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.
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Mental Retardation Symptoms
The symptoms of intellectual disability vary according to the severity of the disability. Retardation is classified into four levels:
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Mild Mental Retardation
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Moderate Mental Retardation
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Severe Mental Retardation
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Profound Mental Retardation
Depending on how far along the disability is, different symptoms apply. The typical ones consist of:
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Having problems with reading and writing
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Being socially immature
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Having a below-average IQ
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Having other conditions including autism, epilepsy, or physical disability
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Being slower in understanding and using language
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Being unable to live independently
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Having impaired motor skills
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Seizures
Other behavioral signs, such as: may also accompany these symptoms.
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:
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Antidepressants: used to treat depression.
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Anti-anxiety medications: used to treat anxiety disorders, help reduce agitation and manage insomnia.
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Mood-stabilizing medications: commonly used to treat bipolar disorders, which involve alternating between mania and depression.
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Antipsychotic medications: used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.
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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:
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:
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Psychologists
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Speech therapists
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Pediatric neurologists
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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.
