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Month: April 2023

29Apr

Mental Retardation Definition

Having below-average IQ and living skills is what we mean when we talk about people with mental retardation (sometimes called intellectual disability). It is found in both young people and adults whose brains do not mature or operate normally.

Intellectual impairment primarily impacts two domains:

♦ Rational cognition, often known as I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient; a score on a standardized intelligence test),: Thinking, reasoning, learning, making decisions, and solving issues fall under this category. The typical person has an intelligence level of 100. Someone with an intelligence score (IQ) below seventy-five is classified as having an intellectual disability.

♦ Adaptation behaviors are those that are crucial to survival and include things like communicating with others, taking care of oneself, and interacting with others.

Mental retardation typically manifests before the age of 18 years old. A person with an intellectual disability will struggle to learn and accomplish routine tasks, such as getting dressed and brushing their teeth, that are second nature to most individuals. Cerebral palsy and Down syndrome are two examples of intellectual disability.

Also Read:

Mental Retardation Symptoms

The symptoms of intellectual disability vary according to the severity of the disability. Retardation is classified into four levels:

  • Mild Mental Retardation

  • Moderate Mental Retardation

  • Severe Mental Retardation

  • Profound Mental Retardation

Depending on how far along the disability is, different symptoms apply. The typical ones consist of:

  • Having problems with reading and writing​

  • Being socially immature

  • Having a below-average IQ

  • Having other conditions including autism, epilepsy, or physical disability

  • Being slower in understanding and using language

  • Being unable to live independently

  • Having impaired motor skills

  • Seizures

Other behavioral signs, such as: may also accompany these symptoms.

  • Aggression

  • Dependency

  • Withdrawal from social activities

  • Attention-seeking

  • Depression

  • Impulsiveness

  • Getting easily frustrated

  • Short attention span​

Physical deformities including a bent spine and distorted facial features do occur occasionally.​​​

Treatment And Services

Depending on the condition, several treatments are used for mental retardation. If the symptoms you or a loved one are experiencing are minor, you might just only a minimal amount of treatment and medicine. Advanced cases necessitate extensive treatment and therapy. Although they can treat symptoms, medications cannot treat the underlying problem. Medication that is frequently administered includes:

  • Antidepressants: used to treat depression.

  • Anti-anxiety medications: used to treat anxiety disorders, help reduce agitation and manage insomnia.

  • Mood-stabilizing medications: commonly used to treat bipolar disorders, which involve alternating between mania and depression.

  • Antipsychotic medications: used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.​

  • Anti-epileptic drugs to treat seizures

Psychotherapy is an additional choice, which entails meeting with a psychotherapist and going over your condition, moods, feelings, and behaviors. Your therapist will assist you in lowering your stress levels and learning more effective symptom management techniques. Speech therapy, physical therapy, and treatment for substance misuse (such as drug or alcohol addiction) are further forms of therapy.​​

Test And Diagnosis 

Your doctor will evaluate the patient’s intellectual and social abilities to determine if mental retardation is the cause. This assessment involves the following three steps:

  • Interviews with parents

  • Observations of the child

  • Standard tests

Both the IQ and social skills of a youngster are measured using standard exams. These include the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test. The child’s culture, socioeconomic position, and family history all affect the testing and results. The development of a diagnosis will be based on test results and family history.

You will speak with a variety of medical practitioners during the screening process, including:

  • Psychologists

  • Speech therapists

  • Pediatric neurologists

  • Physical therapists

Before determining that you have mental retardation, your doctor will make an effort to rule out other reasons of learning challenges, such as hearing loss, learning disorders, neurological illnesses, and emotional issues.​​

23Apr

Bipolar Disorder ICD 10

For your convenience, we’ve displayed the new ICD-10-CM codes for bipolar disorder here, with the old DSM-IV codes listed below.

Bipolar I disorder

Current episode: Hypomanic Manic Depressive Mixed
Unspecified F31.0 F31.10 F31.30 F31.60
Mild N/A F31.11 F31.31 F31.61
Moderate N/A F31.12 F31.32 F31.62
Severe N/A F31.13 F31.4 F31.63
With psychotic features N/A F31.2 F31.5 F31.64
In partial remission F31.71 F31.73 F31.75 F31.77
In full remission F31.72 F31.74 F31.76 F31.78

Related codes

  • F31.8 Other bipolar disorders
  • F31.81 Bipolar II disorder
  • F31.89 Other bipolar disorder
  • F31.9 Bipolar disorder, unspecified
  • F34.0 Cyclothymic disorder
Old codes (listed in DSM-4)

Now consolidated: Bipolar — Single Manic

  • 296 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, unspecified
  • 296.01 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, mild
  • 296.02 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, moderate
  • 296.03 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, severe without psychotic features
  • 296.04 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, severe with psychotic features
  • 296.05 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, in partial remission
  • 296.06 Bipolar I disorder, single manic episode, in full remission

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Now consolidated: Bipolar — Manic

  • 296.4 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode hypomanic
  • 296.4 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, unspecified
  • 296.41 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, mild
  • 296.42 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, moderate
  • 296.43 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, severe without psychotic features
  • 296.44 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, severe with psychotic features
  • 296.45 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, in partial remission
  • 296.46 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic, in full remission

Now consolidated: Bipolar — Depressed

  • 296.5 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, unspecified
  • 296.51 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, mild
  • 296.52 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, moderate
  • 296.53 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, severe without psychotic features
  • 296.54 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, severe with psychotic features
  • 296.55 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, in partial remission
  • 296.56 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode depressed, in full remission

Now consolidated: Bipolar — Mixed

  • 296.6 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, unspecified
  • 296.61 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, mild
  • 296.62 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, moderate
  • 296.63 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, severe without psychotic features
  • 296.64 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, severe with psychotic features
  • 296.65 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, in partial remission
  • 296.66 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode mixed, in full remission
  • 296.7 Bipolar I disorder, most recent episode unspecified
  • 296.8 Bipolar disorder NOS
  • 296.89 Bipolar II disorder
  • 296.9 Mood disorder NOS
Patient Resources, post-diagnosis or status change

If you’ve given your patient a bipolar disorder diagnosis, it may be helpful to provide them with additional resources for use outside your sessions.

Becoming more familiar with their condition may help them be more open with their support systems and adhere to medication and treatment recommendations.

23Apr

Symptoms Of Depression In Women

A mood disorder is a condition that incorporates depression. Anger, unhappiness, or failure feelings that interfere during daily activity are some common descriptions.

As per the WHO website: – Globally, the total number of people with depression was estimated to exceed 300 million in 2015, equivalent to 4.3% of the world’s population. In India, the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 revealed that nearly 15% of Indian adults need active intervention for one or more mental health issues and one in 20 Indians suffers from depression. It is estimated that in 2012, India had over 258 000 suicides, with the age group of 15-49 years being most affected./span>

Although sadness after a traumatic event in life or grieving following the loss of a beloved one both have specific characteristics in common with depression, these emotions are distinct from each other. While sorrow frequently does not, depression frequently does involve self-hatred or low self-esteem.

Usually, feelings of emotional pain are accompanied by pleasant sensations and happy recollections of the deceased while someone is weeping. Sadness is a continuous sensation in major depressive disorder.

Depression manifests itself differently for each person. Your everyday tasks could be hampered, causing you to lose time and reduce production. Relationships and some long-term medical disorders may also be affected.

Depression In Women

Depression can lead to specific conditions, such as:

This is important to realize that having sadness occasionally is a healthy component of life. Everyone endures unhappy and troubling things in life. But if you frequently feel depressed or hopeless, you may be suffering from depression.

Without the right treatment, depression is regarded as a dangerous medical illness that might worsen.

Also, Read:

Who Is Most Prone To Depression?

Nobody is immune to depression, regardless of age, gender, or situation. Depression affects over 16 million Americans each year.

Depression may affect women more frequently than it does males. Additionally, having at least one depressing episode in your life is more likely if you have certain medical conditions or genetics.

Symptoms Of Depression

Depression might be more than simply a continuously depressed or “blue” feeling.

A major depressive episode can manifest in a number of ways. Some influence your body while others influence your mood. Additionally, symptoms might continue or come and go.

Test For Depression

No single test exists to identify depression. However, based on your symptoms and the results of a psychological assessment, your healthcare professional can make a diagnosis.

They typically probe you with a series of inquiries concerning your:

Moods, hunger, sleep habits, level of activity, and thoughts
Your healthcare provider may also perform a physical examination and request blood work because depression has been connected to other health issues. Sometimes depressive symptoms might be brought on by thyroid issues or a vitamin D shortage.

It’s critical to not disregard depressive disorder symptoms. Seek medical assistance if your mood doesn’t get better or grows worse. There is a chance of difficulties with depression, a significant mental health condition.

Complications might include trusted sources:

  • self-harm
  • drug usage disorder
  • suicidal thoughts due to social isolation
  • panic disorders
  • loss or increase in weight
  • relationship difficulties
  • a physical hurt

General Symptoms And Signs (Depression Symptoms, Symptoms Of Depression )

The symptoms of depression vary from person to person. The degree, regularity, and duration of symptoms can all vary.

You may have depression if you have experienced some of the warning signs and symptoms listed below nearly every day for at least two weeks:

  • feeling depressed, worried, or empty
  • feeling useless, cynical, and hopeless
  • crying a lot feeling upset, irritated, or furious losing interest in
  • activities and pursuits you once found enjoyable
  • reduced energy or weariness
  • the trouble with concentration, memory, or decision-making
  • moving or speaking more slowly, having trouble falling asleep,
  • waking up early, or staying up late, and experiencing changes in appetite or weight
  • persistent physical discomfort with no apparent cause that does not improve with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps)
  • Self-harm, suicide attempts, or death-related ideas

What’s The Frequency Of Depression?

Depression is a widespread condition. Nearly 7% of American citizens, according to healthcare professionals, suffer from depression each year. Over 16% of American adults, or roughly 1 in 6, may experience depression at some point in their lives.

Depression Syndrome: How Is It Identified?

Everybody occasionally experiences sadness or depression. However, the symptoms of clinical depression are more severe and continue for at least two weeks.

Your healthcare professional will question you in order to ascertain whether you suffer from clinical depression. You can offer a family history and answer a questionnaire. In order to determine whether you have any further medical conditions, your doctor may also conduct an examination or request lab testing.

Is It Possible To Stop Depression?

By getting adequate sleep, maintaining a nutritious diet, and engaging in regular self-care practices like yoga, meditation, and exercise, you can help prevent depression.

If you’ve previously struggled with depression, you could be more prone to do so again. Get treatment if you are experiencing symptoms of depression. You can recover more quickly with care.

23Apr

How To Get Out Of Depression

You can’t just will yourself to “snap out of it” when you’re depressed. But these coping mechanisms can assist you in overcoming depression and starting your road to recovery.

Why Is Coming Out Of Depression So Challenging?

Depression saps your motivation, hope, and vitality, making it challenging to perform the actions that will improve your mood. Sometimes it might be difficult or stressful to even think about doing the things you should do to feel better, like exercising or hanging out with friends.

The Catch-22 of depression recovery is as follows: The most difficult things to undertake are also the things that help the most. However, there is a significant distinction between something being difficult and something being impossible. Even if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent, you have more control than you may know. Recovery from depression is neither quick nor easy. Starting small and expanding from there is the key. Even though you might not have much energy, if you use all of your reserves, you should be able to do things like go for a walk around the block or pick up the phone to call a loved one.

The hardest step is always the first one. But you can do things right now, like taking a stroll or getting up and dancing to your favorite tunes. And it can significantly improve your mood and energy for several hours—long enough to implement a second recovery step, like making a meal that will make you feel better or making plans to see an old friend. The following modest but effective methods should help you gradually lift the heavy depression-induced cloud and experience happier, healthier, and more hopeful feelings once more.

Also Read:

Come Out Of Depression

The following actions can help you feel better. They might be small, but they have a big impact:

Exercise: Every day, go for a 15–30 minute brisk walk. Or you could dance, engage in sports, stretch, or practice yoga. People who are depressed might not feel particularly motivated to exercise. Convince yourself to do it nevertheless. Ask a friend to work out with you if you need some motivation. Any action that you start increases your mood. Persist in it.

Describe Yourself: Your sense of humor and creativity may seem to be restricted if you’re depressed. However, engaging in activities that inspire creativity might be beneficial. Draw, sketch, or paint. Cook, bake, or sew. Create music, dance, or write. Talk to a friend or engage in animal play. Look for anything to chuckle at. watch a humorous film. Do enjoyable stuff. even slightly That facilitates recovery from depression.

Consume Nutritious Foods And Get Enough Water: Some people who are depressed don’t feel very hungry. Some people might eat too much. But your energy and attitude can be impacted by what you consume. In order to avoid depression, you must eat well. That implies plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains for the majority of individuals. Limit meals like “junk” cuisine and desserts that have added sugar as well as basic carbs. Avoid fasting for an extended period of time. Eat a light, healthful meal even if you don’t feel hungry. Additionally, remember to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. When possible, stay away from sugary and caffeinated drinks.

Observe The Positives: The perception of the world is impacted by depression. The situation may appear bleak, gloomy, and hopeless. Set a goal to focus on 3 positive things each day in order to change your perspective. The more positive things you notice, the more positive things you will notice.

Don’t Linger On Issues: Talking through a difficulty with a supportive buddy might feel nice. However, sadness can make people overly critical, accusatory, and problem-focused. It can help you remain aware of what is wrong.

It’s acceptable to discuss your ideas and emotions with caring others. But avoid talking only about your concerns. Discuss some positive things as well. Consider changing your negative thoughts to more optimistic ones. Your mood may improve as a result of this.

Most importantly, be compassionate and nice to yourself if you’re experiencing depression. Knowing you’re not alone in your struggles might be comforting. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Healing from depression takes time.

Get Out Of Depression

23Apr

How To Deal With Depression

Suffering from depression can make you feel as though a cloud of doom has been cast over your life forever. But, even the most severe depression is treatable. So, don’t be ashamed to get help if your sadness is preventing you from leading the life you want to lead. From therapy to medication to healthy lifestyle changes, there are many different treatment choices available.

Obviously, just as no two people experience sadness in exactly the same manner, there is no “one size fits all” approach to curing depression. What helps one individual may not help another. Yet, you can beat sadness, recover your joy and optimism, and reclaim your life by arming yourself with as much information as possible on the remedies available.How To Treat Depression?

Advice on How to Treat Depression

Understand your depression as much as possible. Check with your doctor to see whether your depression is a symptom of something more serious. If that’s the case, whatever’s wrong has to come first. Consider how severe your depression is as well. If your depression is severe, you will require more intense treatment.

Finding an effective treatment can be a time-consuming process. Finding the right kind of help and treatment can take some time and experimentation. If you decide to try therapy, for instance, it may take a few visits until you discover the right fit. Another option is to attempt an antidepressant, but then realize that a daily half-hour stroll is all you need. A willingness to try new things and adapt to change is essential.

Use the medication as a last resort, not as a primary treatment. Medication can help with depressive symptoms, but it’s not meant for long-term use. There are non-pharmaceutical options that can be just as beneficial as medication, if not more so, without the negative side effects. You should know that medicine is most effective when combined with healthy lifestyle modifications if you decide to attempt medication.

Participate in social activities and gatherings. A person’s resilience against depression increases in proportion to the strength of their social network. Don’t isolate yourself when feeling stuck; reach out to loved ones or try something new like a depression support group. You are neither a burden on others nor a display of weakness if you ask for assistance. Just interacting with another human being face to face can have hugely beneficial effects.

Adherence to treatment is essential. All of these therapies for depression take time, and that can feel overwhelming or unpleasant at times. To some extent, that is expected. The road to recovery is often fraught with highs and lows.

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Diagnostic Tests For Mental Illness

Make an appointment with your health care physician for a complete evaluation if you suspect depression and making changes to your lifestyle hasn’t helped. Treatments like talk therapy and pharmaceuticals won’t help much if your depression has a physiological basis. Until the underlying health condition is diagnosed and treated, the depression will persist.

Your doctor will do a thorough physical examination to rule out physical causes of depression and to exclude the possibility that any medications you may be taking are having this effect. Sadness, weariness, and an inability to find pleasure are all signs of depression that can be brought on by a wide variety of medical illnesses and drugs. Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is a major cause of depression, especially in women. Drug interactions that produce depressive symptoms are especially common in the elderly and in people who take many prescriptions every day. The likelihood of adverse drug reactions increases with the number of prescriptions you take.

When The Therapeutic Going Gets Rough

It’s like renovating a house: tearing things apart that aren’t functioning effectively can make them look worse before they get better. Don’t give up on therapy just because it’s tough or uncomfortable at first. Having an open dialogue with your therapist about how you’re feeling and the emotions you’ve been having will help you move forward, rather than reverting to old, ineffective habits. It’s okay to look into different forms of treatment if you and your therapist are unable to find a comfortable working relationship. The cornerstone of effective treatment is a safe and open therapeutic alliance.

Deal With Depression

 

23Apr

Autism Definition

A wide range of diseases collectively known as autism, or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), is characterized by difficulties with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

Autism Diagnosis

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families can greatly benefit from an early diagnosis.

But determining an ASD diagnosis is not always simple. Doctors must instead rely on monitoring the actions of very young children and listening to the worries of their parents because there is no scientific test for it.

ASD symptoms can be highly varied. Some individuals who are “on the spectrum” suffer from severe mental impairments. Some people are quite smart and capable of living on their own.

The first step in the two-stage process to diagnose your child with autism, no matter where they are on the spectrum, is to take them to the pediatrician.

Who Has A Higher Likelihood Of Receiving An Autism Diagnosis?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in 2016, there were around 1 in 54 trusted Source children in the United States who had ASD. All racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are affected by autism spectrum disorder.

It was believed that guys were four times more likely than girls to experience it. Recent studies, however, suggest that because girls with ASD frequently exhibit differently from boys, they may go undiagnosed.

Due to what is known as the “camouflage effectTrusted Source,” girls often conceal their symptoms. As a result, ASD may affect girls more frequently than previously believed.

Although we know genes play a role, there is currently no recognized treatment for ASD, and researchers are still trying to determine its exact etiology. Numerous members of the autism community do not think a cure is required.

A kid may be more prone to ASD for a variety of reasons, including environmental, biochemical, and genetic variables.

 

What Is AutismAlso Read:

In What Way Autism Is Diagnosed?

Typically, doctors identify ASD in young children. However, autism spectrum disorder can occasionally be challenging to diagnose due to the wide variation in symptoms and severity.

Some people aren’t diagnosed till they are adults.

There isn’t a single recognized test available to diagnose autism at the moment. Early signs of ASD in a young kid may be seen by a parent or clinician, though a diagnosis would need to be validated.

A team of doctors and experts will often make an official diagnosis of ASD if the symptoms support it. A developmental pediatrician, neurologist, psychologist or neuropsychologist, neurologist, and/or psychiatrist may be involved in this.

Genetic Analysis (Autism Diagnosis):

Genetic tests cannot identify or diagnose autism, despite the fact that it is recognized to be a genetic disorder. ASD can be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors.

Some of the biomarkers thought to be signs of ASD can be tested for in some labs. Though just a small percentage of people will find helpful solutions, they search for the most prevalent genetic components that are currently known.

If one of these genetic tests yields an unusual result, genetics most likely played a role in the development of ASD.

A typical outcome simply indicates that a particular genetic contribution has been excluded and that the underlying cause is still unclear.

A Developmental Check (Autism Diagnosis):

During routine and frequent visits, your doctor will check on your child’s development beginning at birth.

In addition to regular developmental monitoring, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests standardized autism-specific screening exams at 18 and 24 months of age.

In particular, if a sibling or other family member has ASD, your doctor may recommend a specialist if you have concerns about your child’s development.

If there is a physical explanation for the observed behaviors, the specialist will run tests such as hearing tests to check for deafness or difficulties hearing.

They’ll also employ other autism screening techniques, such as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT).

Parents fill out the new screening instrument known as the checklist. It assists in determining whether a youngster has a low, medium, or high risk of having autism. There are 20 questions in the test, which is free.

Your child will have a more thorough diagnostic evaluation if the test results show that they have a high likelihood of having ASD.

If your child has a medium likelihood, further inquiries may be required to properly categorize the results with certainty.

Behavioural Assessment (Autism Diagnosis):

A thorough physical and neurologic examination is the next stage in the diagnosis of autism. There may be a group of experts needed for this. The specialists could be:

  • child development specialists
  • psychologists for kids
  • pediatric neurologists
  • occupational therapists
  • speech-language pathologists

Screening tools might also be used in the evaluation. There are numerous options for developmental screening. Autism cannot be diagnosed with one tool. Instead, a variety of tools must be used in combination to make an autism diagnosis.

A few instances of screening instruments are:

  • Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)
  • Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ)
  • Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
  • Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)
  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
  • Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) new edition contains standardized criteria to aid in the diagnosis of ASD, according to the CDC Trusted Source.

Define Autism

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