developmental disability

noun

plural developmental disabilities

: any of various conditions (such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility

Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.

—Melanie Howard

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.

—Braema Mathi

developmentally disabled adjective

developmentally disabled students

Examples of developmental disability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Based out of West Valley College in Saratoga, the College of Adaptive Arts provides college programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. —Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024

What to know about the judge killed in Letcher county shooting Lambert heads the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health, which seeks to address mental health needs, substances use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities. —Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 24 Sep. 2024

When a family receives the earth-shattering news that their child has an intellectual or developmental disability, the whirlwind of emotions can feel devastating. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 24 July 2024

The pair started the Marcus Autism Center at Emory University, which helps kids with developmental disabilities. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

developmental disability

noun

: any of various conditions (as autism, cerebral palsy, or intellectual disability) that are marked by delayed or impaired development (as in learning, language, or mobility)

developmentally disabled adjective

Medical Definition

developmental disability

noun

: any of various conditions (as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility

Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.

—Melanie Howard

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.

—Braema Mathi

developmentally disabled adjective

developmentally disabled children