On Intellectual Disability Week, the Philippine Association for Intellectual Disabilities, Inc. (PAFID, Inc.) explained that the term "intellectual disability" should be used when referring to people diagnosed with the said condition.

PAFID, Inc.'s Engr. Alphonsus De Alban said this is in place of the commonly used "mental retardation".

"While the term mental retardation is, I believe, still the clinical part of it, ginagamit pa rin siya lalo na ng mga doctors, pyschologists, tayo sa society tinanggal iyan dahil naging hindi maganda ang karanasan ng ating mga kababayan na may intellectual disability dahil ginagamit ito bilang katatawanan or bilang pangungutya," he shared in a Department of Health (DOH) forum.

Dr. Michelle Sy of the Child Neurology Society of the Philippines agrees with this – and not just for the sake of being politically correct.

"Before, mental retardation siya because it's dependent mostly on the IQ (intelligence quotient) level. But currently, to make it more inclusive and more open for intervention, mas finocus na ang intellectual disability in terms of iyong adaptive functioning – iyong capability nila to adapt to their environment despite any problem in their intellectual functioning," she said.

Sy explained that intellectual disability is just one of many developmental disabilities, the main challenge being it "can be lifelong".

The health expert said intellectual disability may be caused by genetic conditions (abnormal genes, congenital disorders, overexposure to gene-altering toxins during pregnancy), complications during pregnancy (maternal infections, malnutrition, hypertension, and diabetes), and diseases and injury after birth (meningitis and encephalitis, not getting appropriate medical care, head trauma and brain bleed, exposure to lead or mercury).

It may also be caused by deprivation (malnutrition, vitamin & mineral deficiency, exposure to environmental health hazards, lack of access to adequate health care, lack of emotional & educational, enrichment, abuse or neglect) and complications during labor and delivery (lack of oxygen, prematurity, low birth weight, brain bleed).

“For young children, the most striking symptom is impairment of adaptive functioning, rather than low IQ," according to Sy.

"They come for check-up because nagrereklamo na si teacher, bakit ganyan si anak, hindi siya nagsusulat, nagbabasa, hindi siya maka-behave... Social naman are those that involve their ability to develop relationships like communication, friendships, follow the rules... And practical naman has to do with the functional independence. Kaya ba niyang alagaan ang sarili niya? Hygiene-wise, feeding, dressing," she explained.

Sy said screening and surveillance can help in the early detection of the disability.

She enumerated early and regular prenatal care and preparation, healthy lifestyle, avoiding exposure to toxins, and avoiding potential infections harmful to the fetus among the preventive measures.

Too much screen time may also affect brain development, especially among children, who need more physical activities.

"Because ‘pag prolonged (ang) screen time use and there's a very rapid screen change or image changes, this teaches the brain to expect higher levels of stimulation and leads to inattention… Hindi nila nagagamit iyong areas na kailangan mag-develop because they're so passive in watching the screen. Ito iyong nagiging problems in the recent period," she explained.
 
NOT A 'BURDEN' TO SOCIETY

De Alban said, to date, there are approximately 1.4 million people recorded with disabilities, and 93,000 of these have intellectual disabilities, based on data from the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA)

"Mahirap sabihin na ito iyong actual dahil kung titingnan natin ang data, majority of these 93,000 is coming from 4A and NCR," he explained.

He said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has been crafting programs that are not only on academics, but also skills-based.

"Sa ating nakikita, ang focus ng karamihan ay sa academics lamang. So tuloy ang ating mga kababayan na may intellectual disability, hindi natututukan kung sakali man na meron silang skill sa sports, arts and design, or iyong tinatawag na skills-based na technical o vocational," De Alban shared.
De Alban also echoed the fears of many families of persons with intellectual disabilities: how will our family member function if we are gone?

"If they are given, if they are provided with opportunities, they will be successful later on in life. Hindi lang naman iyong sila ay maging productive member of society. Iniiwasan din natin na sana hindi sila maging burden. Kasi hirap na hirap ang bata o isang tao na may intellectual disability. Siya po ay nahihirapan hindi lamang dahil sa kanyang kondisyon kundi pati rin sa society na mapandikta," he said.

His group has been providing capacity-building and training not just for children and persons with disabilities, but for their families and teachers.

They also engage with government agencies to ensure that policies are properly implemented.

For Sy, the general public can help people with intellectual disability by being more patient, using clear communication, offering a supportive environment, encouraging independence, and celebrating their achievements.