Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a complex name for a number of disorders in the development of a child’s mental functions. We can talk about the delayed development of attention, thinking, memory, emotional-volitional sphere, psychomotor and other functions. This pathology is abbreviated as ZPR. There is also another name – uncomplicated mental (or psychophysical) infantilism.
It should be noted right away that the ZPR is a somewhat outdated name. In modern medicine, the term “psychological development disorders” is used, covering a whole range of different pathologies, which are described in the ICD-10 classification in paragraphs F80-F89. It can be said that ZPR is too general a term, and an accurate diagnosis will determine the violation of a specific function. The very term “mental retardation” is more often used by psychologists and educators than by doctors.
IS ZPR A SENTENCE OR AN INDIVIDUAL FEATURE?
Parents whose child has received such a characteristic should first of all understand the nature of the PO. Mental retardation should by no means be confused with mental retardation. ZPR is usually spoken of when it comes to a preschooler or a child of primary school age. In most cases, disorders of the mental development of such children turn out to be reversible (at least partially) and only at an older age can we talk about mental retardation.
In order to understand what place ZPR occupies on the “scale” of types of disorders of children’s mental development, we can consider the classification of V.V. Lebedinsky:
irreversible mental underdevelopment (here we are talking about oligophrenia);
ZPR (fully or partially reversible disorder);
damaged mental development (disorders that occur after a period of normal development);
deficient development (disorders associated with insufficient development or lack of hearing, vision and other senses);
distorted PR (early autism);
disharmonic PR (various psychopathies).
As you can see, mental retardation is not an oligophrenia. Such children are quite capable of studying in secondary schools and, with the right approach, gradually catch up in the development of their peers.
The main problem of this disorder is the complexity of diagnosis. Parents of children with mental retardation very rarely initiate an examination on their own. Developmental delay is more often detected by psychologists and educators in schools and preschool institutions. It is possible to detect a PO at an earlier age, but it is much more difficult to do this.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ZPR
1) Children under 3 years of age may have a slow development of psychomotor functions, indicating ZPR.
2) A child with ZPR experiences difficulties in communicating with peers and adults: it is difficult for him to listen, he cannot formulate his own thoughts, does not assimilate social norms and rules of a particular game. Mental retardation is also manifested in joint games and group work on school assignments. The child cannot establish communication and even in games with other children keeps apart, practically not discussing what is happening with the rest of the group.
3) Violations of the emotional-volitional sphere often occur with ZPR. Emotions are short-lived, unstable, and may not correspond to the real situation. In conflicts, the child becomes aggressive, and negative emotions are directed at a specific person, not an action. Such children are often quick-tempered, touchy and too easily vulnerable (for example, they cry because of poor grades or light reproaches of adults).
4) Problems with learning in children with ASD arise due to insufficient development of mental functions. It is difficult for a child to concentrate, he cannot analyze information, generalize, draw conclusions.
5) ZPR often manifests itself in the slow development of memory. The child is unable to learn a poem designed for children of his age, confuses the days of the week, forgets his own address, the names of relatives and other important information.
6) At primary school age, children with ASD continue to be dominated by game motivation, and cognitive motivation, which is required at their age, is absent, on the contrary. In the classroom, these children quickly get tired and start to get distracted, because it is almost impossible to interest them in the topic of the lesson.
7) Mental retardation can affect everyday skills. Children with ZPR are sometimes unable to brush their teeth, dress, tie their shoelaces, eat, pack things for school, etc.
CAUSES OF MENTAL RETARDATION
The development of ZPR is promoted by two opposite parenting strategies: overprotection and attention deficit. Mental retardation is observed in a huge number of so-called “refuseniks”, orphans, “orphanages” and children growing up without parents. It is also likely that ZPR is manifested in children from disadvantaged families. But another extreme is also possible: “beloved” children, to whom parents do not give enough space for self-development, may also lag behind their peers. Or another scenario: developmental disorders may occur due to congestion. A lot of sections, additional lessons and other mental and physical activities can cause an overstrain of the child’s nervous system, although here we are more often talking about damaged mental development.
PATHOGENESIS AND TREATMENT OF ZPR
Mental retardation is usually caused by inorganic pathologies of the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex. These violations are not severe and in most cases can be corrected by the correct pedagogical approach and psychology. In more complex cases, drug treatment is also possible, which is most often (not always) based on the use of nootropics.
First of all, a child with a PO needs the attention and understanding of loved ones. The treatment of this pathology is complex and is determined for each child individually, according to his needs. The problem can be dealt with by speech pathologists, speech therapists, child psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, neurologists and other specialists.
