RESOURCES - MENTAL RETARDATION

Definition
According to the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR), an individual is considered to have mental retardation based on the following three criteria:
· intellectual functioning level (IQ) is below 70-75;
· significant limitations exist in two or more adaptive skill areas;
· and the condition is present from childhood (defined as age 18 or less.)
The effects of mental retardation vary considerably among people, just as the range of abilities varies among people who do not have mental retardation. About 87 percent will be mildly affected and will be only a little slower than average in learning new information and skills. As children, their mental retardation is not readily apparent and may not be identified until they enter school. As adults, many will be able to lead independent lives in the community and will no longer be viewed as having mental retardation.

The remaining 13 percent of people with mental retardation, those with IQs under 50, will have serious limitations in functioning. However, with early intervention, a functional education, and appropriate supports as an adult, all can lead satisfying lives in the community.

Causes
Mental retardation can be caused by any condition which impairs development of the brain before birth, during birth, or in the childhood years. Several hundred causes have been discovered, but in about one-third of the people affected, the cause remains unknown. The three major known causes of mental retardation are the genetic conditions of Down syndrome and fragile X, and fetal alcohol syndrome, the result of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Prevention
During the past 30 years, significant advances in research have prevented many cases of mental retardation. New attempts at treatment of a variety of causes are also being developed. Early intervention programs with high-risk infants and children have also shown remarkable results in reducing the predicted incidence of subnormal intellectual functioning. Finally, early comprehensive prenatal care and preventive measures prior to and during pregnancy increase a woman's chances of preventing mental retardation.

Excerpts from "Introduction to Mental Retardation," a Question & Answer