2. 1. DEFINITION
Mental retardation or intellectual disability is an
intellectual disorder characterized by mental abilities or
intelligence below average. People with mental
retardation learn new abilities, but more slowly.
There are various degrees of mental retardation,
ranging from mild to very severe. Intelligence ability is
usually measured using an IQ score. A person is said to be
mentally retarded if an IQ score is <70.
3. 2. Mental Retardation Symptoms
1. Frequent turning, sitting-standing, crawling, or walking late.
2. Having a speech disorder, or often late in speaking.
3. Slow to learn simple things, such as dressing, cleaning, and eating.
3. Difficulty remembering things
4. Difficulty relating to other people.
5. Behavioral disorders, such as tantrums.
6. Difficulty in problem solving discussions or logical thinking.
4. 3. Causes of Mental
Retardation
1. Genetic disorders. Disorders such as Down syndrome and
fragile X syndrome are closely related to genetic disorders
2. Problems during pregnancy, some conditions during
pregnancy can cause fetal brain development disorders, such as
alcohol use, illegal drugs, poor nutrition, infections, and
preeclampsia.
3. Problems during infancy, Mental retardation can be caused by
babies who during birth do not get enough oxygen intake, or
babies who are so premature that the lungs are not fully mature.
5. 1. Biological factors, for example on chromosomal abnormalities in people with Down
syndrome.
2. Metabolic factors, some metabolic disorders can increase the risk of mental
retardation such as phenylketonuria disease (PKU), where the body cannot convert
the amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine.
3. Prenatal factors, poor prenatal care can increase the risk of mental retardation in
infants, for example alcohol consumption in pregnancy and cytomegalovirus infection
during pregnancy.
4. Psychosocial factors, home and family environment can cause mental retardation,
especially the socio-cultural type, which is mild mental retardation.
4. Mental retardation risk factors
6. 5. Prevention
● pregnant women should not consume alcohol.
Good prenatal care can also prevent mental
retardation. Vitamin intake, vaccines and
education provided by health workers can help
reduce risk factors.
● In families who have a history of hereditary
diseases, genetic counseling can be done before
planning a pregnancy. Several examinations,
such as ultrasound and amniotic fluid collection,
can be performed to determine the presence or
absence of mental retardation. Although, this
examination is only as a screening before
delivery, not as a treatment.
7. For infants and children, initial interventions
include speech therapy, occupational therapy,
motor-physical therapy, family counseling,
special tool use exercises to nutrition
management programs.
For school-age children with mental
retardation, children can be enrolled in a
special school program for mental retardation to
improve their adaptability.
TREATMENT
