Down Syndrome And Mental Retardation

Week 6 Discussion: Down Syndrome And Mental Retardation Name Institution Week 6 Discussion- Down Syndrome; And Mental Retardation Discussion 1 The shift in the field Mental retardation is seen as a low-level intellectual function that appears for the first time among children below the age of 18, and it is measured using the intelligence quotient. However, due to advancement in terminology, the term has been changed to intellectual disability it affects daily practical and social skills of a person. Therefore, in this paper, I will include my opinion on this shift in terminology and new things that have learned from the chapter and their impact on me and my future profession. The shift in terminology is better as it removes the negative connotation that was previously associated with mental retardation. The original term used is considered offensive and sometimes leads to a misunderstanding regarding the nature of the condition and those who are affected by the disorder (‘’Social Security Administration.,’’ 2013). Therefore, the change in the terminology is right as it removes the previous negative connotation that was associated with the disorder and a misunderstanding of the people who have it as well as the condition itself. There are new things that can be learned from the change, including the fact that the new term is considered unclear and people have preferred other alternatives such as mental development. Moreover, it has resulted in misinterpretation of the term by various adjudicators which leads to unclear implication for the policy for disability (‘’Social Security Administration.,’’ 2013). Further, the new term is considered to become outdated very soon which will require more resources to search for a new term to replace it. Finally, people do not support the change and prefer the traditional term to be maintained because it is more precise and less vague. In summary, the change of the terminology has raised people’s concern regarding the clarity of the new word. Albeit the benefits of the new term in removing the negative connotation of the previous word used, people are afraid...