comments, criticism and suggestions are strongly encouraged
Also describe briefly the main reasons of Mental Retardation?
Mental retardation
mental retardation
it is the sub average intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficit adoptive skills
American association on mental deficiency
Characteristics of mental retardation
IQ level is below 70
Deficit in atleast two skills including resource management, hygiene, health, grooming, self-care, occupational functioning, home life.
Levels of mental retardation
Mild mental retardation:
IQ level is between 55 to 70
Mild retarded individuals can be educated
They can perform skilled and semi skilled jobs
With special education programmes, they can lead a normal life
85% are mild mental retarded
Moderate mental retardation
IQ level is between 35-50
Such individuals can be trained
They can perform semi skilled jobs
Supervision can be very beneficial
10% are moderate mental retarded
Severe mental retardation
IQ level is between 25-40
Supervision is mandatory
These individuals cannot look after themselves and even eat on their own
Speech is often affected
4% are severe mental retarded
Profound mental retardation
IQ level is below 25
Then can be trained to walk and talk
Retardation demands a constant supervision
1% are profound retarded.
Etiology of mental retardation
Biological causes
Chromosomal abnormalities: studies conducted suggest that chromosomal abnormalities in pregnancies can lead to mental retardation. A majority of such pregnancies end up in still births. the few infants that survive may die even after birth or may survive as down syndrome. In addition, fragile x syndrome can also lead to mental retardation.
Injury/trauma: In most of the cases, injury, trauma, accidents, falls particularly in the childhood can lead to mental retardation
Disease: often it is reported that infectious diseases in a pregnant mother can lead to mental retardation, particularly rubella. Along with rubella, other diseases syphilis, mumps, measles can also lead to mental retardation. Even so HIV can also cause mental retardation.
Oxygen deficiency: often there is an oxygen deficiency at the time of birth, which causes mental retardation.
Environmental factors
Sometimes, extreme environmental factors such as stagnancy of stimulus contributes to mental retardation. Very rarely, individuals are forced into environmental conditions where there movements and intellectual abilities are threatened. Such circumstances cause mental retardation.
Assessment of mental retardation
Behaviour assessment
teacher's report
conners scale
Cognitive assessment
IQ tests
Vinceland adaptive scale
Therapies
Biological therapies: in this method drug therapy is applied. Medicines such as neuroleptics, haloperidol are given to the patients
Cognitive therapies: operant conditioning may often be very useful in treatment of mentally retarded individuals. In this method, reinforcement, positive and negative may help to modify the behaviour of the patients.
Residence therapy: middle and old age mentally retarded individuals are often kept in residences which are integrated in community. medical aid is provided to them. often nurses and supervisors help them in adjusting to the surroundings. sometimes, some patients even do jobs and live in separate apartments. But severe and profound mentally retarded persons live in apartments with other people.
Behaviour therapies: behaviour therapists try to help the mentally retarded individuals. Often, modifying behaviour requires intensive training. Therapists break up the tasks into simple divisible steps. For e.g eating is divided into several steps like picking up spoon, scooping food into spoon, opening up mouth, taking spoon into mouth, closing up lips and chewing.
Critical analysis: mental retardation is relatively a common disorder with three out of 100 children born with the disorder. It is more in males than females with almost one third male born affected. this disorder often has emotional consequences and poses a burden on the economy.