Mental Retardation
The term “Mental Retardation” actually covers multiple complications that an individual can suffer from that affect learning and emotional development or intellectual growth. Numerous conditions can cause these disabilities, including genetic factors, major accidents, fetal alcohol syndrome, and family history of mental complications. Birth injuries have also been known to cause mental disabilities. Read below Mental Retardation FAQ for more details.
The American Association on mental deficiency states that mental retardation is a “significantly sub-average general intellectual function existing concurrently with deficit in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the development period”. From a biological point of view, M.R. is a state of incomplete mental development of a kind and degree such that the individual is incapable of adapting himself to the normal environment as to maintain existence independently of supervision, control or external support.
It is not always possible to precisely pinpoint the cause of M.R. even in the presence of laboratory diagnostic facilities with DNA and molecular studies. Some cases may show dysmorphic features, which only help in identifying the inherent condition or syndrome. It is not uncommon that a child with subnormal intelligence shows normal findings on medical, neurological and laboratory examinations and such cases of M.R. are referred to as non-specific or unknown M.R.
Some children with mild to borderline retardation give no evidence of brain damage on any of the above – mentioned medical, family or laboratory parameters. Most of them belong to the lower socio-economic status, thus assuming that their poor adaptive function is likely due to adverse socio-cultural influences like lack of a stimulating environment, rather than any of the organic or genetic factors. Such pseudo-retardation should be clearly distinguished from true mental retardation.
Depending on the I.Q., the degree of mental retardation, according to the DSM IV is as below:
Degree of M.R. I.Q.
Mild M.R. 50 – 55 to 70
Severe M.R. 20 – 25 to 35 – 40
Profound M. R. Below 20 to 25
Mental retardation is not a disease; it’s an expression of many symptoms. The underlying problem in M.R. is an aberration of brain function. The causes of brain dysfunction could be environmental and/or genetic factors.
All the characteristics of M.R. can appear long after birth due to injury to the brain anytime during the development period upto 18 years of age. Injury to the brain can be caused by the following factors: Severe malnutrition in the child especially upto 2 years of age. Infection to the child such as meningitis or encephalitis. Repeated episodes of epileptic fits. Injury to the brain from accidents or falls. Strangulation, smoke inhalation or near drowning. Accidental
There are 3 ways to educate the mentally retarded: Special schools meant exclusively for M.R. individuals. Integrated schools wherein M.R. children are trained along non-handicapped students Home based training programmes wherein parents are taught how to train their M.R. children.
What facilities does foundation provide for MR children? Under the auspices of Holistic Child Care Centre foundation focuses on prevention, early diagnosis and early intervention for theses conditions.We run a registered special school for mental retardation.We also provide therapy, special education, Counselling as well as Homoeopathic medications
Homoeopathy mainly helps to:
Bring about moderation in sensitivity disturbances
Control the behavioural problems
Control the emotional disturbances
Manage underlying neurological, genetic, metabolic disorders
Promote the growth process and general resistance of the system
Do not have nay adverse or depressing neurophysiological side effects.
The field of mental retardation is a meeting point for all biological and behavioral sciences. Physical and mental development forms its basis. Since mental retardation can be prevented but not cured in the customary sense of the word, the special training to the mentally retarded gives them the opportunity to develop and to improve if detected early. A major objective of training or education is to attain some degree of vocational competence and economic productivity. Vocational education refers to the preparation of the process of persons for all aspects of life. The effectiveness of vocational training or specific education is largely controlled by certain environmental factors besides the degree of disability inherent in the child. The ultimate goal should be to make the mentally retarded person socio-economically independent.