What do you think when you hear such a phrase as “mental retardation”? This, for sure, is not accompanied by the most pleasant associations. The knowledge of many people about this condition is mainly based on television shows and films, where real facts are often distorted for the sake of entertainment. Mild mental retardation, for example, is not a pathology in which a person should be isolated from society. Therefore, we often meet such people, but it is very difficult to draw a line between a healthy person and a mentally retarded simple ordinary man.
Introduction
According to doctors, mental retardation is an ailment, the main sign of which is either acquired (by a child under 3 years old) or an inborn decrease in intelligence. Moreover, the ability to think abstractly is practically absent. But the emotional sphere does not suffer with this disease: patients can feel hostility and sympathy, fun and sadness, grief and joy. However, people with mental retardation do not experience such multifaceted and complex feelings and emotions as healthy people. It should also be noted the fact that this ailment is not able to progress. Mental retardation is a stable level of underdeveloped intelligence. Although there have even been cases of its increase over time due to the impact of training, society, education.
Causes of Mental Retardation
Human intelligence is determined by both environmental and genetic factors. Those children whose parents are diagnosed with mental retardation are already a risk group. They are more prone to the development of mental disorders, although it is genetic transmission as such is extremely rare. Despite the emergence of genetics and certain successes in this area, the causes of 70-80% of cases of diseases cannot be determined. Most often they are identified in especially severe cases. But still we offer to understand the most common factors that provoke the occurrence of such a condition.
Prenatal causes
The cause of the condition in question is often chromosomal abnormalities, genetic, nervous diseases. Mental retardation is also caused by congenital ailments caused by cytomegalovirus, rubella virus, HIV. Parents' use of drugs, alcohol, exposure to toxins on the fetus leads to the birth of children with mental retardation. Exposure to radiation, methylmercury, lead, chemotherapeutic drugs also sometimes leads to such consequences.
Intranatal causes
Complications associated with immaturity, prematurity, as well as hemorrhages in the central nervous system, delivery with forceps, buttock presentation, multiple pregnancy, intrapartum asphyxia increase the risk of mental retardation. But here a lot will depend on the care of the baby in the first months after its birth.
Postnatal causes
Lack of emotional, physical, cognitive support, which is necessary for development, growth, social adaptation, poor nutrition in the first years of life are the most common causes of mental retardation throughout the world. The disease can be a consequence of bacterial, viral encephalitis, meningitis, malnutrition, poisoning, head injuries, etc.
Degree of mental retardation
This ailment, like any other, has different criteria, due to which it is divided into degrees, forms, etc. The classification of this disease is determined by the forms of its manifestation and the degree of course. The following degrees of mental retardation are distinguished:
- mild when the IQ level varies between 50-69 points;
- average, when the indicators range from 20 to 49 points;
- severe, in which the IQ is less than 20 points.
How is this indicator determined? The patient is offered to undergo a test task, by the results of which one can judge the presence of one degree or another of the disease. Although, it should be recognized that this division is very conditional. The classification should take into account not only the degree of decline in intellectual abilities, but also the level of care and assistance that a person needs. One should not discount the ability to communicate, self-service, self-reliance, the use of public resources, etc.
What does the statistics say?
Very interesting is the fact that more than 3% of the population worldwide lives with an IQ of less than 70, but only 1% have severe mental retardation. This suggests that in the diagnosis, a lot of additional factors are taken into account. Deep mental retardation is observed in children, regardless of whether their family belongs to a particular social layer, or the education of parents and relatives. And here is another interesting fact. So, oddly enough, moderate mental retardation, in which the patient needs intermittent certain help, is more often observed in children from families with low socio-economic status.
Symptoms of ailment
As mentioned above, the main symptom of the disease is a decrease in intelligence. However, all the symptoms should be considered depending on the degree of the disease. Consider them.
- Light degree (or moronicity). In this case, in appearance, a simple layman can never distinguish a person with a mental retardation from a healthy one. As a rule, it is difficult for such people to learn because their ability to concentrate is greatly reduced. But their memory is very good. Often patients with this degree of ailment have behavioral abnormalities. For example, children with mental retardation depend on educators and parents, they are greatly afraid of a change in the situation. Such patients either become self-contained (hence the difficulty in communicating), or, conversely, try to draw attention to their person with all sorts of bright actions, usually ridiculous, even antisocial. It’s very easy for them to suggest something. Because such patients attract representatives of the criminal world, they themselves often become victims of fraudsters. A characteristic sign of a mild degree of backwardness is that patients are well aware of their malaise, but in every possible way hide it from other people.
- Medium degree (imbecility). Such people are able to distinguish between punishment and praise, experience joy, empathy, they are easily trained in self-service skills, sometimes even writing, reading, elementary counting, but they cannot live on their own. They need constant care and control.
- Severe degree (idiocy). Such people are speechless, uneducable, their movements unfocused and clumsy. Emotions are limited to elementary manifestations of displeasure or joy. Patients with idiocy need constant supervision, therefore they should be kept in appropriate institutions.
A little more about the symptoms
The first manifestations of the disease include immature behavior, a delay in intellectual development, and insufficient self-care skills. The development of children with mental retardation sometimes goes as it should until the school years. Symptoms are not recognized if there is a mild degree of ailment. But two other degrees are diagnosed, as a rule, very early, especially if they are combined with malformations, physical anomalies. In this case, the ailment will simply be diagnosed already by preschool age.
At the same time, some children simultaneously note the presence of cerebral palsy, motor impairment, hearing loss, delayed speech development and other developmental abnormalities. Over time, the characteristic of mental retardation is "overgrown" with new symptoms. Children become prone to anxiety, depression, especially if they are rejected or considered as flawed.
If in kindergartens for children with this ailment there is difficulty with adaptation, difficulties with observing the daily regimen, and elementary tasks seem impossible to them, then students with mental retardation should alert parents with an extremely high degree of restlessness and carelessness. Additional causes of concern for fathers and mothers should be fatigue, poor behavior and extremely low ratings of their children.
Forms of Mental Retardation
Here we come to another classification. In accordance with the international classification of ailments, it is customary to distinguish the following forms of mental retardation:
- Oligophrenia uncomplicated. With this form, the main nervous processes of the child are characterized by poise. Violations in cognitive activity are not accompanied by particularly gross deviations. The emotional sphere is preserved, the child can act purposefully, but only if everything is very clear to him. When a situation or situation is not new to him, then everything will be normal, you will not see any deviations.
- Oligophrenia with neurodynamic disorders. This form is characterized by instability of the volitional, emotional sphere by the type of inhibition or excitability. Violations inherent in the child are clearly manifested in a decrease in performance, in changes in behavior.
- Mental retardation with deviations in the function of analyzers. In oligophrenics with this form of the disease, diffuse damage to the cortex is combined with more severe disorders of a particular brain system. In children, local defects in speech, vision, hearing, and musculoskeletal system are additionally noted.
- Oligophrenia with psychopathic behavior. This is mental retardation, the development of which is lagging behind due to violations in the emotional-volitional sphere. First of all, in such patients, a decrease in criticality in relation to themselves, an underdevelopment of many personality components, and disinhibition of drives are noted. The child has a tendency to unjustified affects.
- Oligophrenia with pronounced frontal insufficiency. With this form of mental retardation, children are uninitiated, listless, and helpless. Their speech is verbose, imitative, but it has absolutely no content. Children are not able to mentally strain, adequately assess the current situation.
Examination for ailment
As we have said, in most cases, mental retardation manifests itself at an early age. And if the disease is due to genetic causes, for example, Down's disease, then the deviation can be diagnosed during pregnancy. For these purposes, in antenatal clinics today, all women are offered to undergo a screening examination at the very early stages of pregnancy, so that in the presence of such a pathology there is an opportunity to make the right decision - to have an abortion or save the baby. Also, this procedure is indispensable in cases where the parents of the unborn baby or relatives have diseases or conditions that can provoke the occurrence of mental retardation.
Some of the forms of oligophrenia arise due to the fact that a certain enzyme system in a baby is underdeveloped. The most common ailment from this group is phenylketonuria. Immediately after birth, babies with this diagnosis are no different from healthy ones, but already during the first months of life they become lethargic, they have frequent vomiting, have skin rashes, sweating is increased, and it has a specific smell. If you start treatment immediately, until the baby is 2-3 months old, then you can maintain intelligence. That is why never ignore early pediatric examinations of children.
If the doctor has any doubts, he will appoint a consultation with a neurologist, urine and blood tests, an encephalogram. When examining older children, a consultation with a psychologist or psychiatrist is mandatory.
If treatment is started in a timely manner, then, as a rule, it is possible to achieve that the child easily adapts to independent life. But in the case when the parents and other relatives of the baby decide that they can easily do without doctors, practice self-medication, then the sad consequences are inevitable. Also, do not forget that under the mask of oligophrenia other ailments can also be hidden - epilepsy, numerous mental illnesses, hypothyroidism.
Children with oligophrenia - what to do?
Parents should never panic. Remember that mental retardation is not a mental illness, but a peculiar state when intellectual development is limited for one reason or another.
Teaching children with intellectual disabilities is possible, as well as their development, but only as much as they are allowed to do biological opportunities. This condition will never be completely cured. Of course, the doctor will prescribe appropriate therapy, but its effect will not be amazing. Although, depending on the degree of oligophrenia, it is possible to achieve certain results through education and training. It should be understood that children with idiocy and imbecility are disabled children, they even receive pensions. The features of children with mental retardation of these forms are such that they need either a caring guardian, or the help of specialists from the appropriate medical institution where they can be identified. There they conduct therapeutic, corrective, and psychological work. Children with a mild degree of oligophrenia are not so difficult. Even despite the fact that they are not able to study according to the generally accepted program, and transfer to an auxiliary school is necessary. However, there are many difficulties in raising such children, because an adequate correction determines the future labor and social adaptation. With the right approach, they, having matured, simply “dissolve” in life - they work, start families, feel great in society.
Treatment of oligophrenia
Today there is a huge amount of funds intended for the treatment of this condition, however, only a doctor should select them, taking into account all the features of the disease. Depending on the cause that caused the ailment, it may be hormones or iodine preparations (if oligophrenia is a consequence of thyroid disorders). With phenylketonuria, a special diet will be enough, which the doctor will prescribe.
To correct mental retardation, doctors often prescribe nootropics (Piracetam, Encephabol, Aminalon and others). They are used in order to improve metabolic processes directly in the brain tissue. For the same purpose, amino acids and B vitamins are prescribed. Of course, they can be purchased without a prescription, but only a doctor can determine the appropriateness of use.
If patients with the described diagnosis have behavioral disorders, the psychiatrist selects drugs from the group of tranquilizers or antipsychotics. The key to successful correction is a comprehensive approach, that is, the use of medications should be combined with classes with speech therapists, psychologists, and a personal approach to education.
In folk medicine, medicinal plants are popular, which have an activating effect on the nervous system. These include schisandra chinensis, ginseng, aloe. However, remember that some stimulants with this ailment can provoke behavioral disorders, psychoses. Therefore, before using them, you need to consult a doctor.
Social rehabilitation cannot be discounted either. Such programs are primarily aimed at providing jobs for people with a mild degree of oligophrenia. To do this, there are special educational institutions with a specific adapted program, where patients can learn simple professions.
Prevention
Prevention of mental retardation is, first of all, a careful and attentive attitude not only to one's health, but also to the health of future generations.
As soon as the spouses decide to have a baby, they both need to be thoroughly examined, take tests, and visit genetics. This will identify and cure existing ailments or conditions, learn about the problems that can trigger oligophrenia in an unborn child.
When a woman is already pregnant, she must remember the responsibility that lies with her for an unborn child. So, she needs to adhere to the correct lifestyle, eat well, follow all the recommendations of doctors, avoid exposure to harmful factors, attend a antenatal clinic on schedule.
When the baby has already been born, one should strictly obey the pediatrician and observe all his instructions. And if suddenly the doctor suspects something is amiss and sends for additional examinations or consultations, one should not try, as they say, to run away from the problem. Indeed, in this case, you can lose precious time, which subsequently can only be regretted.
Moreover, medicine does not stand still. For example, rubella virus vaccines have helped many couples give birth to a healthy baby, but before that it was almost the main reason for congenital mental retardation. Today, scientists are developing similar anti-cytomegalovirus drugs to give peace of mind to parents and their children. The frequency of cases is also reduced due to the development and growth of neonatal, obstetric care, the use of immunoglobulin, blood transfusion and many other things that until recently could only be dreamed of. The main thing is not to panic, do not give up and try your best, because this is your close person, whom only you can make happy and return to a full life as much as it is possible today. Listen to doctors, seek specialist help on time and follow all recommendations.