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Q: What is Mental Retardation? |
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A:Mental retardation is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental function and skills such as communication and social skills, and taking care of him or herself. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Children with mental retardation may take longer to learn to walk, speak, dress or eat and they are likely to have trouble learning in school. They will learn, but it will take them longer and there may be some things they can't learn.
Cause:Doctors have found many causes of mental retardation. The most common are:
- Genetic conditions: Sometimes caused by abnormal genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine, or other reasons. Examples of genetic conditions are Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and phenylketonuria (PKU).
- Problems during pregnancy: resulting when the fetus does not develop properly. For example, there may be a problem with the way the baby's cells divide as it grows. A woman who drinks alcohol or gets an infection like rubella during pregnancy may also have the risk of having a baby with mental retardation.
- Problems at birth: If a baby has problems such as not getting enough oxygen during labor and birth, he or she may be at risk of having mental retardation.
- Health problems: Diseases like whooping cough, meningitis or the measles can cause mental retardation. Extreme malnutrition, not getting enough medical care, or by being exposed to poisons like lead or mercury Mental can also cause retardation.
Mental retardation is not a disease, you can't catch it. It is also not a type of mental illness, like depression, there is no cure. However, most children with mental retardation can learn to do many things, it just takes them more time and effort than other children. |
