Mental Health

Vanessa Areano
Professor: John C. Cicero
Class: Psychology 101-27N
December 14, 2010

Mental Retardation

Mental retardation is a condition diagnosed before the age 18 that includes below-
average general intellectual function, and lack of the skills necessary for daily living.   Mental
retardation affects about 1-3% of the population. There are many causes of mental retardation,
but doctors find a specific reason in only 25% of cases. A family may suspect mental retardation
if the child’s motor skills and self help skills do not seem to be developing , or are developing at
a far slower rate than the child’s peers.   Failure to adapt and adjust to new situations normally
and grow intellectually may become apparent early in a child’s life.   In the case of mild
retardation, these failures may not become recognizable until school age or later.
The degree of impairment from mental retardation varies widely, from profoundly
impaired to mild or borderline retardation. Less emphasis is now placed on the degree of
retardation and more on the amount of intervention and care   needed for daily life.   The cause
of mental retardation can be broken down into eight categories :
  1.   Infections (present at birth or occurring after birth)
  2. Chromosomal abnormalities
  3. Environmental
  4. Genetic abnormalities
  5. Metabolic
  6. Nutritional
  7. Toxic
  8. Trauma

Areano page 2

An assessment of age- appropriate adaptive behaviors can be made using
developmental screening tests.   The failure to achieve developmental milestone suggests
mental retardation.   The primary goal of treatment is to develop the person’s potential to the
fullest. Special education and training may begin as early as infancy. This includes social skills to
help the person function as normally as possible. It is important for specialists to evaluate the
person for other affective disorders and treat those disorders. Behavioral approaches... [continues]

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