Mental retardation -- see more articles
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Directories
- State Councils on Developmental Disabilities(Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
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Organizations
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Law and Policy
- Americans with Disabilities Act - ADA Home Page(Department of Justice)
- Categories of Disability under IDEA Law(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Services in School for Children with Special Needs: What Parents Need to Know(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
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Statistics
- Developmental Disabilities Increasing in U.S.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Children
- Kids' Quest on Disability and Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Mental Retardation(Nemours Foundation)
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Seniors
- Older Adults and Their Aging Caregivers(American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)
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Patient Handouts
- Developmental coordination disorder
- Also available in Spanish
- Developmental Screening(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
- Mental retardation
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
