Physical or physical or mental disabilities that last a lifetime can be called developmental disabilities or mental retardation. These deficiency symptoms can be shown from the fetal stage, after birth, or during childhood. Between 18-22 years, it is possible to confirm whether a person suffers from a developmental deficiency disease. Let’s see some factors that are often evaluated for that.
- Ability to live independently.
- Ability to manage one’s economy.
- Ability to direct learning and intelligence.
- Ability to independently maintain behavior and physical motor activity.
- Ability to maintain interpersonal communication using a language.
- Ability to maintain personal daily activities and cleanliness, and appearance.
- Ability to make independent decisions about one’s activities and social contributions.
About 3 percent of the total population suffers from developmental disabilities. Mental retardation or developmental deficiency diseases occur due to causes that occur before a person is born, causes that occur during the embryonic stage, and causes that affect the life after birth.
Before birth
When a pregnant mother is over 40 years of age, there is a risk of mental retardation in children born due to chromosomal structural abnormalities in the eggs produced. Factors such as mother’s alcohol, drugs, use of certain medicines without consent, and common exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation also cause the birth of mental children. There are several common reasons for the birth of mentally disabled children.
- Suffering from diseases like German Measles (Rubella), AIDS
- Lack of adequate balanced nutrition, Blockages in the blood supply from the mother to the child through the placenta (amniotic sac)
- Being exposed to physical accidents to the extent that the fetus is affected.
- Living in a mentally and emotionally uncomfortable environment.
At birth
There are several common reasons why a child may be in a mental state at birth.
- Being born before the due date as a premature baby.
- An increase in the interval between the cessation of the oxygen supply through the fetal ligament and the initiation of spontaneous respiration (airway obstruction).
- Pigment deposits in the ganglia of the brain.
- Brain injury due to equipment and technique used during delivery.
After birth
Let’s look at common causes of abnormal mental states after birth.
- Malnutrition in infancy. (Adequate breastfeeding in the first six months can maintain adequate nutrition.)
- Accidents after birth that damage the central nervous system
- Sufferers of meningitis and encephalitis do not receive proper treatment
- Potential chemical spills from the use of chemicals such as lead
- Loss of mother and father
- Abnormal arrangement due to abnormalities in chromosome patterns.
- Abnormalities in the body’s internal biochemical activity or metabolic imbalances.
- Lack of quality relationships in the social and family environment
- Lack of recognition, appreciation, and guidance.
- Not getting enough love care.
In addition, with age, interpersonal communication and social relationships are formed based on a person’s abilities, skills, and behavior patterns. Intelligence score is calculated by indicators based on physical, verbal, behavioral, and mental activities that improve in a person in each age group. Intelligence scores ranged from 69% to 55% in the developmental deficit category. It is necessary to provide special education to these children who can improve basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. They receive schooling up to several grades. They are a group that can live independently and engages in some simple work under supervision. However, quality creations can be produced by recognizing their special abilities and providing encouragement, guidance, and facilities.
Relationship with the IQ level
People with moderate developmental disabilities have an IQ of 54% to 40%. These children normally understand and can perform daily activities (such as bathing, washing clothes, cleaning the house, brushing teeth, packing utensils), and maintaining social relationships. Writing and reading can sometimes be practiced, and essential specific words can be practiced in basic calculations. They can be trained to engage in simple work with a group or person under supervision. Children with an IQ between 39% and 25% can be called children with severe developmental disabilities. The assistance of a close person or group is required in basic activities such as eating, using the toilet, and maintaining appearance, as well as engaging in some activity.
A person or group of people who understand the mental and physical needs or problems and take care of children with severe developmental disabilities is essential. The reason is that the method they use to express their opinions may be a method that is unique to them. Providing adequate nutrition, exercise, mental relief, early detection, and treatment of physical diseases can give space for them to live a wonderful life.
The most severe condition is that children with mental or developmental disabilities have an IQ of less than 25 percent. They need the help of others for all personal needs like eating, toileting, and maintaining cleanliness. We can consider the opportunity to live longer by carefully identifying and caring for needs and problems through their signaling systems, early detection and treatment of physical diseases, and providing adequate exercise. Kind words and loving care keep them mentally happy.
It is difficult for children with severe developmental disabilities to receive treatment for physical illnesses directly because of their inability to express their health problems and detect illnesses through diagnostic tests. Accordingly, it may not be possible to get relevant treatment quickly, and identifying their mental problems is even more difficult.
What can we do for them?
Some mentally retarded (developmentally disabled) children suffer from hearing and visual impairments, epilepsy, and depression. There is so much we can do for the dementia community. Those children face many problems in their families and society. It is caused by their social abnormalities, behavioral differences, and communication problems. But if we, as intelligent citizens, are properly aware of mentally ill people and come forward to help them, if we think sympathetically towards them, it will not be a social problem.