developmental disability

American  

[dih-vel-uhp-muhn-tl dis-uh-bil-i-tee] / dɪˌvɛl əpˈmən tl ˌdɪs əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. a disability, as autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy, that impairs physical, intellectual, language, or other development, beginning at an early age and continuing indefinitely, impacting day-to-day functioning.

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developmental disability Scientific  

/ dĭ-vĕl′əp-mĕn′tl /

1. A mental or physical disability, such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation, that is present during childhood, interferes with normal physical, intellectual, or emotional development, and usually lasts throughout life.

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Other Word Forms

• developmentally disabled adjective

Etymology

Origin of developmental disability

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Providers and leaders who work in behavioral health, developmental disability, long-term care, and family support services have attended the multiple hearings on rate adjustments, saying thanks for the proposed increases but asking for more.

From Salon

Autism — a developmental disability that can affect how people think, communicate, interact and process sensory information — defies simple generalizations.

From Los Angeles Times

An oblivious crony to Ed, she presents a particularly galling caricature of developmental disability, one that is painful to watch in 2022.

From New York Times

Under state law, a vulnerable adult is defined as someone 60 years of age or older with a functional, physical, or mental inability to care for him or herself; or someone age 18 and older who has a developmental disability; a court-appointed guardian; lives in a facility licensed by the state; receives in-home services through a licensed health care agency or self-directs his or her own care.

From Seattle Times

Email correspondence from the family shows they and state Developmental Disability Administration officials had raced to put together a patchwork of care options as Dylan’s discharge date approached, but his parents ultimately felt the options offered didn’t provide enough monitoring to keep Dylan safe.

From Seattle Times