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Depending on their mental development Individuals with intellectual disabilities
levels, the sexual development of children have the same sexual needs and desires
and young individuals with intellectual as healthy individuals.
disabilities follows the same stages as For these individuals, marriage and
children with normal development more having children can represent
slowly and depending on their mental the sexual life of normal adults to which
development. Therefore, individuals with they aspire. The aim of this compilation is
intellectual disabilities face certain to emphasize the importance of sexual
adaptation problems in this process. Their education for children with intellectual
sexual urges, desires and fantasies are disabilities and the role of nurses in
similar; however, their way of discovering sexual education.
and expressing feelings about sexuality is
less acceptable for individuals with Individuals with Intellectual
intellectual disabilities because of their Disabilities and Issues of Sexuality
dependence on others, restricted living Intellectual disability is a term that includes
conditions and limited social opportunities. the deficiency of social and personal
The fact that individuals with intellectual competence necessary for behaviors
disabilities also have sexual rights is usually known as cognitive skills and adaptation
forgotten, and their needs for sexual function. There are
knowledge, emotions and thoughts are varying levels of intellectual disability.
neglected. When it comes to sexual According to DSMIV-TR, the degree of
education, the names and functions intellectual disability is divided into
of body parts and the mechanics of
reproduction come to mind. Sexual mild, moderate, severe and profound.
education should, however, be more Approximately 85% of individuals with
comprehensive and meaningful. Sexual intellectual disabilities have mild intellectual
education includes an individual’s disability (IQ level 50 to 70), 10% of them
understanding of physical, emotional and have moderate (IQ level 35 to 50), 4% have
sexual development, the development of a severe (IQ level 20 to 35), and 1–2% have
positive concept of self, a respectful profound intellectual disability (IQ level
attitude towards other individuals’ rights, <2.Mild intellectual disability cannot be
opinions and behaviors, and positive detected generally until after first or
behaviors and value judgments. For second grade at school. By the end of
centuries, individuals with intellectual adolescence, they will generally have an
disabilities have been regarded as inhuman, academic achievement at the level of sixth
asexual or childish, or that grade. Most children with moderate
they were over fond of sex and that they intellectual disabilities can acquire adequate
could not control their sexuality. However, conversation and communication skills in
unwonted sexualized behaviors can occur early childhood. Generally, they have
because the individuals do not know difficulties academically and do not usually
whether their sexually oriented behaviors exceed second and third grade levels. In
are appropriate in terms of place, time and adolescence they find it hard to
context. In other words, they cannot control socialize.
these behaviors.
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