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- Mental Retardation
- SYMPTOMS. Signs during infancy may include marked lethargy, slowness of
- feeding skills, reaching for objects, lifting the head and sitting. There
- may be marked lack of responsiveness to the environment. All of these signs
- suggest possible subaverage intellectual ability.
- CAUSES in 80 percent of the cases are unknown at this time. The others may
- be attributed to many possible causes such as hereditary disorders, viral
- infections in the womb and chromosomal abnormalities. Complications such as
- bleeding, breathing difficulties, breech delivery or high forceps delivery
- may increase the risk of mental retardation.
- TREATMENT. Thorough physical examination, brain wave and other tests and
- evaluation of the child's development are required for accurate diagnosis.
- .Delays in development of sitting, walking, drawing and writing may be due
- to emotional problems or neuromuscular disorders.