Mild mental retardation or mild intellectual disability is characterized by discrete limitations related to learning and communication skills, for example, which take time to develop. This degree of intellectual disability can be identified through an intelligence test, whose intellectual quotient (IQ) is between 52 and 68.
This type of intellectual disability is more frequent in men and is usually noticed in childhood from the observation of behavior and learning and interaction difficulties or the presence of impulsive behavior, for example. The diagnosis can be made by a psychologist or psychiatrist not only through intelligence tests, but also by assessing the child's behavior and thinking during consultations and reporting by parents or guardians.
Despite limited intellectual capacity, children with mild mental retardation can benefit from education and psychotherapy, as their skills are stimulated.
Main features
People with mild intellectual disabilities do not show any obvious physical changes, but they may have some characteristics, and it is sometimes necessary to supervise special educational institutions to stimulate skills, such as:
- Lack of maturity; Little capacity for social interaction; Very specific line of thought; They have difficulty adapting; Lack of prevention and excessive credulity; They have the ability to commit impulsive crimes; Impaired judgment.
In addition, people with mild mental retardation may experience epileptic episodes and, therefore, must be accompanied by a psychologist or psychiatrist. The characteristics of mild mental retardation vary among people, and there may be variation related to the degree of impaired behavior.
