Mental health articles

helping the person to communicate Very often people with intellectual disabilities have problems in communicating
with other people. Estimates suggest that 50 per cent to 90 per cent
of people with intellectual disabilities have communication difficulties.
About 60 per cent of people with intellectual disabilities have some skills
in symbolic communication using pictures, signs or symbols. About 20 per
cent have no verbal communication skills but do demonstrate a will to
communicate, expecting a response.
People with intellectual disabilities are often dependent on professional
intervention to develop a communication plan that is best for them.
Assessment can work out the most effective means of communication for
each individual across all environments, with speech and language therapists
being key professionals.
Communication between individuals or groups of people is very
important in everyday life. It is the key to our existence and it is how we
learn. By communicating we can tell other people our feelings, thoughts
and emotions, and it allows us to be included in society. In everyday life
people usually communicate with others by speaking or writing. If
someone cannot speak, understand words, read or write then they often
feel like they are not allowed to be part of everyday activities. They might
feel that they are excluded from things, and feel undervalued or not appreciated
by other people.
Different ways of communicating, however, should be equally valued
and accepted. People with intellectual disabilities can be misunderstood
and excluded since they may need differentways of communicatingwhich
require all the people around them to learn their language (e.g. sign
language; Makaton and Signalong). Not being able to communicate effectively
with others leads to frustration. Frustration can lead to withdrawal
or anger and aggression expressed against self or others. This is seen as
challenging behaviour. Challenging behaviour can result in exclusion
from school, from college, from employment, or from all social activities. A
high percentage of communication, however, is non-verbal. Objects,
pictures, signs and symbols are all powerful ways of conveying meaning
such as the British Sign Language used by deaf people and Braille,which is used by blind people to read. Today, technology provides ever more effective
ways of accessing graphics and communication aids.
People with more severe and complex needs may not be able to use any
of the recognized means of communicating and will be dependent on
others to interpret their needs and choices.