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
Melanie HowardAutism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.—Braema Mathi
Braema Mathi
developmentally disabled
adjective
developmentally disabled students
Examples of developmental disability in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lambs Farm is part of a recent expansion trend among area agencies serving people with developmental disabilities.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
Singer-songwriter Molly Burch left her music career behind to start Picnic Studio, a nonprofit art space for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
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Singer-songwriter Molly Burch quit music to start a nonprofit.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 20 May 2025
That could mean removing spending from public school meal programs for impoverished children, removing access to health care to people with developmental disabilities, or cutting Social Security payments to even the deficit.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
House Bill 1067 asked for recommendations to eliminate barriers to employment and independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to increase workforce participation for individuals participating in the program.
—Arika Herron, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
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Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
Singer-songwriter Molly Burch left her music career behind to start Picnic Studio, a nonprofit art space for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
1 Comments
NEED TO KNOW
Singer-songwriter Molly Burch quit music to start a nonprofit.
—Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 20 May 2025
That could mean removing spending from public school meal programs for impoverished children, removing access to health care to people with developmental disabilities, or cutting Social Security payments to even the deficit.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
House Bill 1067 asked for recommendations to eliminate barriers to employment and independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to increase workforce participation for individuals participating in the program.
—Arika Herron, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for developmental disability
Cite this Entry
“Developmental disability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/developmental%20disability. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
Melanie HowardAutism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.—Braema Mathi
Braema Mathi
developmentally disabled
adjective
developmentally disabled children
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