A numerical component of MR is defined by an IQ intelligence test. An IQ test measures and predicts how well individuals learn in their environment. The average IQ score of a typical developing child falls between 80 and 119. An IQ score below 70 to 75 characterizes a child for further evaluations to determine if the child is mentally retarded. IQ levels below 75 are categorized into several levels. These levels represent the amount of support individuals with MR require. The four levels of support include: intermittent (IQ score 55-65), limited (IQ score 35-55), extensive (IQ score 25-35), and pervasive (IQ score 20-25).
Adaptive functioning, the way an individual functions in society, is another aspect required for a valid definition of MR. Included in adaptive functioning are intellectual, emotional, physical, and environmental considerations. Daily living skills such as dressing, personal hygiene, eating, and receptive and expressive communication, as well as safety awareness and other basic skills, are evaluated for adaptive functioning. A child must show poor development in at least two of the adaptive functioning categories to be considered mentally retarded.
Causes:
Postnatal causes of MR include environment toxins and exposure to a childhood disease. There are vaccinations available to prevent the newborn from contracting damaging diseases. Whooping cough, measles, rubella, and mumps are all common childhood diseases for which the child can be immunized. Meningitis is another very serious disease that attacks the covering of the brain and spinal cord. This viral infection can cause permanent brain damage in infants.
Any injury to the brain, including abuse or accident, can cause profound trauma to the developing brain. Toxins in the environment are also a cause of postnatal MR. One of the most important toxins is lead, the presence of which in paint has been a continuing issue. Symptoms of lead poisoning include lethargy, anemia, seizures, brain damage, and even death. Once lead poisoning is diagnosed, medications can assist with removing excess lead from the body. Even with medication, however, mental retardation may still be present.
The last category of causes of mental retardation is economic status. If a family lives in poor environmental conditions, the children in that family are at higher risk for disease, malnutrition, insufficient medical care, and understimulation, which can all lead to MR. Research has found that understimulation of the brain can cause irreversible damage to the brain and can lead to MR. Interacting with children is especially important in the first years of life to develop the neurons.
About 87% of people with mental retardation will only be a little slower than average in learning new information and skills. When they are children, their limitations may not be obvious. They may not even be diagnosed as having mental retardation until they get to school. As they become adults, many people with mild retardation can live independently. Other people may not even consider them as having mental retardation.
The remaining 13% of people with mental retardation score below 50 on IQ tests. These people will have more difficulty in school, at home, and in the community. A person with more severe retardation will need more intensive support his or her entire life. Every child with mental retardation is able to learn, develop, and grow. With help, all children with mental retardation can live a satisfying life. List of Mental Retardation Signs and Symptoms Mild Mental Retardation Symptoms The symptoms of moderate mental retardation in children often go neglected till he enters an educational setup. Other symptoms of mild mental retardation are learning difficulties and poor social skills. Such a child can reach the educational plateau up to grade 6. Beyond this, his educational attainment is very difficult or impossible. With age till adulthood, he may learn enough job skills and life skills to carry forward his life on his own.
Moderate Mental Retardation Symptoms Children with mild mental retardation reach developmental milestones a bit later than their peers do. These are the earliest observed mental retardation symptoms in infants. Such a child faces difficulty in learning basic communication, social and operational, academic skills. He lacks the ability to retain information and remember things. This makes him unable to learn even simple life skills. Such a child lacks curiosity, logical thinking and problem solving capability. He needs constant supervision and care for survival. Till adulthood, such a person can achieve self-support.
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Severe Mental Retardation Symptoms A person with severe mental retardation symptoms shows all the above mentioned symptoms of mild and severe type to a much greater degree since childhood. In addition to these, such a person shows aggressiveness and self injury. In a majority of the cases of severe mental retardation, the child is not able to learn the basic life skills. He needs another person's nursing, supervision and care throughout his entire life. These are the common, severe mental retardation symptoms in children.
Profound Mental Retardation Symptoms Profound mental retardation in children is observed right from infancy.There is no muscle co-ordination seen in the infant. He is not able to reach developmental milestones like talking, walking, crawling, sitting up, etc as expected with age and growth. However, with age, though he may learn some basic skills of self care, he requires constant care and supervision throughout his life.
Treatment for Mental Retardation:
Although mental retardation is often initially caused by a medical problem, medical treatments alone are quite inadequate for treating the intellectual and social deficits associated with mental retardation as an ongoing condition. The majority of mental retardation treatment is therefore behavioral, social, and educational in nature, rather than primarily medical.
Current thinking regarding the design of treatment programs for addressing the needs of the mentally retarded population suggests that a coordinated interdisciplinary effort can produce the best results. Accordingly, behavior therapists, speech and occupational therapists, special education specialists, case managers, and social workers work together to create and implement mental retardation care programs in most communities. These professionals collaborate with the individual's family and community services to develop individualized treatment plans specific to each affected individual's strengths and needs.
Early intervention is crucial in order to ensure optimal development of mentally retarded children. Intervention programs are offered beginning as young as birth through two years of age. These programs serve multiple functions: They inform parents and primary caretakers about early development; they provide interventions designed to help children grow and learn; and they collaborate with families to design treatment plans to help children function to the best of their abilities. Settings for these programs include home, school, and community. Also read about Intelligence and Mind Power Relieves Stress or read more on goherbalsupplements.com
