MENTAL RETARDATION
Mental Retardation is not mental illness. It is a handicapping condition like blindness, deafness etc.
It is defined as sub average general intelligence, manifesting during early developmental period. Intelligence comprises of memory, recognition, reasoning, verbal facility, motor competence and creativity. Impairment in the parts of the brain which are responsible for the above leads to mental retardation. Individuals with mental retardation have problem in learning. Learning is the most important skill for us to adapt in our environment. Individuals with mental retardation are unable to adapt well in their environment. They need special training to learn to adapt. Signs and symptoms
Children with mental retardation may also exhibit some or all of the following characteristics:
- Developmental delay in motor mile stones and cognitive skills
- Delayed in Urine and Toilet Indication
- Delays in oral language development
- Deficits in memory skills
- Difficulty learning social rules
- Difficulty with problem solving skills
- Delays in the development of adaptive behaviors such as self-help or self-care skills
- Lack of social inhibitors
