- Possible causes
- How to Identify Mental Retardation
- Main characteristics of mental retardation
- Mild mental retardation
- Moderate mental retardation
- Severe mental retardation
- Life expectancy
Mental retardation is a condition, usually irreversible, characterized by an inferior intellectual capacity with learning and social adaptation difficulties, which is usually present from birth or which manifests itself in the early years of childhood.
Possible causes
In most cases, the cause of mental retardation is unknown, but several conditions during pregnancy can cause or contribute to the child's mental retardation, such as the use of certain drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, radiation therapy and malnutrition.
Difficulties associated with premature birth, traumatic brain injury or very low oxygen concentration during childbirth can also cause mental retardation.
Chromosomal abnormalities, as in Down syndrome, are common causes of mental retardation, but this condition can 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 an intelligence quotient (IQ) test.
Children with an IQ of 69 to 84 have a learning disability, but are not considered to be mentally retarded, but those with a mild mental retardation, who have an IQ of 52 to 68, although they have a reading disability, can learn the basic educational skills needed day to day.
Main characteristics of mental retardation
Mental retardation can be classified as:
It is characterized by an intellectual quotient (IQ) between 52 to 68.
Children with a mild degree of mental retardation can achieve a reading level similar to that of children between the 4th and 6th grades, learning the basic educational skills needed in their daily lives.
These people generally do not have obvious physical defects, but they may have epilepsy and need supervision from special educational institutions. They are often immature and poorly refined, with little capacity for social interaction. Their line of thought is very specific and in general, they are unable to generalize. They have difficulties 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 capacity, all children with mental retardation can benefit from special education.
It is characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 36 and 51.
They are more slow to learn to speak or sit, but if they receive adequate training and support, adults with this degree of mental retardation can live with some independence. But the intensity of the support must be established for each patient and sometimes it may take just a little help to be able to be integrated.
It is characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 20 and 35.
As characteristics of severe mental retardation, a learning disability can be highlighted even when compared to a child with a less intense retardation, especially in cases where the IQ is below 19. In these cases, in general, the child cannot learn, speak or understand to a degree is found, always requiring specialized professional support.
Life expectancy
The life expectancy of children with mental retardation may be shorter and it appears that the more severe the mental retardation, the lower the life expectancy.
