What Causes Developmental Disabilities?

Some causes found are:

1. Genetic conditions.  Sometimes developmental disabilities are caused by abnormal genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine.  Examples of genetic conditions are Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, and Phenylketonuria (PKU)
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3. Problems during pregnancy.  Developmental disabilities can results when the baby does not develop inside the mother properly.  For example, there may be a problem with the way the baby’s cells divide as it grows.  A woman who drinks alcohol or gets an infection like rubella during pregnancy may also have a baby with developmental disabilities   .
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5. Problems at birth.  If a baby has problems during labor and birth, such as not getting enough oxygen, he or she may have developmental disabilities.
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7. Health problems. Diseases like whooping cough, the measles, or meningitis can cause developmental disabilities.   This can also be caused by extreme malnutrition (not eating right), not getting enough medical care, or by being exposed to poisons like lead or mercury