Understanding the severity of IDD helps determine what type and level of support someone needs. Remember, these aren’t fixed categories – someone’s needs can change over time or in different situations.
Mild IDD (About 85% of people with IDD)
What You Might Notice:
- Learning: Slower to grasp new academic concepts, may need extra time and support in school
- Social: Interactions can seem immature for their age, may be easily influenced by others
- Daily Life: Can handle basic daily activities but needs support with complex tasks like managing finances or major life decisions
Support Needed:
- Assistance during major life transitions (starting work, living independently)
- Help with complex decision-making
- Support to avoid being taken advantage of
- Ongoing guidance rather than constant supervision
Real Life Example: Sarah, 25, works at a local café with some job coaching support. She lives in a share house with housemates who help with budgeting and planning. She travels independently on familiar routes but needs support for new places or complex tasks like dealing with government agencies.
Moderate IDD (About 10% of people with IDD)
What You Might Notice:
- Learning: Marked delays in learning, academic skills develop slowly and remain limited
- Social: Communication is simpler and more concrete, needs support in social situations
- Daily Life: Requires supervision for many daily tasks, needs repetitive teaching to learn new skills
Support Needed:
- Daily supervision and support
- Structured learning with lots of repetition
- Help with most practical tasks
- Support for social interactions and relationships
Real Life Example: Michael, 30, attends a day program where he does simple work tasks. He lives in supported accommodation with 24-hour staff support. He can dress himself and help with basic cooking but needs prompting and supervision for most activities.
Severe IDD (About 3-4% of people with IDD)
What You Might Notice:
- Learning: Very limited understanding, education focuses on basic life skills rather than academics
- Social: Limited spoken language, needs significant support for social communication
- Daily Life: Needs constant supervision and help with self-care and household tasks
Support Needed:
- Constant supervision and care
- Supported accommodation
- Assistance with all daily living tasks
- Communication support (may use pictures, gestures, or assistive technology)
Real Life Example: Emma, 28, lives in Supported Independent Living accommodation with 24-hour support. She communicates mainly through gestures and a few words. Staff help her with all personal care, meals, and activities. She enjoys music and simple activities but needs constant support and supervision.
Profound IDD (About 1-2% of people with IDD)
What You Might Notice:
- Learning: Significant delays affecting all areas including mobility and communication
- Social: Very limited communication, mainly through non-verbal cues, relationships limited to family and familiar carers
- Daily Life: Completely dependent on others for all personal care and life tasks
Support Needed:
- Complete dependence on carers for all activities
- Specialised medical and therapeutic support
- Constant supervision and care
- Assistive technology for communication and mobility
Real Life Example: James, 35, requires full-time care. He has limited mobility and communicates through facial expressions and body language. Staff provide all personal care, feeding, and medical support. He responds to familiar voices and enjoys sensory experiences like music and gentle touch.
Final thoughts
Understanding the level of support needed is key to providing effective care. Contact Psychological Assessments to book an assessment and get tailored guidance for you or your loved one.
