Psychomotor retardation is a mental and physical disabilities, with which some children are born due to an infection of the mother during pregnancy (rubella in the first trimester, syphilis, AIDS, toxoplasmosis, mumps and some other infections), or excessive use of alcohol and drugs during pregnancy. Low thyroid mothers also often a cause of delayed development in children. All these factors, preventive measures can prevent!

In contrast, the causes of which we can not influence – a complicated childbirth, developmental abnormalities (neurofibromatosis) and other chromosomal or genetic aberrations (Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Turen syndrome, Prader- Wiliho syndrome, cat cry, Gaucher’s disease, phenylketonuria and others) . Help identify some of these defects we may prenatal diagnosis. Therefore, it is important that pregnant women went to the ultrasound and other cancer screening. Probability genetic variations also increases with the age of the pregnant woman!Unfortunately, ultrasound detects a larger anatomical variations, but today is to some extent possible prenatally detect fetuses with Down syndrome (screening method will help determine the risk of disease, however, can only confirm invasive procedures – amniocentesis, etc.). Certain diseases can even be treated so that the retardation actually develops – e.g., children born with phenylketonuria, for which takes appropriate diet. Such cases, unfortunately, not many, mostly on genetic defects to come to birth and treatment is still the subject of scientific research.

The degree of mental retardation

Mental retardation is divided into mild, moderate and severe to profound. Particular diseases and congenital syndromes have varying degrees of retardation and other associated symptoms. Mild disease is also common in culturally conditioned retardation. Children are lagging behind due to a lack of educational stimulation and guidance, receive few incentives are depressed.

The culprit may be poor nutrition (in poorer countries, developing countries).

Retardation does dementia. It occurs throughout life, especially among the elderly or as a consequence of brain diseases (inflammation, cancer, stroke, …), and this is actually the loss of intelligence (people were initially “normal”). Retardation is a condition pledged or incomplete development of children up to two years. Intelligence and motor skills here or not develop dementia compared to, or in some stage stop. Psychomotor disturbance may also be a symptom of schizophrenia (again, but not among mental retardation).

Movements of people with psychomotor disturbances are often aimless, repetitive, people have increased tone in the muscles of the limbs are unnatural position. Mental abilities vary primarily according to the degree of disability. May be impaired only communication skills, responsiveness, lacking a sense of responsibility, and sometimes a failure reflected in the activities of daily life, children need special schools and constant supervision.

Treatment is almost impossible.