What Is Mental Retardation?

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What Is Mental Retardation?

To understand mental retardation, it helps to know what intelligence 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. It may take longer for the person to learn social skills, such as how to be friends or how to communicate with other people. The person also may be less able to care for himself of herself and to live on his or her own as an adult.

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.

Can Mental Health be Prevented?

Mental retardation can’t always be prevented. However, a couple can gave 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, buy 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 had 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!