The reasons for the occurrence of CPR can be divided into two large groups. Mental retardation is not a sentence

How to react to parents if the entry "mental retardation" appeared in the baby's medical card. Of course, they are scared enough, but do not give up. In the case of ZPR, the main thing is to find out the cause of the problem and understand how to deal with it. More details in our today's material.

How to recognize?

Impaired mental function - violation of the established terms of maturation of the emotional-volitional and intellectual spheres of the child, slowing down the pace of development of the psyche.

Can parents themselves suspect a problem? If the baby is three months old is absent " " , that is, he does not start to walk and smile in response to the voice and smile of his parents - it is necessary to go to an appointment with a pediatric neurologist.

What will the doctor pay attention to? There are certain normative terms, according to which at 1-2 months the baby should follow the rattle with his eyes, at 6-7 - sit, at 7-8 - crawl, at 9-10 - stand, and by the age of one take the first steps. If the development of the child does not meet the standards, the neurologist may suggest problems. Another worrying factor is if the child suddenly regresses, that is, generally stops doing what he already knew how to do or does it much worse than before.

The baby grew up and the parents noticed that he behaves wrong , like his peers, has difficulties with communication, problems with the development of speech, it is difficult for him to concentrate, is he closed or uncoordinated? With all such manifestations, the doctor can state mental retardation, which means that it is time to figure out what led to it and find a way to deal with the disease.

You will have to work in a close team: a pediatrician, a neurologist, parents, sometimes a speech therapist and a child psychiatrist are included in the composition. It is important to understand what has led to developmental delay and to find ways by which the child will catch up with his peers.

Voynovskaya Irina Vladimirovna, pediatric neurologist at the Dobrobut Children's Clinic on the Left Bank, tells: “The reasons for the delay in psychological development can be both biological - pathologies of pregnancy, prematurity, trauma and asphyxia during childbirth, mother's illness in the early stages of fetal development, genetic conditioning, and social - prolonged limitation of the child's life, unfavourable conditions upbringing, traumatic situations in a child's life. If parents notice unstable emotions in a child, a decrease in cognitive activity, problems in the formation of speech activity with a child, you should contact a child neurologist, speech therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. Specialists will develop an individual scheme of pedagogical and medical correction which, together with the close attention of parents to the development of the baby, will help to partially or even completely overcome mental retardation.

How does it manifest

Most bright sign ZPR doctors call immaturity of the emotional-volitional sphere . It is quite difficult for a child with such a disease to force himself to do something.

Consequently - attention disorder and decrease in concentration . The kid is often distracted, it is difficult to interest him in any process.

Due to problems with limited knowledge about the world around them, children diagnosed with IGR may experience difficulty with orientation in space , it is problematic for them to recognize even familiar objects in a new perspective.

A feature of children with mental retardation is that they remember better what they see than what they hear, and they often have problems with the development of speech different levels.

A lag is also observed in thinking, for example, children with mental retardation have serious difficulties in solving problems based on synthesis, analysis, comparison and generalization.

Reasons and more

What is the reason for the violation normal development The child has?

These are genetic factors, and mild organic brain damage due to an illness (for example, a severe form of influenza or), a number of factors associated with the development of a child in infancy (irrational use of large doses of antibiotics), an unfavorable course of pregnancy and childbirth (illness, intoxication, asphyxia during childbirth).

Vaccination of a baby with neurological problems or can also provoke ZPR. For example, mental retardation is noted in almost all orphanage children, and those who did not get there directly from the maternity hospital, but were with their mother for some time, there is a regression of previously acquired skills.

Many experts believe that socio-pedagogical factors are the cause of mental retardation: an unfavorable situation in the family, lack of development, difficult conditions life.

Our mother - Anutik tells: “At the age of 3, we had ONR, ZRR, pseudobulbar dysarthria. The EEG showed organic damage to the brain, without intellectual impairment... His coordination and positioning of the legs while walking were slightly disturbed. He spoke 5 words at that time, without verbs. Somewhere around 3.5 years of intensive studies, the child had other words, then simple sentences, then a story. At the age of 5.5, we began to slowly learn to read, and by the age of 6, my child began to thoroughly prepare for entering the 1st grade ... Now we are first graders, in the most ordinary kindergarten school, close to home, study is good, even Ukrainian We are mastering it, although I grew up in a Russian-speaking family before school ... English is still bad, but I don’t really want to load it with the 3rd language, in fact, for it. The memory is good, we learn poems well ... The child likes the team, likes when they take everyone out for a walk together, play all sorts of games on the street in a crowd, like to stay on the after-school and everyone together at the table to drink tea and eat sandwiches, like to do lessons in an organized way during the after-school . Of course, there was a blurring of speech, mild dysarthria, some neurological issues. But while they are small, 1st grade, classmates don’t really understand what’s going on, they don’t single him out on this basis, besides, there are still a lot of ordinary kids in the class who still don’t say “p”, hissing. But in 2 years (from 3.5 to 5.5), I'll tell you, the child made a HUGE breakthrough in the development of speech ... We underwent treatment at the speech center in Kyiv. And there, each course of classes with a speech therapist, massage therapist and other specialists is always supported by medication. How everything will develop further, she herself is in the dark .... Let's see ... "

What to do?

So, what should parents do if doctors have discovered and confirmed the diagnosis of “mental retardation” in the baby?

Once the diagnosis has been made, the specialists should determine the cause which caused developmental delay. It is also important to understand if the child has any related problems, for example, if the child has difficulty developing speech, it is important to understand that he does not have hearing problems.

If a doctor prescribes a child medicines that will have a direct impact on his psyche, try to be sure to get an appointment with another specialist in order to listen to not one, but two, three, or five opinions. Most often, experts are of the opinion that in case of mental retardation, the correct rehabilitation of competent specialists is sufficient.

Find in your city for work with children with a diagnosis of mental retardation. Working in adaptation groups, mini-kindergartens or on their own, the child will be able to cope with the disease faster, and parents will receive qualified consultations and will be able to participate in trainings.

Specialists of the center for helping children with mental retardation will develop individual program rehabilitation the baby, which will be aimed directly at stimulating the affected mental processes.

Work with your child according to the developed rehabilitation program under the supervision of the center's specialists, and most importantly - do not lose contact with the child, believe in his development.

Our mother, YuliyaL, tells: “In my opinion, the most important thing is not to lose contact with the child, not to let HIM move away ... You see, I have two more ordinary children, and for a long time I could not understand what was wrong with my son ... I already thought maybe I really have some kind of coldness, or something ... And then I realized that he was trying to pull away, withdraw into himself, but you can’t let go. Such contact helps us a lot to keep the family in general, sisters, domestic animals - although there are a lot of problems and inconsistencies. It was a great happiness when, after 3 years, he first began to settle down next to me, then he said “mommy”, at 5 he suddenly began to hug ... Now sometimes he just has attacks of tenderness, and tells how glad he is that it was with lives with us, etc. IMHO - doctors-specialists-teachers advise what they know, but everything must be applied with an eye on how mom feels. It is very important that we feel good with our children and them with us, not to violate this. Honestly - we have trips, some good, warm events have always given some kind of progress. And when “constructing”, the son does not give progress at all ... This is the simplest and most difficult for me, sorry for the excessive emotions ... "

We are sure that if you start working with your baby in a timely manner, you will be able to solve many problems, and over time the child will recover and will not differ in any way from his peers!

Even in kindergarten, kids are singled out who are different from their peers. They first do, then think, too impulsive, unable to focus on a particular matter. The mental retardation of the child is characterized by a lag in colloquial speech, concentration, motor skills, thinking, memory. There is a lag in learning, regulation of behavior, uncontrolled emotional outbursts.

Children with mental retardation need specially organized education with medical support. Psychiatrists refer to such a delay as a mild deviation. ZPR in children does not apply to gross violations of the formation of the child's psyche, the problem is not related to the underdevelopment of the motor system, should not be confused with or disability.

To notice the symptoms of mental retardation in children, you can pay attention to some features of the child's behavior:

• without the help of adults, students do not learn curriculum(writing, reading, counting);
• uncontrolled behavior, restlessness, inattention;
• delayed mental, speech development;
• it is difficult to express a thought correctly;
• it is not possible to compose a retelling of the text read or told, only separate fragments of the story are built;
• slow thought process
• a noticeable decrease in memory;
• do not pronounce all letters, sounds;
• such children are naive, straightforward, dependent;
• often conflict with peers;
• it is difficult to perceive and fulfill school assignments, instructions;
• some games cause fear;
• poor performance;
• fast fatiguability;
• they cannot play in an organized, harmonious manner;
• learning material is learned slowly;
• children are not inquisitive enough;
• impulsive, irritable;
• they are focused on secondary points;
• difficult to grasp the main idea of ​​the task;
• characterized by fussiness, aggressiveness, uncertainty, expressiveness;
• quick change of mood;
• require constant attention and approval.

Detect developmental delay preschool age on the following grounds:

• baby 6-8 months does not hold the head on its own;
• baby 7-9 months does not roll over;
• after 7 months does not sit by himself;
• by six months, the baby does not babble, for a year and a half - does not pronounce simple words or syllables (pa, na, ma, yes, mom, dad);
• the child constantly walks on tiptoe.

Important! If these symptoms appear, seek advice from a pediatrician, a psychiatrist.

Causes of developmental delay

The child is experiencing learning difficulties social adaptation. Observe unstable intellectual abilities. Toddlers can be attributed to pedagogically neglected cases, indicating that the cause depends on the social status of the child.

Possible causes of ZPR that occurred during the mother's pregnancy:

• rubella, chickenpox;
• ARI, SARS, influenza;
• intrauterine infections;
• severe toxicosis;
• the use of alcoholic beverages;
• smoking;
• mother's contact with pesticides;
• oxygen starvation of the fetus;
• different Rh factor in parents.

Postpartum factors for the manifestation of ZPR:

• injuries inflicted on the baby during childbirth;
• asphyxia in the chest;
• a premature baby may show signs of mental retardation;
• jaundice;
• cord entanglement;
• placental abruption.

Other causes of CRA:

• attention deficit;
• lack of psychological influence of parents on the baby;
• pedagogical neglect;
• limitation of life activity;
• quarrels, violence, alcoholics in the family;
• overprotection;
• head trauma, tumor;
• hydrocephaly;
• rickets;
• meningitis;
• epilepsy;
• delayed physical development;
• excess weight, chronic diseases mothers;
• nervous breakdowns of the expectant mother;
• heredity.

Neuropsychological examination revealed a slow formation of the frontal parts of both hemispheres of the brain, which are responsible for behavior, thinking, attention, and memory. It is expressed in the slowness of perception, processing of the information received. If the neurologist detects damage, he will prescribe drugs that activate the work of brain cells, coordinating the excitability of the baby.

Modern children are closed in their own world, computer games have a negative impact on development. Over time, there is a lack of communication with peers, there is a fear of new acquaintances. There is a fear of contact with children and adults.

Problems with the baby's psyche can develop with hearing, vision, speech defects. The child feels inferior, closes, stops communicating, becomes irritable.

ZPR classification

Cognitive, physical abilities of children with mental retardation are limited. Their intelligence is lower than that of their peers. They are unable to fully comply with the requirements. Games, certain interests come to the fore. These guys behave differently in different situations.

The somatogenic group includes children with somatic diseases (asthma, heart disease, kidney failure, pneumonia, etc.). Past illnesses affect brain function. kids long time arrive at hospitals. They are characterized by low working capacity, absent-mindedness, they hardly remember the material, they have superficial attention, lethargy. The new team is difficult to perceive, adequately respond to the environment, polite, do not show initiative.

Constitutional delay depends on heredity. Delayed maturation of the central nervous system leads to a mental disorder, and to a lag in physical development. The behavior of these kids is not appropriate for their age. Some behave like babies, others try to show that they are adults. Children are spontaneous, they have insufficient memory, not concentrated attention, not touchy, often good mood. They perform tasks that are of interest to them.

ZPR of a psychogenic nature occurs under adverse conditions of a social and somatic nature. This group includes neglect, lack or absence of parental education, abuse, strong guardianship. Toddlers are characterized by impulsiveness, weak intelligence, lack of independence. The child becomes neuropsychic, restless, he is overcome by anxiety. Overprotection leads to lack of will, lack of purposefulness. If there are no problems with the central nervous system, the child gradually adapts to the school environment of stay, overcomes the barrier of communication with classmates.

Cerebro-organic origin is due to a lesion or anomaly of the brain and central nervous system, cerebral palsy. Violations affect any sphere of the psyche, it all depends on the scale and area of ​​the lesion.

Who and when conducts diagnostics

The commission diagnoses the mental retardation of the baby. Composition: psychologist, neuropathologist, teacher, psychiatrist, speech therapist, defectologist. Parents, representatives of the kindergarten or school are present at the time of diagnosis. Their task includes:

1. Give a conclusion or reject the diagnosis of ZPR.
2. The child is tested on their knowledge. They check reading, writing, counting, logic, the baby answers certain tests.
3. Specialists study the perception, memory, thinking, mindfulness, self-awareness of the baby.
4. The commission establishes a training program, what specific classes are needed.

Preschool children up to 6 years of age undergo diagnostics. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe an EEG, MRI, CT scan of the brain.

Actions of parents in case of mental retardation

Such a diagnosis is not final, the development of the child does not stand still, it just goes on at its own pace. The first years of study are important for the formation of personality. This is the time of laying basic knowledge, relationships with people around. Help involves psychological, pedagogical correction.

Adult action:

1. Lagging development requires competent psycho-correction, you need to start practicing on time. You should not rely on someone (school, teacher), you need to take the situation under control.
2. The correctional class will help you get used to it faster, gradually learn the educational material, and make friends with classmates.
3. After the adjustment, the child is cured, ready to return to a regular school by grade 5-6, the lag will not be noticeable.
4. You have to go to different doctors. Several times a year to consult a neurologist, a psychiatrist. To undergo a course of treatment as directed.
5. If the school does not have a speech therapist, you will have to find one yourself. Attend specialist classes twice a week, do additional tasks at home.
6. Consultations, classes with a defectologist.
7. Together with the teacher, draw up a plan to make up for the shortcomings of the training sessions.
8. Explain to the child the orientation in space (where is the left and where is the right, seasons, months, days, understand by the hour). Classes will give results if they are carried out in game form. Includes games with motor skills, actions in the sandbox.
9. The first time the lesson lasts 8-15 minutes, writing 5 minutes. Then they turn their attention to another lesson. After 40 minutes, they take a break: they eat, run, jump, look at pictures.
10. Hire tutors whenever possible.

Advice! There are many educational games and exercises for children with mental retardation on the Internet.

The sooner adults pay attention to the backlog of the baby, the faster the recovery will come.

If the doctor considers that medical treatment is necessary, then prescribe nootropic drugs.

Often, parents control every movement of the baby: they collect a briefcase, do homework for him, feed him, dress him. Such excessive care deprives their child of independence, instills uncertainty, makes them irresponsible. Control is needed, but it is impossible to limit completely independent actions. For example, dad asks: “What lessons were given? What subject will you start with? What did you put in your briefcase? Show me the book you read? Such questions form a sense of responsibility in the child, push for independent actions, help to make a decision on their own.

Heavy workload reduces the child's performance, there is lethargy, irritation, aggression, mood changes. Increased loads it is difficult to perform, the child is nervous, worries, loses faith in himself.

Indifference, a conniving attitude are observed in dysfunctional families, and where parents are too busy, they do not see a problem. With age, the situation begins to manifest itself, adults scare with belts, cuffs, come up with different ways punishment. In the future, this leads to irreversible consequences.

What to do?

1. No matter how hard it is, you can’t stop, give up, classes will give results over time. Praise your child for every successful decision, for small achievements.
2. Help the child if he asks for help.
3. Create a positive microclimate in the family. Spend more time together.
4. To inspire confidence in the son (daughter), convince him of success, explain: you just need to make an effort.
5. Arouse the desire to learn, follow the daily routine.
6. Avoid overwork.
7. Give more independence: let him eat, dress, fold things, make the bed, wash the dishes.
8. Help.
9. On a walk, show different shapes, colors, count objects. For example: “How much do cars cost? What color are they? Can you show me the car, big and small?
10. Body-emotional contact: hugging, kissing.
11. Observe the condition of the baby early age.
12. Consult a pediatrician.

You should ask those exercises that the baby can handle.

Advice! If there is a correctional center in the city educational institution, it is better to give the child there.

Number of students in correctional class less than in a regular school, the teacher pays attention to each student. Teachers have experience with such children. It is worth being patient, you can’t take it out on the child, he will close up, and there will no longer be an opportunity to fix anything.

First of all, let's understand what mental retardation (MPD) is. Strictly speaking, in modern international classification diseases accepted in Russia, we will not meet such a diagnosis. But this does not mean that it does not exist, just that the DPD is divided into different headings (for example, developmental speech and language disorders, developmental learning disorders, motor developmental disorders, mixed specific mental development disorders) and is included in the section called "Disorders psychological development". However, for convenience, all these complex headings are often replaced by three letters - ZPR. So is it worth being afraid of this abbreviation?

Parents need to know that mental retardation (MPD) belongs to the category of mild deviations in mental development and occupies an intermediate place between the norm and pathology. ZPR is characterized by the reversibility of many disorders, i.e. with thoughtful rehabilitation and corrective work, the prognosis for the development of the child is relatively favorable.

There are primary and secondary mental retardation. Children with primary mental retardation usually do not have such severe developmental disabilities as mental retardation, congenital underdevelopment of speech, hearing, vision, motor system, characteristic of secondary CRA(the delay is due to congenital underdevelopment of vision or hearing). Here we will talk about the primary delay.

As a rule, these children experience the main difficulties in social (especially school) adaptation and learning, due to the immaturity of the emotional-volitional sphere. It is she who is the most striking sign of ZPR: it is extremely difficult for a child to make an effort of will on himself, to force himself to do something. In turn, immaturity leads to attention problems (eg, unsteadiness, reduced concentration, increased distractibility). Often, attention disorders are accompanied by increased motor and speech activity. Together, this leads to a violation of perception, memory, difficulties in drawing correct conclusions. So, for example, a child may experience difficulty in recognizing familiar objects from an unusual angle (for example, a baby does not recognize the contours of objects drawn on top of each other), it is difficult to learn even short poems and forget them very quickly. And it is clear that his knowledge of the world around him will be insufficient and limited.

Mental retardation can range from mild to severe. However, for all types of ZPR are characteristic the following signs: delay in the development of motor skills, speech, difficulties in assimilation of norms social behavior, emotional immaturity, uneven development of individual mental functions, and, finally, the most important thing is the reversible nature of these disorders.

At mild degree delays, the acquisition of age-related skills lags behind the generally accepted standards slightly, and the lag is compensated for with little effort on the part of specialists. Often, all the necessary corrective work can be done by the parents themselves.

At medium degree the acquisition by the child of age-related motor and speech skills, emotional reactions, the formation of fine motor skills, the improvement of communicative interactions is delayed more significantly. Additionally, the child may experience noticeable difficulties in interacting with both adults and children. In this case, in order to compensate for the developmental delay, much more time is required, the efforts of parents, as well as the mandatory participation of specialists.

With a pronounced degree, the lag in acquiring age-related skills is significant: such children start walking very late, neatness skills are formed later, etc. Along with a significant lag, various disorders of the somatic state are noted - lack of muscle tone, signs of hydrocephalus and cerebral hypertension, etc. Here, the help of doctors, speech pathologists and a psychologist is required.

The first signs of mental retardation may be noticeable at a very early age (up to 2.5 years). However, it manifests itself in delayed maturation motor functions therefore, usually at this age they speak of a delay in psychomotor development.

When a child reaches 2.5-3 years of age, it becomes possible to identify the main features characteristic of mental retardation (delay in the development of motor skills, speech, difficulties in assimilating the norms of social behavior; emotional immaturity; uneven development). Therefore, ZPR is usually diagnosed as a diagnosis, starting at the age of three. But there are always nuances, for some this diagnosis can be made earlier, for others later. When the child reaches the youngest school age such a diagnosis is either withdrawn (which occurs more often) or reconsidered.

Usually attentive parents by the age of 2-3, they notice that “something is wrong” in the development of their baby. And the question arises: “Is it worth seeking special advice?” The answer is obvious: of course it is. Even if the child has a slight degree of delay, qualified specialists will advise how to deal with him, suggest possible educational approaches, and, if necessary, recommend visiting special classes or a specialized preschool / school institution.

First of all, if you suspect a mental retardation, parents should contact a neurologist and a psychiatrist to clarify the diagnosis, determine the degree of delay, as well as possible causes and prescribe treatment and additional examinations, if necessary (for example, electroencephalograms). The next specialist to go to is a defectologist. He will help you choose the most suitable classes or create a program for classes with your child at home. If you have speech problems, you should also visit a speech therapist. Do not forget about the psychologist, his tasks include working with the child to overcome emotional and volitional immaturity and introduce him to activities (for example, the child learns to listen and analyze instructions for tasks, etc. in the process), to broaden his horizons, and also help parents in building effective interaction with the child.

Some children with mental retardation are not ready for school. They do not have a personal and intellectual readiness for schooling, there is a lack of knowledge and ideas about the world around them, as well as the imperfection of educational skills for mastering the program school material. Such children cannot master counting, reading and writing without special help. It is also difficult for them to systematically comply with the norms and rules of conduct adopted at school. Pupils of elementary grades with mental retardation quickly get tired, especially with intense intellectual workload. Subjective difficulties in mastering the educational material can lead to a refusal to complete the teacher's tasks both in the classroom and at home. Therefore, before sending a child to a school with a “good” or “strong” program, parents should assess the capabilities of their future first grader so that school does not become torture for the child.

Once again, I would like to note that mental retardation is not a sentence. With the right approach and understanding of the needs and characteristics of the development of the child, ZPR is quite surmountable. Often, children with mental retardation do not have this diagnosis by the beginning of schooling and quite successfully adapt both at school and in adulthood.

Sometimes students are difficult to teach and nurture, and main reason this is served by a special, in contrast to the norm, state of the mental development of the individual, which has received the name in defectology "mental retardation" (ZPR). Every second chronically underachieving child has a ZPR.

The essence of the disease

AT general view this state is characterized by a slow development of thinking, memory, perception, attention, speech, emotional-volitional aspect. Due to the limitation in mental and cognitive abilities, the child is not able to successfully fulfill the tasks and requirements imposed on him by society. For the first time, these limitations are clearly manifested and noticed by adults when the child comes to school. He cannot conduct stable purposeful activity, he is dominated by play interests and play motivation, while there are pronounced difficulties in distributing and switching attention. Such a child is not able to make mental efforts and strain when performing serious tasks, which quickly leads to school failure in one or more subjects.

The study of students with mental retardation showed that the basis of school difficulties is not intellectual insufficiency, but impaired mental performance. This is manifested in the difficulties of long-term concentration on cognitive tasks, in the low productivity of activity during the study period, in excessive fussiness or lethargy, and in disturbances in switching attention. Children with mental retardation have a qualitatively different structure of the defect, unlike children, in their violation there is no totality in the underdevelopment of mental functions. Children with mental retardation better accept the help of adults and are able to transfer the shown mental techniques to a new, similar task. Such children need to be provided with comprehensive assistance from psychologists and teachers, which includes an individual approach to learning, classes with a teacher of the deaf, a psychologist, along with drug therapy.

Developmental delay has a form determined by heredity. For children with this type of mental retardation, a harmonious immaturity of the physique and at the same time the psyche is characteristic, which indicates the presence of harmonic psychophysical infantilism. The mood of such a child is mostly positive, he quickly forgets insults. At the same time, due to the immature emotional-volitional sphere, the formation of educational motivation does not work. Children quickly get used to school, but do not accept the new rules of behavior: they are late for classes, they play in the lessons and involve their neighbors in the desk, turn letters in notebooks into flowers. Such a child does not divide grades into “good” and “bad”, he rejoices at having them in his notebook.

From the very beginning of study, the child turns into a persistently underachieving student, for which there are reasons. Due to the immature emotional-volitional sphere, he performs only what is connected with his interests. And because of the immaturity of intellectual development in children of this age, mental operations, memory, speech are not sufficiently formed, they have a small stock of ideas about the world and knowledge.

For the constitutional ZPR, the prognosis will be favorable with a targeted pedagogical impact in an accessible game form. Work on the correction of development and an individual approach will remove the above problems. If you need to leave children for the second year of study, this does not injure them, they will easily accept the new team and get used to the new teacher painlessly.

Children of this type of disease give birth to healthy parents. Developmental delay occurs due to previous diseases that affect brain function: chronic infections, allergy, dystrophy, persistent asthenia, dysentery. Initially, the child's intellect was not disturbed, but because of his distraction, he becomes unproductive in the process of learning.

At school, children of this type of mental retardation experience serious difficulties in adapting, they cannot get used to the new team for a long time, they get bored and often cry. They are passive, inactive and lack of initiative. They are always polite with adults, adequately perceive situations, but if they are not provided with a guiding influence, they will be disorganized and helpless. Such children at school have great difficulties with learning, arising from a reduced achievement motivation, no interest in the proposed tasks, there is an inability and unwillingness to overcome difficulties in their implementation. In a state of fatigue, the child's answers are thoughtless and absurd, affective inhibition often occurs: children are afraid to answer incorrectly and prefer to remain silent. Also, with severe fatigue increases headache, appetite decreases, there are pains near the heart, which children use as an excuse to refuse work when difficulties arise.

Children with somatogenic mental retardation need systematic medical and educational assistance. It is best to place them in sanatorium-type schools or in ordinary classes to create a medical-pedagogical regimen.

Children of this type of mental retardation are distinguished by normal physical development, they are somatically healthy. Research has shown that many children have brain dysfunction. The reason for their mental infantilism is a socio-psychological factor - unfavorable conditions of upbringing: monotonous contacts and habitat, emotional deprivation (lack of maternal warmth, emotional relationships), deprivation, poor individual motivation. As a result, the child's intellectual motivation decreases, there is a superficiality of emotions, lack of independence in behavior, and infantilism in relationships.

This childhood anomaly is often formed in dysfunctional families. In an asocial-permissive family, there is no proper supervision of the child; there is emotional rejection along with permissiveness. Due to the lifestyle of the parents, the baby has impulsive reactions, involuntary behavior, his intellectual activity is extinguished. This state often becomes fertile ground for the emergence of stable asocial attitudes, the child is pedagogically neglected. In an authoritarian-conflict family, the atmosphere of a child is saturated with conflicts between adults. Parents influence the baby through suppression and punishment, systematically injuring the child's psyche. He becomes passive, dependent, downtrodden, feels increased anxiety.

not interested in productive activities, have unstable attention. Their behavior manifests bias, individualism, or excessive humility and adaptability.

The teacher must show interest in such a child, in addition, there must be an individual approach and intensive training. Then the children will easily fill in the gaps in knowledge in an ordinary boarding school.

ZPR of a cerebro-organic nature

In this case, the violation of personality development is due to a local violation of brain functions. Causes of deviations in brain development: pathology of pregnancy, including severe toxicosis, viral influenza suffered by the mother, alcoholism and parents, birth pathologies and injuries, asphyxia, severe illness in the 1st year of life, infectious diseases.

All children of this type of mental retardation have cerebral asthenia, which manifests itself in excessive fatigue, reduced performance, poor concentration and memory. Thought processes are imperfect, and the performance indicators of such children are close to those of oligophrenic children. They acquire knowledge in fragments, and they quickly forget, so in the end school year students turn into persistently underachieving children.

The lag in the development of the intellect in these children is combined with an immature emotional-volitional sphere, the manifestations of which are deep and coarse. Children learn the rules of relationships for a long time, do not correlate their emotional reactions with certain situation, insensitive to misses. They are driven by the game, so there is always a conflict between "I want" and "I need to."

Teaching children of this type of mental retardation according to the usual program is futile. They need systematic competent correctional and pedagogical support.

Mental retardation is a pathological condition that occurs in childhood (preschool and school age). According to statistics, signs of mental retardation in primary school students have a negative impact on the performance of about 80% of students.

This article will tell you what mental retardation is in children, why such a pathology suddenly arises, what symptoms of mental retardation in children are treated, whether there are adverse consequences for mental retardation, how to treat the pathology and carry out preventive actions?

Mental retardation (MPD) is a pathology in which the development of the baby does not meet the established medical parameters and standards, being at a lower level. ZPR causes impairment of some cognitive functions child's body. For example, such aspects of the personality as the emotional and mental sphere, memory and attention suffer.

Why do not all children develop according to the norms

Delayed mental development in children can manifest itself for several reasons.

genetic predisposition. If you look, for example, at children suffering from Down syndrome, they always develop more slowly than their peers. The manifestation of this pathology can be different (both a mild degree of developmental delay, and a more serious condition - mental retardation). There are other types of chromosomal disorders that strongly affect the development of intelligence in childhood and the acquisition by the child of new skills and abilities.

Personality disorders associated with autism. Children with autism experience great difficulties in communicating with their peers. This happens because of a disturbed perception of the world. Depending on the form of autism (mild or severe), the interaction of the baby with society is either severely limited or even impossible. The nature of childhood autism is still controversial among many experts. None of the scientists can unequivocally answer whether autism belongs to genetic pathologies, or whether it is mental illness.

Birth injury. If a child during its intrauterine development experiences a state of hypoxia (chronic or acute lack of oxygen), then this negatively affects the functioning of its brain. As a result, after the birth, there are problems with the normal mental development of a child of preschool and primary school age.

The impact on the body of a pregnant woman of unfavorable factors becomes the cause of the appearance of a ZPR in a child. If, during the period of intrauterine gestation, a woman takes potent medications, works in hazardous production conditions, consumes alcohol, drugs, smokes cigarettes, or suffers from an infectious disease, this does not have the best effect on the mental development of her unborn baby.

Mental trauma. If in early childhood a child suffers a strong emotional shock, his intellectual development can be greatly slowed down or even “roll back” far back.

Less common causes

Somatic diseases. Their influence on the intellectual and mental health of the baby can be direct and indirect. If a child has been sick a lot since childhood and constantly stays in a hospital ward, this will definitely affect the state of his psyche, skills and thinking.

Unfavorable psycho-emotional situation within the family. In order for a preschooler (schoolchild) to develop normally and in accordance with medical standards, he must be surrounded by an atmosphere of love and care. Parents should show much attention to the little inhabitant of the house. If the family in which the child is growing up is experiencing serious difficulties (for example, lack of money, a serious illness of one of the parents, lack of good housing, the presence of violence in any form (physical or psychological), drug addiction or alcoholism in parents) - this is undoubtedly affects the mental development of a small person. If the child does not have congenital abnormalities on mental level, then living in a dysfunctional family provokes their appearance.

Violated sensory functions in the child's body. Bad job organs of hearing and vision prevent the baby from learning the world around him. If the problem of deafness or blindness cannot be eliminated, then bad situation mental development only gets worse. The child does not have enough available means for full interaction and communication with other people, so his mental development slows down.

Pedagogical neglect. The correct and appropriate mental development of children largely depends on whether parents are involved with them, whether they help them to learn about the world around them and discover something new in it, whether they contribute to their full and diversified development and right upbringing.

According to statistics, only 20% of parents read educational books with their child! But this is the guarantee of the future child!

Modern trends show that more and more children suffer from mental development disorders precisely because of pedagogical neglect. Young parents are too keen on computer games, and they do not have time for the development of the baby.

In fact, all the causes of deviations in the mental development of a child from medical standards are divided into:

• biological ( pathological conditions, which develop during the period of intrauterine development of the crumbs);
• social (related to the child's living conditions).

Factors leading to mental retardation in children ultimately affect the classification of pathology.

Varieties of mental retardation in childhood

Differences between mental retardation and mental retardation

The manifestation of mental retardation usually continues until the completion of primary school age (grades 3-4 of school). If the symptoms of pathology are observed at an older age, doctors are already talking about mental retardation. Both pathologies differ from each other in the following aspects:

• mental retardation causes irreversible changes in intellectual and mental spheres personality, and with ZPR, the underdevelopment of these areas can be corrected by special methods;
• children suffering from mental retardation are able to use the help that adults give them, and subsequently apply the experience gained in performing new tasks (with mental retardation, a child will not be able to do this);
• children with mental retardation always have a desire to understand the information they read, and babies with mental retardation it is missing.

If a child is diagnosed with mental retardation, do not despair. Today, in pedagogy and psychology, there are many methods for correcting and eliminating children's mental developmental delays.

Receiving comprehensive assistance allows special children and their parents to work together through a difficult period of development.

Signs and symptoms of mental retardation in a child

Mental retardation in a child cannot be diagnosed at home. Only an experienced doctor can accurately determine the pathology. However, there are some features by which attentive parents will be able to understand that their child has mental retardation.

1. It is difficult for a child to socialize, he cannot fully communicate with his peers, interact with them.
2. The preschooler experiences difficulties in mastering the educational material, cannot keep his attention on any one lesson for a long time, does not concentrate on the teacher's explanations and is constantly distracted.
3. Any failure for such children becomes a reason for resentment, the emergence of emotional instability, the manifestation of vulnerability. Self-isolation appears, kids remember disappointments and resentments for a long time.
4. Skills that are quickly mastered by peers, a child with mental retardation masters with difficulty. He cannot learn elementary life skills (dressing, eating, performing hygiene procedures).
5. The child becomes too anxious, suspicious. Unusual fears take possession of him, aggression appears.
6. Develop various violations speech.
7. In infants, often against the background of mental developmental abnormalities, pathologies of a physical nature also occur. For example, a baby, much later than his peers, begins to hold his head, talk, crawl, stand and master walking skills.
8. The functions of memory, logic and imaginative thinking in a child with mental retardation are too poorly developed, or completely absent. This is especially noticeable in children aged 2 years and older.

Psychological aspects of the personality of a child with mental retardation

If a child has mental retardation, he has a number of psychological disorders.

1. Difficulties in interpersonal communication. Healthy children in the garden do not want to contact and interact with lagging children. A child with mental retardation does not want to interact with their peers. Children with mental retardation play independently, and in the classroom at school they work separately, communicating with other younger students in a limited way. However, interaction with younger children is more successful for them, because they are well received and understood. There are kids who generally avoid contact with their peers.
2. Emotional disorders. Children with mental retardation are psychologically labile, emotionally unstable, suggestible and dependent. They have increased anxiety, a state of passion, contrasting emotions, sudden mood swings, and anxiety. Sometimes there is an unhealthy cheerfulness and a sudden upsurge in mood. Children suffering from mental retardation cannot independently characterize their emotional state, and do not distinguish between the emotions of those people who surround them. Prone to aggression. In addition, they have self-doubt, low self-esteem, pathological attachment to one (or several) of their peers.

Complications and consequences of mental retardation

The main consequences of CRA in children are negative changes in the psychological health of the baby. In the case when the problem cannot be corrected, there is a further estrangement of the child from the team, his self-esteem is significantly reduced. The progression of mental retardation causes a deterioration in the functions of speech and writing, difficulties in social adaptation.

Features of the diagnosis of mental retardation

Diagnose mental retardation in children early stages very hard. Difficulties are associated with the fact that specialists need to compare and analyze existing mental condition preschooler with those age norms that exist in medicine.

Before determining the level and nature of the ZPR, a medical consultation is held, which includes a speech pathologist, a speech therapist, a psychologist and a psychotherapist.

They evaluate the following criteria for the development of a small patient:

• speech development;
• perception of various surrounding objects, forms, correct orientation in space;
• thinking;
• memory;
• visual activity;
• ability to serve themselves independently, their level;
• schooling skills;
• level of self-awareness and sociability;
• Attention.

As the main research methods, experts use the Bailey scale, the Denver test and IQ. As additional funds instrumental methods of MRI, CT and EEG are used.

Features of correction and treatment of mental retardation in childhood

In order for a preschooler suffering from mental retardation to be able to catch up with his peers in development, he needs to make an accurate diagnosis in a timely manner and begin the treatment process. So that a child with mental disabilities has the opportunity to attend a normal, and not correctional school, his parents must enlist the support of a psychologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist (and sometimes a psychotherapist), forming a common and unified team with them. For successful correction of ZPR, it is often used A complex approach, using homeopathic and medications.

The main burden in the treatment of mental retardation falls on the shoulders of the parents of a special child. The main emphasis is on correcting violations at the psychological and pedagogical level. The procedure improves emotional-communicative and cognitive functions.

After the detection of symptoms of mental retardation in children, treatment is prescribed by a doctor using complex methods. A speech therapist, a psychologist, a neurologist and a defectologist are engaged with the baby.

Sometimes psychocorrection does not give positive results, therefore, doctors recommend, in order to achieve a stable result, to reinforce psychocorrection with drug therapy, which is based on nootropic drugs.

Correction of ZPR with medicines involves the use of the following drugs:

• homeopathic medicines (including Cerebrum Compositum);
• antioxidant compounds (Cytoflavin, Mexidol);
• Glycine;
• Aminalon, Piracetam;
• Vitamins and vitamin complexes(Magne B6, Multivit, group B components);
• medicinal formulations of general tonic action (Lecithin, Kogitum).

How to prevent mental development problems

Good and effective prevention of childhood mental retardation relies on early and comprehensive development kids. In general, medical professionals advise parents of a child to adhere to the following simple rules for the prevention of SAD.

• It is necessary to create optimal conditions for the successful course of pregnancy and childbirth in a woman.
• In a family where a small child is growing, a favorable and friendly environment should be created.
• If the baby develops any diseases, they must be treated promptly.
• From the first days after birth, the condition of the baby must be carefully monitored.
• From an early age, you need to constantly engage with the baby, developing abilities and skills.

In the prevention of mental retardation in children, contact between the mother and the baby at the emotional and physical level is of great importance. The child will feel calm when his mother hugs and kisses him. Thanks to attention and care, the baby is better oriented in a new environment for him, learns to adequately perceive the world around him.

We hope that after reading this article, you will be able to recognize the symptoms of CKD in children and start treatment in time. If you found this article helpful, don't forget to rate it 5 stars below!