Person with intellectual disability

This refers to a person who encounters barriers in the environment due to the way they learn, understand, or communicate. These barriers hinder their ability to express themselves, participate, and interact with others. It could also imply certain limitations in their ability to live their daily life independently. In general, this is a permanent condition, which means that a person with intellectual disability requires support and accommodations to exercise their rights and make autonomous decisions.

This includes people with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Down Syndrome. However, there are many other conditions, which makes it difficult to characterize this group of people with intellectual disability in a single way. What does matters is identifying the most common barriers that they encounter, which are usually attitudinal and communicational.

Finally, it is important to eliminate any paternalistic or infantilized denomination that reinforce stereotypes of people with intellectual disability as a life-long infant or incapable. Just as with any other person, they must be treated according to their age.

Other terms used to name people with intellectual disability include person with cognitive disability and person with developmental disability.