HOMOEOPATHY FOR MENTAL RETARDATION

Mental retardation is defined as significantly sub-average general functioning , associated with significant deficit or impairment in adaptive functioning, which manifests during the developmental period ( before 18 years of age ).

1 to 3 % of the general population has mental retardation. In some countries ( UK ) the word learning disability is used instead to avoid pejorative connotations associated with the word mental retardation.

Symptoms

Symptoms of mental retardation will vary  based on child’s level of disability and may include :

·         Failure to meet intellectual milestones.

·         Sitting, crawling, or walking later than other children.

·         Problems learning to talk or trouble speaking clearly.

·         Memory problems

·         Inability to understand the consequences of actions

·         Inability to think logically

·         Childish behavior inconsistent with the child’s age.

·         Lack of curiosity.

·         Learning difficulties.

·         IQ  below 70

·         Inability to lead a fully independent life due to challenges communicating, taking care of themselves, or interacting with others.

If the child has mental retardation , they may experience some of the behavioral issues :

·         Aggression

·         Dependency

·         Withdrawal from social activities

·         Attention-seeking behavior

·         Depression during adolescent and teen years

·         Lack of impulse control

·         Passivity

·         Tendency toward self-injury

·         Stubbornness

·         Low self-esteem

·         Low tolerance of frustration

·         Psychotic disorders

·         Difficulty paying problems

Some people with mental retardation also have specific physical characteristics. These can include having a short stature or facial abnormalities.

CLASSIFICATION

Mental retardation is classified into four levels, based on child’s IQ and degree of social adjustment .

MILD MENTAL RETARDATION

This is the commonest type of mental retardation, accounting for 85-90 % of all cases. The diagnosis is made usually later than in other types of mental retardation.

In the preschool period , before 5 years of age, these children often develop like other normal children, with very little deficit.  Later they often progress up to 6^th class ( grade ) in school and can achieve vocational and social self-sufficiency with a little support. Only under stressful conditions or in the presence of an associated disease, supervised care may be needed.

Some of the symptoms of mild mental retardation include :

·         Taking longer to learn to talk, but communicating well once they know how

·         Being fully independent in self-care when they get older

·         Having problems with reading and writing

·         Social immaturity

·         Increased difficulty with the responsibilities of marriage or parenting

·         Benefiting from specialized education plans

·         Having IQ range of  50 to 70

MODERATE MENTAL RETARDATION

About 10 % of all persons with mental retardation have an IQ between 35 to 50. In the early years despite a poor social awareness, these children can to learn to speak. Often, they drop out of school after the 2^nd class ( grade ). They can be trained to support themselves by performing semi skilled or unskilled work under supervision. A mild stress may destabilize them from their adaptation ; thus they work best in supervised occupational settings.

 Some of the symptoms of mild mental retardation include :

·         Slow in understanding and using language

·         Have some difficulties with communication

·         Learn basic reading, writing, and counting skills

·         Generally unable to live alone

·         Often get around on their own familiar places

·         Take part in various types of  social activities

·         Generally have an IQ range of 35 to 50

SEVERE MENTAL RETARDATION

Symptoms of severe mental retardation include:

·         Noticeable motor impairment

·         Severe damage to , or abnormal development of their central nervous system

·         Generally having an IQ range of 20 to 35

PROFOUND MENTAL RETARDATION

Symptoms of profound mental retardation include:

·         Inability to understand or comply with requests or instructions

·         Possible immobility

·         Incontinence

·         Very basic nonverbal communication

·         Inability to care for their own needs independently

·         The need of constant help and supervision

·         Having an IQ of less than 20

OTHER MENTAL RETARDATION

People in this category are often physically impaired , have hearing loss, are nonverbal, or have a  physical disability. These factors may prevent the child’s doctor from conducting screening tests.

UNSPECIFIED MENTAL RETARDATION

If the child has an unspecified mental retardation , they will show symptoms of mental retardation , but their doctor does not have enough information to determine their level of disability.

Causes

Mental retardation is a condition which is caused not only by biological factors but also by psychological factors. In more than one third of cases , no cause can be found.

Some of the common causes on mental retardation include:

Genetic : Probably in 5 % of cases

·         Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down’s syndrome, Fragile-X syndrome, Turner’s syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome.

·         Inborn errors of metabolism, involving amino acids, such as phenylketonuria , homo-cystinuria , Hartnup’s disease; lipids , such as Tay-Sachs disease, Gaucher’s disease,  Niemann-Pick disease ; carbohtdrates , such as galactosaemia, glycogen storage diseases ; puriens , such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome; mucopolysaccharides, such as Hurler’s disease, Hunter’s disease , Sanfillipo’s disease.

·         Single- gene disorders , such as tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, dystrophia myotonica

·         Cranial anomalies , such as microcephaly.

Perinatal causes : Probably in 10% of cases

·         Infections, such as rubella, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalo-inclusion body disease.

·         Prematurity

·         Birth trauma

·         Hypoxia

·         Intrauterine growth retardation ( IUGR )

·         Kernicterus

·         Placental abnormalities

·         Drugs during first trimester

Acquired physical disorders in childhood : Probably in 2-5% of cases

·         Infections, especially encephalopathies

·         Cretinism

·         Trauma

·         Lead poisoning

·         Cerebral palsy

Sociocultural causes : Probably in 15% of cases.

·         Deprivation of sociocultural stimulation

Psychiatric disorders : Probably in 1-2% of cases

·         Pervasive developmental disorders , such as Infantile autism

·         Childhood onset schizophrenia

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis is made by the following steps:

History.

General physical examination.

Detailed neurological examination.

Mental status examination, for the assessment of associated psychiatric disorders and the clinical assessment of the level of intelligence.

Investigations.

·         Routine investigations

·         Urine test, e.g. for phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease

·         EEG, especially in presence of seizures

·         Blood levels , for inborn errors of metabolism

·         Chromosomal studies, e.g. in Down’s syndrome, prenatal ( by amniocentesis or chorionic villus biopsy ) and postnatal

·         CT or MRI scan of brain, e.g. in tuberous sclerosis , focal seizures, unexplained neurological syndromes, anomalies of skull configuration, severe or profound mental retardation without any apparent cause, toxoplasmosis

·         Thyroid function tests, particularly when cretinism is suspected

·         Liver function tests, e.g. in mucopolysaccharidosis

Psychological tests : The commonly used tests for measurement of intelligence include :

·         Seguin form board test

·         Stanford-Binet, Binet-Simon or Binet-Kamath tests

·         Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ( WISC ) for 6 ½ to 16 years of age

·         Bhatia’s battery performance tests

·         Raven’s progressive matrices ( colored, standard and advanced )

The tests used for the assessment of adaptive behavior include :

·         Vineland Social Maturity Scale ( VSMS )

·         Denver Development Screening Test ( DDST )

·         Gessell’s Development Scale

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world. It strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance  at mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels. When mental retardation  is concerned there are many effective medicines available in Homoeopathy , but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient , considering mental and physical symptoms.

AETHUSA CYNAPIUM: Idiotic children who cannot assimilate due to mental repletion. Idiocy may alternate with furor and irritability. Awkwardness. Attention deficit. Confused, cannot retain what he has been taught. Although working to limit for an examination he finds it useless to attempt further studies.

AGARICUS MUSCARIUS: Slowly developing mind. Slow in learning to talk and walk.  Children who cannot remember mistakes and are slow in learning.  Stupid and sluggish. Cannot do anything new, cannot do his routine work or does the opposite.  Sings, talks incoherently , but does not answer.

BARYTA  CARBONICA : Baryta carbonicum is an excellent remedy for mental retardation  in children. She  forgets her errand or word in her mouth. The child have loss of memory , mental weakness, loss of confidence, and  have confusion. The child is timid, cowardly, and hides behind the furniture and keeps the hands over the face, peeping through the fingers. The child also have dullness of the mind. The child has trouble in concentrating.

BARYTA MURIATICUM: Stupid appearance. Children who walk with their mouth open and talk through the nose.

CALCAREA CARBONICUM: Forgetful, confused and slow spirited. Misplaces words and expresses himself wrongly. Easily frightened or offended. Apprehensive, worse towards evening, fears loss of reason, misfortune. Fair and flabby children. Craving for eggs and indigestible things like dirt, chalk, coal, pencils etc. Susceptible to cold. Profuse sweat, especially head.

CANNABIS SATIVA : Repeats words while writing. The child is very forgetful cannot finish the sentence. There is vanishing of thoughts and want of words. Ideas seems to stand still , he stares in front of him is absorbed in higher thoughts , but is unconscious of them. The child has trouble in recalling what he has just done.

HELLEBORUS NIGER :  Weak memory. The child has trouble remembering what he might have heard. Child is slow in answering.

KALI BROMATUM : The child uses opposite words , hot for cold, . He often adds or omits letters while writing. There is loss memory and the child forgets how to talk , has to be told the word before he can speak it.

LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM : Children having weak memory , and confused thoughts. The child spells or writes wrong words and syllables. The child cannot read what he writes.  His speech is indistinct and stammers out the last word. He is unable to learn languages and often makes mistakes. Brain fag after influenza. The child does not like to take up new tasks or do new things. The child has trouble paying attention during a conversation.

MERCURIUS SOLUBILIS : Profound reading disorder and disturbed speech. Child has poor self confidence, memory weak, forgets everything. Loss of will power and slow in answering. Profuse  salivation from mouth.

NATRUM MURIATICUM :  The child complains of a roaring, buzzing sound in the head and ears. Children learn to talk slowly. Awkward in talking, hasty, drops things.

STRAMONIUM 200-Stramonium is used for mental retardation  where the person calls things by wrong names.

SUMBUL :  Children having weak mathematical skills. A person with this condition generally makes mistakes while writing and while performing simple mathematical calculations, especially while adding numbers.

TUBERCULINUM: Treatment may started with this remedy. Give this medicine along with other indicated remedies.