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
The system is already overwhelmed, with one in four children in Ohio coming into foster care not due to abuse or neglect, but behavioral health issues, developmental disabilities or juvenile justice involvement, Britton said.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
After all, even with the growing demands of an aging population and increases in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), larger numbers of these jobs are already poorly paid.
—
Gene Sperling,
Time,
1 July 2026
The classrooms at Beyond Blindness have an even split between typically-developing children and children with developmental disabilities.
—
Lillian Ashworth,
Oc Register,
29 June 2026
The foundation also funds college scholarships and paid internships for students, and creates jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for developmental disability
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ABC News,
2 July 2026
After all, even with the growing demands of an aging population and increases in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), larger numbers of these jobs are already poorly paid.
—
Gene Sperling,
Time,
1 July 2026
The classrooms at Beyond Blindness have an even split between typically-developing children and children with developmental disabilities.
—
Lillian Ashworth,
Oc Register,
29 June 2026
The foundation also funds college scholarships and paid internships for students, and creates jobs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
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 5 Jul. 2026.
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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