There's a kid at school who seems different. You've heard people say he has mental retardation (say: ree-tar-day-shun), but what does that mean?What Is Mental Retardation?
To understand mental retardation, it helps to know what intelligence (say: in-tel-uh-jents) is. Intelligence is a way of describing someone's ability to think, learn, and solve problems. Mental retardation means that someone has lower than average intelligence.
The person may have trouble learning and might need longer to learn social skills, such as how to be friends or how to communicate with others. People with mental retardation also might be less able to care for themselves or unable to live on their own as adults.
Sometimes kids who have mental retardation get teased or bullied. This is especially sad because these kids really need friends and people who will be kind to them. Just because they have learning problems doesn't mean they don't have feelings! Just like you, these kids want to be liked and to have fun at school.
During school, a kid with mental retardation will probably need help. Some kids have aides that stay with them during the school day. Special education and other services are available to help with learning and behavior.
They can also receive help in learning "life skills." Life skills are the skills people need to take care of themselves as they get older, such as how to ride a public bus to get to work. More and more, people with mental retardation are able to have jobs and to live independently.
What Causes Mental Retardation?
Mental retardation is not a disease itself. It occurs when something injures the brain or a problem prevents the brain from developing normally. Many times we don't know why a person has mental retardation. These problems can happen while the baby is growing inside his or her mom, during the baby's birth, or after the baby is born.
While a Baby Is Growing
If a pregnant mom gets certain infections or sicknesses, it can cause problems with the baby, such as mental retardation. Some medicines, which are OK to take when a woman is not pregnant, can cause serious problems if a woman takes them when she is going to have a baby. A woman also can put her baby at risk of mental retardation if she drinks alcohol or takes certain drugs during her pregnancy.
Problems with genes also can happen while the baby is growing inside the mom. Genes are in every cell and tell the cells what they are going to be and how the body is going to develop. Mental retardation is one problem that can be caused by genes. Children have a combination of genes from both their parents, so sometimes they receive genes that are abnormal or the genes change while the baby is developing.
During the Birth
If there is a problem during childbirth so that the baby's brain doesn't receive enough oxygen it can cause mental retardation.
After the Baby Is Born
Sometimes the baby is born without any problems, but he or she gets a serious infection as a young baby. This kind of infection can make a baby very sick and affect how the brain develops. A serious head injury also can cause mental retardation in a baby or an older kid.
How Do Doctors Know If Someone Has Mental Retardation?
Doctors figure out that a person has mental retardation by testing how well the person thinks and solves problems. If a baby or kid has mental retardation, doctors and other professionals can work with the family to decide what type of help is needed.
Can Mental Retardation Be Prevented?
Mental retardation can't always be prevented. However, a couple can have tests done to determine if they are at risk of having a child with certain medical conditions that may include mental retardation as part of the condition. When a woman is pregnant, it's important that she eats healthy foods and avoids alcohol and drugs. And after a baby is born, blood tests are done to check for certain problems. Some of these problems can cause mental retardation, but if they are treated right away, mental retardation can be prevented.
Also, it's important for kids to do what they can to prevent brain and head injuries. With babies, it's important that they are protected by car seats and that great care is used so that they don't fall from changing tables or other places. Older kids can protect themselves by wearing seat belts in the car and wearing helmets while riding bikes, in-line skating, or using scooters.
What's It Like to Have Mental Retardation?
Just like all kids, those with mental retardation want to develop their skills to the best of their abilities. They need to go to school, play, and feel support from loving families and good friends. What can you do? If you know someone who has mental retardation, be a friend!