Cognitive impairment is when the mind has not been developed properly or there is a delay. This affects a person’s ability to think and socialize with others.
Cognitive impairment affects a person’s ability to:
• think
• concentrate
• react to emotions
• formulate ideas
• problem solve
• reason
• remember
The symptoms and characteristics of cognitive impairment depend on the specific type of impairment. The most common symptoms and characteristics include:
• avoidance of eye contact
• difficulty understanding the motivation, perspectives or feelings of others
• difficulty coping with changes
• decreased ability to learn new skills
• difficulty with reading, writing, spelling and comprehension
• co-ordination problems.
Cognitive impairment can range from mild to severe disabilities and disorders that can be present at birth or acquired later in life, for example:
Acquired brain injury –
Acquired brain injury or head injury are terms used to describe all types of brain injury that occurred after birth. Acquired brain injuries affect each person differently. The impairments people experience will depend on which part of the brain has been affected and the amount of damage sustained. Impairments can be physical, cognitive or both and may be temporary or permanent in nature.
Types of brain injury, other than traumatic brain injury, include:
- alcohol or drug related acquired brain injury
- anoxic or hypoxic brain injury
- stroke.
Autism spectrum disorder: –
Autism spectrum disorder means the symptoms and characteristics of autism present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, ranging from mild to severe. Although Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviours, people can exhibit any combination of these behaviours in any degree of severity. Autism spectrum disorders result from abnormal brain development and function, which typically appears within the first three years of life. As a result, impairments may exist across three main areas of functioning:
• impairments of social interaction
• impairments in communication
• restricted or repetitive interests and activities.
Intellectual disabilities: –
intellectual disability can be defined as a significantly reduced ability to:
• understand new or complex information
• learn new skills
• cope independently including social functioning.
Intellectual disability is usually identified during childhood, before 18 years of age and has a lasting effect on development throughout a person’s life. Intellectual disability affects some people more than others. Approximately 75 per cent of people with intellectual disability are only mildly affected, with 25 per cent moderately, severely or profoundly affected.
Symptoms and characteristics
The symptoms and characteristics of a person’s intellectual disability will vary depending on the cause.
Three symptoms most people with intellectual disabilities have in common are:
• difficulty understanding new information
• difficulties with communication and social skills
• may be unable to live independently or have trouble with vocational skill development.
A range of information on intellectual disabilities and their symptoms and characteristics can be sourced at the links below:
• Angelman syndrome
• Cri du chat syndrome
• Down syndrome
• Fragile X syndrome (adult)
• Prader-Willi syndrome
• Williams syndrome
Organic dementia
Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses or diseases that cause a progressive decline in a person’s cognitive functioning. It is a broad term used to describe a loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and what would be considered normal emotional reactions.
Most people with dementia are mature in age, but it is important to remember that it is not a normal part of the ageing process. Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is more common after the age of 65 years. People in their 40s and 50s can also have dementia, referred to as early onset or presenile dementia.
Other neurological conditions
The nervous system is one of the main control centres of the body. It comprises both a central nervous system which includes the brain and spinal cord and a peripheral nervous system which includes all nerves external to this. The nervous system has three main functions, namely to:
• recognise sensory changes within the body and the external environment
• interpret these sensory changes
• send signals to the muscles and glands within the body to respond to these changes.
If a part of this neurological system is not functioning correctly, it can cause disruptions to this process and impact on a person’s level of functioning. Symptoms vary greatly depending on the area of nervous system that is affected by a disease or condition
Specific learning disabilities
Specific learning disabilities affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. People with a specific learning disability process information or learn differently from others and can find learning more challenging. Specific learning disabilities are not directly linked to level of intelligence as people with a specific learning disability often demonstrate average or above average intelligence.
Symptoms and characteristicsSpecific learning disabilities are characterised by a difference in a person’s level of achievement in a specific area, compared to their overall level of achievement. People with a specific learning disability may exhibit particular difficulties with:
• reading
• writing
• spelling
• comprehension
• spoken language
• reasoning ability
• mathematics
• attention
• co-ordination.
(National Dissemination Centre for Children with Disabilities 2007)
Substance dependencies
A person can develop a dependency on alcohol or other drugs when they continue to misuse a substance despite the many social, occupational, psychological or physical problems that it causes.
Substances that people may have problems with include both legal and illegal substances as well as prescribed and non-prescribed medications, such as:
• alcohol
• nicotine
• marijuana
• opiates
• hallucinogens
• sedatives
• stimulants
• analgesics (pain reducing drugs)
• inhalants.
