Can anyone give me the correct phrase to refer to people who are mentally slow?

Question

I dont want to offend anyone but I really dislike saying that someone is a slow learner or mentally slow.Can you tell me how to say this in a way that will not be offensive to anyone?

Much Thanks :)

Answer 1

hm.....differernt learner....they have different ways

Answer 2

Well now that can open a can of worms but I KNOW what you shouldn't say and that's retard or mental retard.

Generally people say intellectually impaired or intellectually challenged. Slow learner is ok depending on its use because people understand that concept.

Retard and Mental retard are just offensive and show you that the person using those terms does indeed have an intellectual impairment of his/her own.

Answer 3

I prefer "mentally challenged". Honestly! But haing a mental problem could mean they just weren't taught correctly, their parents were slow and couldn't teach them much themselves to being a chemical brain disorder-Bipolar (that's me). There are many levels of it. I hate thinking that I have a mental problem but I guess I'm use to seeing "mentally challenged" on my medical reports. Or maybe better to say they have a "mental disorder of some type". Especially when you don't know the whole story.

Answer 4

In the US one of the oldest and most progressive organizations concerned with this population decided to rename itself this year. It did so because the people they formerly described as mentally retarded wanted them to do so. It is now called the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disability.

From that you can decide to say: person with a developmental disability or person with an intellectual disability. The other name that was under serious consideration was persons with cognitive disabilities. Many of the people who demanded this organization change its name call themselves self-advocates.

You can also just call them people with disabilities or disabled and not refer to the specific type at all.

Ask a person who actually has an intellectual disability and I bet few if any want to be referred to as challenged!

Answer 5

I think they use Intellectual Impairment now days
or Development mental delay
A range of disorders

Depending on the person they may have a learning disability
and have average I.Q.

And don't get to comfortable because there will be a new word in at least 2 years.

Answer 6

May I suggest a category I use as a registered nurse, "cognitively impaired". This does not imply a permanent condition but can be used to describe a multitude of conditions where a person is "mentally slow" due to medication (which can resolve when the medication is no longer needed) or someone with a long term condition.

Answer 7

If it was me, I'd prefer 'slow learner' to any of the others. I could care less about Political correctness. To me, it is about the golden rule, and Slow learner is a simple truth without any stigma or setting apart into a subclass human being.

Answer 8

As happy2luvk9s said - use their names - that is a good start.
Treat people as you would like to be treated
To describe someone - use these terms

"A person who has intellectual disability"

"A person who is cognitively impaired"

"A person who has developmental disability".

These terms are more appropriate - they use "people first " language. They dignify the person you are talking about as "a person....." However, the term "Intellectually disabled" is acceptable. Most people use it and it is understood by the general public but "people first " language is preferable.

There are two links here that are EXCELLENT source of what language or terms to use. I hope you go and look at them. You should print them out for further reference.
http://www.disability.qld.gov.au/community_involv/communication/way_words/language.html
http://www.addc.org.au/webdocs/Disability%20Advocacy/Manuals/DHS_GUIDE_Communicating%20with%20people%20with%20disabilities_2005.pdf

Answer 9

Mentally Challenged.

Answer 10

Mentally challenged

Answer 11

Mentally challenged