| A person who has a mental handicap generally tends | | | | understand speech better. |
| to learn slowly and may also have a limited ability to | | | | Third is Severe: IQ 20-34, approximately 3-4% cases: |
| learn. It is estimated that from 30 to 87 per cent of | | | | many able to look after themselves with careful |
| distinctive with a mental handicap have associated | | | | supervision. Fourth Profound: IQ less than 20, |
| conditions requiring some level of attention. Up to 30 | | | | approximately 1-2% cases. Most adults with learning |
| per cent may have epilepsy or cerebral palsy. In | | | | disability have very limited economic resources. The |
| addition, sensory, speech and language, behavioural | | | | primary goal for treating someone who is mentally |
| and psychiatric needs can be associated with mental | | | | handicapped is to develop the person's possibility for |
| handicap. Malnutrition is a common cause of reduced | | | | achievement to its fullest. Special education programs |
| intelligence in parts of the world affected by famine, | | | | often begin as early as infancy to help the child |
| such as Ethiopia. Prenatal and postnatal trauma are | | | | develop language and social skills, which are level at |
| also common causes, including intracranial hemorrhage, | | | | helping the person function as normally as possible as |
| hypoxic injuries (often due to cerebral palsy), and head | | | | an adult. Individuals who are mildly handicapped can |
| injuries. Certain infectious diseases can also lead to | | | | develop new skills and abilities through early |
| mental handicaps when they result in complications. | | | | intervention and specialized education. Early and |
| Measles, chicken pox, and whooping cough may lead | | | | effective management of problems in the neonatal |
| to encephalitis or meningitis, which can cause brain | | | | period and early childhood. |
| damage. Other infections, including congenital rubella, | | | | Mental HandicapTreatment Tips |
| toxoplasmosis, and HIV can also lead to mental | | | | 1. Severely handicapped individuals require more |
| handicaps. Institutionalisation at a young age can cause | | | | support. |
| mental retardation in normal children. Non-inherited | | | | 2. Psychotropic drugs are often used but rarely |
| metabolic disorders, including Reye's syndrome, | | | | produce significant benefits. |
| hypernatremic dehydration, and hypoglycemia may | | | | 3. Behavioural treatment methods for self-injury in |
| lead to mental disability. Exposure to toxins, such as | | | | learning disability are probably effective. |
| lead and mercury, can cause brain damage, as can | | | | 4. Often require a segregated education program |
| the mother's use of alcohol or drugs. There are sevral | | | | developed to meet their individual needs. |
| classifical of mental handicap. First is Mild learning | | | | 5. Special education programs often begin as early as |
| disability: IQ 50-70, approximately 85% of cases. | | | | infancy to help the child mature language and social |
| Second is Moderate: IQ 35-49, approximately 10% | | | | skills. |
| cases; use simple language when talking but | | | | |