What Are Developmental Disabilities?

Developmental disabilities are a variety of conditions that may become apparent during childhood or before the age of 22 and cause mental or physical limitations. These conditions include autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, and other neurological impairments. People with developmental disabilities may not learn as quickly as others or express themselves clearly. Others may have limited ability to take care of their physical needs or limited mobility. Many have more than one disability.

Developmental disabilities have a variety of causes, which can occur before, during or after birth. Those occurring before birth include genetic problems, poor prenatal care or exposure of the fetus to toxic elements, drugs or alcohol. Occurrences during birth, such as a cut off of oxygen to the baby, or accidents after birth, like car accidents causing traumatic brain injury, also can cause developmental disabilities. It is difficult to define the limits of people with disabilities, as experts in the field continue to discover extraordinary abilities within them. While people who have developmental disabilities face a more challenging future than most, they still can enjoy a full and active life. What they need most is encouragement, understanding and the willingness of others to help them maximize their opportunities for becoming part of their community.