Imbecility

Imbecility is an average degree of mental retardation. Depending on the intellectual lag, this pathology is divided into three types: moderate, pronounced and deep imbecility. Moderate type is diagnosed with an IQ of 35-50, pronounced — with an IQ of 25-34, deep — with indicators below those indicated.

The content of the article:
Causes of imbecility
Symptoms of imbecility
Diagnosis of imbecility
Treatment of imbecility
Prevention and prognosis of imbecility
Imbecility
Imbecility is expressed in the fact that the brain of a child who is still in the mother’s womb or who has lived the first months after birth is delayed in development. Externally, the pathology is noticeable both in mental and mental, and in physical abnormalities.

Imbeciles are practically incapable of learning, only the most primitive skills are available to them: reading by syllables, counting money and objects. Emotional and mental development in patients with imbecility is also significantly lagging behind. They are inert and sedentary, although with constant training and imitation of other people they can do the simplest work.

Due to the increased suggestibility and constant craving for imitation, imbeciles can commit antisocial acts. The slightest change in the situation can cause serious stress for them.

Among all recorded cases of oligophrenia, imbecility is 20%. The prevalence of this pathology is 0.04% of the total population.

Causes of imbecility
As the causes of imbecility, there are a number of factors that have an impact on the child during his intrauterine development and in the early stages of life.

The main ones are considered to be genetic abnormalities, such as Down’s disease and microcephaly.
The second factor is intrauterine fetal damage caused by hormonal disorders in the mother.
If during pregnancy a woman has suffered a viral or venereal disease, for example, rubella, toxoplasmosis or syphilis, this can also cause the child’s imbicility.
The reasons for which imbecility can develop include the conflict of Rh factors between the fetus and the mother.
A direct effect on the fetal brain is the reception of alcoholic and narcotic substances by the expectant mother, X-ray radiation doses, a lack of trace elements and vitamins in her diet.
After birth, the causes of pathology can be birth trauma, severe childbirth, asphyxia during pregnancy and childbirth.
Not the last place is occupied by head injuries and infection with childhood infections.
In extremely rare cases, imbecility is not the result of mechanical damage or genetic abnormalities. It may be associated with an exclusively social factor, such as the lack of communication with adults. In addition, the development of the child depends on the fullness of nutrition.
Symptoms of imbecility
People suffering from this disorder have very poorly developed motor skills. Their movements are poorly coordinated, it is difficult for them to carry out the simplest actions, and especially small, attention-demanding work. Imbeciles are clumsy, often hunched, clamped, which is especially evident when walking. Facial expressions are practically absent, the facial expression is meaningless, relaxed, blinking is rare.

Imbecility can also cause defects in the structure of the body. These may be signs such as ingrown earlobes, irregular shape of the skull, deformity of the facial bones.

Focal nervous symptoms are another characteristic symptom of this pathology. A person who has imbecility can rarely master the basic skills of self-care, in most cases neglects the rules of personal hygiene. At the same time, the patient can show great zeal in the tasks he can do and be proud of the work done.

Emotionally imbeciles are monotonous, they show either indignation or joy at a certain occasion. Delving into the essence of one activity, they hardly switch to other tasks. Patients with imbecility are characterized by slow consistent thinking and the inability to solve several issues at the same time.

Primitive thinking, narrow horizons, lack of will and concentration does not allow imbeciles to learn. Perceiving the speech addressed to them, the patients themselves cannot communicate similarly and speak only in concise phrases.

When changing the usual environment or environment, imbeciles may be stressed due to a complete lack of independence and the ability to adapt. They are easily suggestible, do not show their own initiative, are often obedient and affectionate to other people.

Diagnosis of imbecility
To identify signs of imbecility, a specialist, as a rule, is enough to examine and talk with the patient. The degree of backwardness is revealed by psychological testing and determining the level of intelligence.

The doctor should also conduct a differential study excluding schizophrenia and dementia. This stage, as well as the diagnostic stage, involves special tests. The differences in their results are that in schizophrenics, the lag in development has a dissociated, partial character, and in patients with dementia, almost the entire body of knowledge, emotionality and a rich vocabulary are preserved.

It is more difficult to determine imbecility in young children than in adults due to the fact that the criteria system can be applied only for adolescents and children from 7 years old. Despite this, corrective measures and assistance in learning and adaptation in society should be started at an early age of the patient.

With a delay in the development of psychomotor functions in the first year of a child’s life, the emerging imbecility is difficult to distinguish from the results of poor care and somatic diseases. Deep imbecility lends itself to more accurate diagnosis at this stage of development of babies, since they lack basic skills. They do not take objects from the hands of other people, do not grab them and do not hold on when standing for surrounding objects. Such children have no reaction to voice and speech, which is why they may be mistaken for deaf.

At the age of one year, a specialist can identify imbecility by the characteristic lack of interest in the surrounding world, monotonous facial expressions and an unexpressed emotional reaction in a child.

Between the ages of 1 and 3, imbecile children can play. Their games are primitive, they do not understand the purpose of toys and all the objects around them. The perception of information does not occur according to the meaning, but is limited to the recognition of characteristic phrases in combination with a certain intonation and gesture. In childhood, the definition of degrees of imbecility may be inaccurate due to the vagueness of their criteria.

Treatment of imbecility
To date, imbecility is incurable and therapy for patients suffering from this pathology is exclusively symptomatic. The basis on which treatment is based is proper upbringing, patient care and the constant direction of their actions.

Imbeciles cannot be in a school environment that is emotionally and physically unbearable for them, so they need home schooling. At home, they can master the skills of reading, writing and the simplest arithmetic calculations.

Imbeciles can pose a threat to society under the condition of an antisocial environment. In uncontrolled situations, patients are shown hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital.

Since children may have speech defects, they are shown regular classes with a speech therapist and a psychotherapist. Medical correction is also necessary, nootropic drugs, tranquilizers, neuroleptics are used for it.

Treatment with drugs is divided into two types: specific and symptomatic. Specific therapy is required for patients with phenylketonuria and other manifestations of enzymopathy. With hypothyroidism, compensatory hormonal treatment is prescribed, with toxoplasmosis — antibiotics, arsenic preparations, chloridine, with brain infections — sulfonamide preparations, antibiotics.

Symptomatic treatment is the use of drugs with stimulating brain metabolism effect, B vitamins, psychostimulants, dehydrating and dissolving agents, biogenic stimulants. Patients who have seizures are prescribed constant intake of antiepileptic drugs.

The earlier the disease is detected and its adequate treatment begins, the more effective it is. Of great importance is not only the drug effect, but also the complex of therapeutic and pedagogical corrective measures.

Prevention and prognosis of imbecility
The prognosis of this disease directly depends on the degree of backwardness, the time of diagnosis and the start of treatment. In most cases, pathology diagnosed at an early stage is amenable to correction, which allows minimizing intellectual disabilities and adapting the patient in society.

The inability to live independently requires careful monitoring by the medical institution and relatives, children need a special home schooling program or stay in a special school.

Preventive measures are divided into two stages: primary and secondary. Primary prevention is carried out at the stage of intrauterine development and consists in the timely registration of a woman in a women’s consultation, competent management of pregnancy, early screening study, allowing to study the fetus before its full formation and birth. Secondary prevention is the early diagnosis of pathology in a newborn, correction of mental and intellectual development, measures for the rehabilitation and adaptation of the child in the environment.

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