Mental retardation is a condition, usually irreversible, characterized by an intellectual capacity inferior to normal with difficulties of learning and social adaptation, that normally is present from the birth or that manifests itself in the first years of the childhood.
Possible causes
In most cases, the cause of mental retardation is unknown, but several conditions during pregnancy can cause or contribute to a child's mental retardation, such as the use of certain drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, radiation therapy, and malnutrition.
Difficulties associated with preterm birth, traumatic brain injury, or very low oxygen concentration during labor can also cause mental retardation.
Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down's syndrome, are common causes of mental retardation, but this may be a consequence of other hereditary disorders that can be corrected before mental retardation occurs, as in the case of phenylketonuria or cretinism, for example.
How to Identify Mental Retardation
The degrees of mental retardation that can be observed through intelligence quotient (IQ) testing.
Children with an IQ of 69 to 84 are learning disabilities, but are not considered to be mentally retarded, but those with mild mental retardation who have IQs from 52 to 68, although they have difficulty reading, can learn the basic educational skills necessary day to day.
Main Characteristics of Mental Retardation
Mental retardation can be classified as:
Mild Mental Retardation
It is characterized by an intellectual quotient (IQ) between 52 and 68.
Children with a mild degree of mental retardation may reach a reading level similar to that of children in grades 4 through 6, to learn the basic educational skills they need in their day-to-day lives.
These people usually do not have obvious physical defects, but they may have epilepsy and need supervision from special educational institutions. They are often immature and unrefined, with little capacity for social interaction. Their line of thinking is very specific and in general, they are unable to generalize. They have difficulty adjusting to new situations and may have poor judgment, lack of prevention and excessive credulity, and are capable of committing impulsive crimes.
Despite limited intellectual ability, all children with mental retardation can benefit from special education.
Moderate Mental Retardation
It is characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 36 and 51.
They are slower enough to learn to speak or sit, but if given adequate training and support, adults with this degree of mental retardation can live with some independence. But the intensity of support must be established for each patient and sometimes it may take only a little help to be integrated.
Severe mental retardation
It is characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 20 and 35.
As characteristics of severe mental retardation can be highlighted a learning disability even when compared to a child with a less intense delay, especially in cases where the IQ is less than 19. In these cases, in general the child can not learn, speak or to understand in a degree is found, always requiring specialized professional support.
Life expectancy
The life expectancy of children with mental retardation may be shorter and it seems that the more severe the mental retardation, the shorter the life expectancy.
