Психология и социология / 8 Педагогическая психология

Bagnyukova E.B., language teacher, school №21, psychologist with a master's degree, Shakhty, Russia

Mental retardation

Mental retardation is a reversible disruption of intellectual and emotional-volitional sphere, accompanied by a specific learning difficulty. The number of persons with mental retardation reaches 15-16% in the pediatric population. The Mental retardation is more of a psychological-pedagogical category, but its basis may be organic disorders, so this condition is also considered medical disciplines, primarily Pediatrics and child neurology. Since the development of various mental functions in children is uneven, usually the conclusion of "mental retardation" is set for pre-school children no earlier than 4-5 years, but in practice often in the process of schooling.

The reasons for the delay of mental development

The etiological basis for mental retardation are biological and socio–psychological factors leading to tempo delay intellectual and emotional development of the child.

Biological factors (non-coarse organic injuries of the Central nervous system of a local nature and their residual effects) cause a violation of maturation of different parts of the brain, which is accompanied by partial disturbances of mental development and activity of the child. Among the reasons of a biological nature, existing in the perinatal period and may cause mental retardation, the most important are the pathology of pregnancy (severe toxicosis, rhesus incompatibility, fetal hypoxia, etc.), intrauterine infection, intracranial birth trauma, prematurity, nuclear jaundice of the newborn, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc., leading to perinatal encephalopathy. In the postnatal period and early childhood mental retardation can cause severe physical illness of the child. Mental retardation sometimes has a hereditary nature and for some families diagnosed from generation to generation.

Mental retardation may occur under the influence of environmental (social) factors, which however does not exclude the presence of original organic basis of the violation. Most children with Mental retardation are yooichi (neglect) or hyperopic, the authoritarian character of education, social deprivation, lack of communication with peers and adults. Mental retardation secondary character can develop at an early hearing and vision, speech defects due to a marked shortage of sensory information and communicating.

Correction of a delay of mental development

Working with children with Mental retardation requires a multidisciplinary approach and active participation of pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, child psychologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, speech pathologists. Correction of a delay of mental development should start from pre-school age and to be long-term.

Children with mental retardation should attend specialized groups, schools VII species or remedial classes in secondary schools. The peculiarities of teaching children with mental retardation are dosage of educational material, the reliance on clarity, repetition, frequent change of activities, the use of health technologies. Special attention when working with these children is paid to the development of cognitive processes (perception, attention, memory, thinking); emotional, sensory and motor areas using play therapy.

Forecast and prevention of mental retardation

The lag of the rate of mental development of the child from age norms can and should be overcome. Children with delay of mental development are trained and properly organized correctional work in their development there is a positive trend. With the help of teachers they are able to learn knowledge and skills that their normally developing peers learn independently. After graduation they can continue their education in vocational schools, colleges and even Universities.

Prevention of mental retardation in a child involves careful planning of pregnancy, avoidance of adverse effects on the fetus, prevention of infectious and somatic diseases in children of early age, providing favorable conditions for education and development. With a backlog of child psychomotor development need immediate examination by experts and the organization of correctional work.

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