Developmental Disabilities

Definition of Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–42)defines developmental disability as a severe and chronic disability that is due to a mental and/or physical impairment, occurs before age 22, is likely to continue indefinitely, requires individualized services or treatments across the individual’s lifetime or for a prolonged duration, and results in functional limitations in at least three of the following areas: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. In addition, individuals who have substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired conditions from birth through age 9 may be considered to have a developmental disability without meeting three of the [Page 494]aforementioned criteria if they have a high probability of meeting the criteria later in life if services are not provided to them.

History of Developmental Disabilities

Historically, individuals with developmental disabilities have been mistreated, abandoned, and persecuted. In the mid-1800s, institutions to house individuals with developmental disabilities emerged and were popularly thought to keep society safe from them. However, deinstitutionalization was not promoted until the exposure of inhumane conditions at these institutions in the mid-1960s. This heralded in the movement toward independent living and self-advocacy.

In 1963, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act was the first legislation enacted to protect and to provide opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities. This act funded programs, such as the Protection and Advocacy System to protect the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities and the University Affiliated Facilities, which was later renamed the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service, to train providers to serve individuals with developmental disabilities, conduct and disseminate research relating to developmental disabilities, and to conduct community outreach efforts. Other legislation, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the American with Disabilities Act, also sought to integrate individuals with developmental disabilities into mainstream society by providing individuals with developmental disabilities with access to the same public education afforded to typically developing peers and to address discrimination that individuals with developmental disabilities face in society. In addition, in 1987, to foster greater opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives and to achieve their maximum potential, Ronald Reagan, the then president of the United States, proclaimed March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

Developmental Disability Conditions and Prevalence

Numerous developmental disabilities have been identified. Some of these include intellectual disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, Down syndrome, and Williams syndrome.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 14% of children and adolescents were diagnosed with a developmental disability between 1997 and 2008. In addition, C. A. Boyle and colleagues found that there has been an increase in the prevalence of developmental disabilities over time, with 12.8% of children and adolescents diagnosed as having a developmental disability in 1997–1999, whereas 15.04% of children and adolescents were diagnosed as having a developmental disability in 2006–2008. Among U.S. children and adolescents, there is also an increasing trend of children and adolescents being diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism over time. For example, there was a 289.5% increase in autism diagnosis from the period between 1997 and 1999 and the period between 2006 and 2008.

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