What is Mild Intellectual Disability (MID)

Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) is a much-misunderstood diagnosis.

It first appears in the 2013 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th Edition (DSM-5).

The DSM is a compilation and classification of mental disorders as determined by a committee of psychiatrists under the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-5 is the most current edition of the manual and serves as the basis of mental diagnostic terms as well as the symptoms required to reach criteria for the respective diagnosis.

With each successive update of this manual some diagnostic labels and the symptoms required to attain the label are updated.

For instances we no longer refer to ADD and ADHD. We now use the terms ADHD: inattentive/distractible type; impulsive/hyperactive type; or combined type.

Similarly, the term manic/depressive is no longer used in favor of Bipolar, also with several subtypes.

At times, some diagnostic labels are dropped altogether, such as dysthymia, a form of depression that is lasting, but not necessarily as severe, but enough to create issues of mood and despair.

As for Intellectual Disability (ID), this is a replacement for the older diagnosis of Mental Retardation.

With the previous label of Mental Retardation as well as the current label of Intellectual Disability there are subcategories of mild, moderate, severe and profound.

With the change or term to Intellectual Disability, in particular mild type (MID), many parents are left with the impression that this is not a significant matter. Indeed, it is.

The issue with mental retardation or intellectual disability, is not that a person cannot learn at all, but that their capacity for learning as well as pace of learning is lower than with persons without this diagnosis. Given the difference incapacity and pace, the person identified with MID is not likely to ever catch up.

Over time, children who are diagnosed with the mild type of intellectual disability, fall further and further behind their peers academically and often socially.

It is not uncommon that by the teenage years, children with MID begin to really notice differences between themselves and their peers. As a result, the child may appear more frustrated, withdrawn, angry, depressed, although they will likely be unable to articulate their issue. They will just in a sense, live it.

Persons who are identified with MID are quite unlikely to complete credits towards attending college/university. While they may gain employment, jobs tend to be in manual or simple service industries.

Parents who do not fully understand the diagnosis may also find themselves frustrated with the child identified with MID, thinking them lazy or oppositional – non-compliant. The fact of the matter may be that the child doesn’t actually understand what is expected of them, even if they can repeat back the instruction or expectation.

When talking with a child identified with MID, keep things simple, don’t over explain. Keep rules and expectations limited and clear. Provide for as much predictability as possible as such there is less to confuse or get used to in terms of change.

Persons identified with MID may gain employment and may require supervision and understanding from their employer with regard to their differences. Persons identified with MID can and do lead satisfying lives, although they may need supports to manage through the transitions of life.

This can be a diagnosis that not only the child struggles to understand and come to terms with, but parents too.

With the change in label, it has left many parents not fully understanding or appreciating the issues of their child and how to be most helpful.

Indeed, many educators are also unaware of the implications of the label and associated issues, instead finding the child simply difficult to understand or help and attributing issues to personality characteristics or just behavior.

Hopefully this post offers some insight into the label, it’s history and the issues involved.

If your child has been labeled with MID, do seek help for yourself to better understand the implications of the label and the supports and approaches that may be helpful for your child.

Lastly, none of this has anything to do with the worth or value your child. Your child is worthy and deserving, loving and loveable.

---

Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts!

I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

www.garydirenfeld.com – to build your successful practice

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.