The Science of Belonging for People With IDD

"Developmental disabilities are actually quite common. In the United States, about 1 in 6 children has a developmental disability (CDC, 2024). Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions usually present at birth that affect the trajectory of a person's physical, intellectual, and/or emotional development (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2021). Conditions such as Down Syndrome, Autism, Fragile X, Cerebral Palsy, and others are examples of intellectual or developmental disabilities."

"This comment from someone I (Kate) truly respected really stunned me. As someone who has worked in the disability field for close to 15 years, I was visiting a nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in another country. A colleague of mine decided to visit the nonprofit with me, where we encountered a child with spastic cerebral palsy using a wheelchair."

"While shows starring characters with IDD have brought some awareness of IDD (e.g., Netflix's "Crip Camp"), people with IDD are often not represented in media and not fully included in society. Progress in IDD rights has grown in the last 30+ years, driven by activists' efforts and resulting laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, challenges persist in access to quality services (e.g., healthcare, housing, transportation), employment gaps, and debates over autonomy vs. guardianship."

Developmental disabilities affect roughly 1 in 6 children in the United States and include conditions such as Down Syndrome, Autism, Fragile X, and Cerebral Palsy. Intellectual and developmental disabilities are neurodevelopmental conditions usually present at birth that alter physical, intellectual, and emotional developmental trajectories. People with IDD frequently lack media representation and full social inclusion despite rights advances over the last 30+ years and laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Persistent challenges include limited access to quality healthcare, housing, and transportation; employment gaps; debates over autonomy versus guardianship; and years-long waitlists for home and community-based care that often force institutionalization.

Read at Psychology Today