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Mental Retardation

 

            
             My topic is disorders that are usually first evident in infancy, childhood or adolescence. Some examples of this are attention deficit, anxiety and mental retardation. .
             Attention deficit is a behavioral syndrome in children who very easily get distracted, are restless, and have difficultly concentrating on one thing for any period of time. It affects five percent of all school children and is three times more common in boys than girls. It can be treated through counseling and medication. (Encyclopedia Britannica 2001) .
             Anxiety is a feeling of dread fear or apprehension often with no clear justification. Some signs are sweating, and increased pulse. It is usually regarded as an emotional disorder. It can arise in daily life for some, but for others it is not constant. (Encyclopedia Britannica 2001).
             One specific major psychological disorder is mental retardation, also called Mental Deficiency. The definition of mental retardation is a subnormal intellectual development as a result of congenital causes, brain injury, or disease, and characterized by any of various cognitive deficiencies, including impaired hearing, social and vocational ability.
             A person who is considered to have mental retardation has three characteristics about them: 1) Their IQ is below 70-75(intellectual functions level) 2) Significant limitations exist on two or more adaptive skill areas 3) The condition is present from childhood (age 18 or less).
             There can be five causes of mental retardation. One is genetic conditions, resulting from abnormal genes inherited from parents. The second cause is problems during pregnancy. If the mother smokes, or uses drugs or alcohol the chances of the baby being mentally retarded increases. The third cause is problems at birth. If the baby is premature or has a low birth weight can also cause this disorder. The fourth cause is problems after birth. Childhood diseases such as whooping cough, chicken pox, and measles can lead to other, more serious diseases that can damage the brain.


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