Characteristics
Fewer than 1% of the school-age population is identified as having intellectual disabilities (ID). This population is not homogeneous, yet some commonly shared characteristics exist. Generally, students with ID are often eager to learn, honest, fair, and have sound judgment and an appreciation of beauty and excellence (Umucu et al., 2020). Still, teaching and caregiving for a child with ID are challenging due to its impacts on communication, cognition, and personal and interpersonal activities. Examples include the following:
- Memory (difficulty, particularly with working memory) leads to challenges in completing complex tasks. For example, trying to keep one piece of information in mind while simultaneously doing another task, in the case of trying to remember an address while listening to instructions on how to get there
- Communication (comprehension and production, limited vocabulary, understanding new concepts)
- Motivation (looking for external rather than internal sources of motivation, often due to a history of struggling)
- Learning (difficulties due to deficits in self-regulation – monitoring one behavior/learning and making needed adjustments)
- Social-emotional (difficulties making friends due to inappropriate behavior; a lack of awareness of how to respond in social situations) (Vaughn & Bos, 2020).
Linking Genetic Syndromes to Behavioral Patterns
The four genetic syndromes we discussed in the earlier section about genetic causes have been studied and found to have relatively distinctive behavioral phenotypes. For instance, people with Down syndrome often have difficulties with language, compared to visual-spatial skills. For individuals with Williams syndrome, the reverse is often true. Here we highlight some predominant characteristics of these four genetic syndromes. It is important to remember that there is no one-to-one correspondence between a diagnosis and its characteristics. Not all people with these conditions will have all the symptoms. Moreover, differences across cultures could impact their presentation (Vaughn & Bos, 2020).
Four Genetic Syndromes
Down Syndrome:
Individuals with Down syndrome often encounter challenges with both receptive and expressive language, particularly with grammatical structure. They may also have difficulty interpreting facial emotions, which can impact social interactions. Over time, there is a tendency for cognitive skills to deteriorate, and there is a notable prevalence of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease within this population. Conversely, their relative strengths lie in visual-spatial skills and visual short-term memory, which can serve as areas of focus for supportive educational strategies.
Williams Syndrome:
Williams syndrome presents a unique profile where visual-spatial abilities, mathematical skills, and fine-motor control are areas of difficulty. Individuals may also display heightened anxieties, fears, phobias, and a tendency to be overly friendly, which can pose challenges in forming typical social relationships. However, they often exhibit robust expressive language abilities, impressive vocabularies, and strong verbal short-term memory. Furthermore, their capabilities in imitating emotional responses, facial recognition, and memory are notable, alongside inherent musical interests and talents, which can be avenues for therapeutic engagement.
Fragile X Syndrome:
For those with Fragile X syndrome, weaknesses may manifest in short-term memory, sequential processing, and a propensity for repetitive speech patterns. They may also struggle with reading and tend to exhibit social anxiety and withdrawal. In contrast, their strengths are observed in receptive and expressive vocabulary, long-term memory, and adaptive behavior, which can be leveraged to foster a supportive learning environment.
Prader-Willi Syndrome:
Individuals affected by Prader-Willi syndrome often experience auditory processing challenges and may encounter feeding difficulties in infancy. This syndrome is also associated with a risk of overeating and obesity in both childhood and adulthood, accompanied by sleep disturbances and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Despite these obstacles, many individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome have a relatively high IQ score (with an average around 70), display competence in visual processing, and have a particular affinity for jigsaw puzzles. These areas of strength can be critical in developing tailored educational and therapeutic programs.
In summary, while each of these genetic syndromes includes specific challenges, focusing on and fostering each individual’s relative strengths can provide a foundation for more effective educational and therapeutic interventions.
Think, Write, Share
- How does Nolan’s development differ from what is typically expected regarding the following aspects: (1) cognitive, (2) social-emotional, (3) communication, (4) motivation, and (5) learning? Provide a rationale grounded in information from the case study connected to the information shared in this and earlier chapters.
- What questions or concerns do you have?