Mental RetardationMental Retardation(Intellectual Disability)(Intellectual Disability)

By: Cindy InfanteBy: Cindy InfantePsychology (HONORS)Psychology (HONORS)

Causes Causes Mental retardation can be Mental retardation can be

caused by any condition which caused by any condition which impairs development of the impairs development of the brain before birth, during or in brain before birth, during or in childhood years. childhood years.

Several 100 causes have been Several 100 causes have been discovered, but in about 1/3 of discovered, but in about 1/3 of the people affected, the cause the people affected, the cause remains unknown.remains unknown.• Genetic conditionsGenetic conditions• Problems during pregnancy Problems during pregnancy • Problems at birthProblems at birth• Problems after birthProblems after birth• Poverty and cultural Poverty and cultural

deprivationdeprivation• Illness or injuryIllness or injury

Target PopulationTarget Population

Approximately 85% Approximately 85% of the mentally of the mentally retarded population retarded population is in the mildly is in the mildly retarded category. retarded category. Their IQ scores Their IQ scores ranges from 50-70, ranges from 50-70, and they can often and they can often acquire academic acquire academic skills up to about the skills up to about the sixth-grade level. sixth-grade level.

About 3% of About 3% of America’s population America’s population suffers from mental suffers from mental retardationretardation

Where & How affects the CNS/PNSWhere & How affects the CNS/PNS Individuals with severe and Individuals with severe and

profound mental retardation are profound mental retardation are almost always identified at birth almost always identified at birth or shortly afterward. Most of or shortly afterward. Most of these infants have significant these infants have significant central nervous system damage.central nervous system damage.

Mental Retardation reduced Mental Retardation reduced sweating, reduced thyroid sweating, reduced thyroid function, brain malformation function, brain malformation (corpus collosum malformation) (corpus collosum malformation)

Infant feeding problemsInfant feeding problems Tooth abnormalitiesTooth abnormalities Sunken chestSunken chest Fine hairFine hair Small penisSmall penis Low set earsLow set ears Thin skinThin skin Prominent foreheadProminent forehead

SymptomsSymptoms Decreased learning ability Decreased learning ability Lack of curiosity Lack of curiosity Inability to meet Inability to meet

educational demands of educational demands of schoolschool

Mild retardation may be Mild retardation may be associated with a lack of associated with a lack of curiosity and quiet curiosity and quiet behaviorbehavior

Sever mental retardation is Sever mental retardation is associated with infantile associated with infantile behavior throughout life.behavior throughout life.

PrognosisPrognosis

The prognosis for individuals The prognosis for individuals with mild to moderate mental with mild to moderate mental retardation is usually good. retardation is usually good. These individuals can often These individuals can often become self-sufficient to become self-sufficient to some degree. However this some degree. However this does consist of educational, does consist of educational, community, social, family, community, social, family, and vocational support.and vocational support.

Treatment/CureTreatment/Cure Special education and Special education and

training training Educators Educators Language therapists Language therapists Behavioral therapists Behavioral therapists Occupational therapistsOccupational therapists

• It’s best to treat this It’s best to treat this disorder at an early disorder at an early stage in life like infancystage in life like infancy

Cases Cases Milton Mathis was sentenced to death for the murder of Milton Mathis was sentenced to death for the murder of

Travis Brown The two men were shot to death in their Travis Brown The two men were shot to death in their home in Houston, Texas. Mathis was 19 at the time. The home in Houston, Texas. Mathis was 19 at the time. The victims were shot in the head Police believed the motive victims were shot in the head Police believed the motive for the shootings was robbery. for the shootings was robbery.

Mathis was subsequently tried by a jury and convicted of Mathis was subsequently tried by a jury and convicted of capital murder. The jury then returned answers to capital murder. The jury then returned answers to special issues submitted under the Texas Criminal Code, special issues submitted under the Texas Criminal Code, which required imposition of the death penalty. On which required imposition of the death penalty. On September 21, 1999, the trial court entered the September 21, 1999, the trial court entered the judgment and sentence of death. On February 13, 2002, judgment and sentence of death. On February 13, 2002, the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction. the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction.

In their petition to the court for a stay of execution, In their petition to the court for a stay of execution, Mathis' court-appointed lawyers argued that executing Mathis' court-appointed lawyers argued that executing Mathis would violate the eighth amendment's prohibition Mathis would violate the eighth amendment's prohibition against executing the mentally retarded. They cited an against executing the mentally retarded. They cited an abundance of evidence pointing towards Mathis meeting abundance of evidence pointing towards Mathis meeting the criteria for mental retardation as set out in the the criteria for mental retardation as set out in the landmark Supreme Court ruling landmark Supreme Court ruling Atkins v. VirginiaAtkins v. Virginia. In . In Atkins the Court concluded that "the Constitution places Atkins the Court concluded that "the Constitution places a substantive restriction on the State's power to take the a substantive restriction on the State's power to take the life of a mentally retarded offender." life of a mentally retarded offender."

Organizations/Medical FacilitiesOrganizations/Medical Facilities www.Recoveryforwomen.com University of Maryland Medical Center University of Maryland Medical Center Sarah Bonwell Hudgins FoundationSarah Bonwell Hudgins Foundation

Citations Citations

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1180709-treatmenthttp://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1180709-treatment http://children.webmd.com/intellectual-disability-mental-http://children.webmd.com/intellectual-disability-mental-

retardationretardation http://www.svtuition.org/2010/08/how-to-treat-mental-http://www.svtuition.org/2010/08/how-to-treat-mental-

retardation.htmlretardation.html