That’s the problem with the tendency to label kids for everything these days.
The term “intellectual disability” is really a catch-all phrase which can mean everything from someone who is merely a slightly slow learner or has dyslexia all the way up to full blown Down Syndrome. There is a whole range of difference in there.
In all likelyhood, this was your parents (or an observant teacher) who realized that for whatever reason you could benefit from having an IEP. However, in order to qualify for that concession, there had to be some sort of diagnosis to satisfy the paperwork requirements, hence the label.
But it’s your choice now as an adult whether you will live down to your label or rise above it.
Obviously you have a really good work ethic because customer service can be a rough grind and if your boss says that you’re a pleasure to work with, that is high praise indeed.
Here’s a newsflash, there are tons of people who have some degree of difficulty processing and remembering information. So what? That makes you pretty average (or possibly slightly below average). It’s not the end of the world.
If you wrote this question yourself, you’re already head and shoulders above a lot of people your age. And I’m writing that as a former teacher who made my living evaluating people’s writing.
Perhaps you were given a diagnosis for an IEP because it takes you SLIGHTLY longer to learn something. But you obviously did learn it VERY WELL.
Your writing is not typical of someone with an intellectual disability, that’s for sure.
And you’re in the real job world now and what’s most important to ANY BOSS is a good attitude and a strong work ethic.
This will be especially important when you’re working in the medical field with patients. Obviously you have a wonderful talent for working with people if your boss said that you’re a pleasure to work with.
For someone dealing with medical patients day in and day out, this quality is as valuable as gold. Any employer should value that because it’s hard to find.
Over the years I’ve had students of all different types and abilities and the ones who always stood out were those who tried their hardest (we can tell when someone is Laing their best effort) and were able to get along with others. This was much more important than who got the highest test scores or who was the smartest.
There were plenty of smart kids with smug attitudes wasting their talents.
Here’s a few suggestions. The label of intellectual disability came in handy when you were in high school because it helped keep your head above water. It kept you from falling through the cracks.
But you are no longer in HS. You can drop the label. You are not required to disclose it to anybody ever (either bosses or friends) because it really doesn’t matter now.
Obviously you’ve been successful in your endeavors both educationally and job-wise. Whatever abilities or lack of abilities you have are what you are. As long as you are consistently doing the best you can, that’s what really counts. Effort is FAR FAR more important for this part of your life.
If you think it might help you to know the precise reason for your IEP status, then you should ask. Ask your parents or whomever at your HS would be able to give you that info.
Currently you are taking a very generalized (almost meaningless) term and catastrophizing it in your mind.
If you are a slight bit of a slow learner or have memory difficulty, so do tons of other people. And many of them are a lot less conscientious or pleasant than you are. I guarantee that.
You need to spend more time thinking about your positive qualities because this is what has made you successful.
Everybody has positives and negatives about themselves. NOBODY is perfect. Judging from the feedback of your boss, you’re doing fine so far. You are a valuable employee to him. Focus on that because that’s the real world, not the school world.
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