Mental retardation is a type of disability that hundreds of infants, children and adolescents face across the globe. In many cases, the child suffers from this disability by birth. Mental retardation can be genetic or caused due to malnutrition, smoking, excessive drinking, intake of drugs or toxins and environmental factors. Diagnosing mental retardation at an early stage becomes very useful in many cases. Early detection often helps to save the patient from severe disease and helps in recovery in early stages. To evaluate or assess the cognitive ability of a child it is very important to keep the child's ethnic, cultural and linguistic background in mind. Further, it is important to maintain a friendly and peaceful atmosphere at the site of testing. Some children who are mentally retarded have a great IQ or skill which is extraordinary. That is why it is very important to keep an open mind and access all the possible fields while evaluation.
Down syndrome:
Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that is a result of trisomy which means an extra 21st chromosome. This defect causes various numbers of physical and mental disabilities. It is one of the leading causes of genetic disorder across the globe. It is named after a physician named Langdon Down as he was the first person to observe it. Children suffering from it also face problems such as low IQ, Leukemia and Alzheimer’s.
Causes:
Down syndrome is caused due to abnormal cell division at the time of crossing over of chromosomes. The Chromosome is unable to detach which results in an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. This process is called non-disjunction. There is about a 1:800 chance of a child being born with Down syndrome.
Symptoms:
There are several symptoms in a child suffering from Down syndrome; symptoms vary from person to person. Some of the symptoms include:
- Short height
- Poor muscle tone
- Small neck
- Fattened and big face
- Round and thick tongue
- Eyes that slant upwards (palpebral fissures)
- Short hands, fingers and feet.
- Abnormal ears
Risks factors:
- Risk of being a carrier of Down syndrome: People who suffer from Down syndrome and parents with a child with Down syndrome; both have the possibility to have another child with the same disease as they carry the gene.
- Advanced maternal age: A woman's chances of giving birth to a Down syndrome child increases with age as the eggs are older and at a greater risk. Also, there is a higher chance of having a child with the disease as the gene pool is compromised.
Why Eternal Hospital?
At Eternal Hospital, we have a highly qualified and dedicated team of Pediatrics who are always committed to providing the latest and most advanced medical care to all our patients. Being a trusted name in healthcare, we act compassionately while ensuring confidentiality to those who need it. We have set high standards in patient-centric premium care and outstanding patient safety, and exceptional maintenance in a timely manner. In addition, we adhere to the use of up-to-the-minute innovations to offer state-of-the-art treatments to our patients with unparalleled results.
