developmental disability

[ dih-vel-uhp-muhn-tl dis-uh-bil-i-tee ]

noun

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.

Origin of developmental disability

First recorded in 1965–70

Other words from developmental disability

de·vel·op·men·tal·ly dis·a·bled [dih-vel-uhp-muhn-tl-ee dis-ey-buhld] /dɪˌvɛl əpˈmən tl i dɪsˈeɪ bəld/ adjective

Words Nearby developmental disability

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use developmental disability in a sentence

Arizona has long enjoyed a reputation for having the best services in the country for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Two ProPublica Local Reporting Network Projects Named Finalists for Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics | by ProPublica | February 8, 2021 | ProPublica
The state, which prized itself on its reputation for providing top-notch services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, took action immediately.
After a Violent Crime, Arizona Promised Reforms for People With Developmental Disabilities. It Has Yet to Deliver. | by Amy Silverman for Arizona Daily Star | December 28, 2020 | ProPublica
In one recent case, a health aide working for a private company under contract with the state had sex with a person with a developmental disability.
They Made a Revolutionary System to Protect People With Developmental Disabilities. Now It’s Falling Apart. | by Amy Silverman for Arizona Daily Star | December 12, 2020 | ProPublica
The state system that is supposed to provide help to families who keep loved ones with developmental disabilities at home is still largely a mystery to her, even though she’s dealt with it for decades.
He Has a Developmental Disability and Needs a Caretaker. The State Suggested Diapers Instead. | by Amy Silverman for Arizona Daily Star | November 6, 2020 | ProPublica
The Arizona Daily Star and ProPublica wrote a story about people with developmental disabilities in Arizona.
Editor’s Note: Why We Wrote about the Way People With Developmental Disabilities Get Treated | by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, and Jill Jorden Spitz, Arizona Daily Star | November 5, 2020 | ProPublica

The fact that he was slow to speak is suggestive of some kind of developmental disability.
'We Need To Talk About Kevin': Do Inherently Evil Kids Exist? | Marlow Stern | December 11, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST

Scientific definitions for developmental disability

developmental disability

[ dĭ-vĕl′əp-mĕn′tl ]

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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