International Journal of Medical and Health Research

Authors
Dr. Aftab A Siddiqui, Dr. Mandar Sadawarte, Dr. Deepika Nandanwar

Abstract
Context: Presently there is no cure for mental retardation; hence prevention is of paramount importance. Multiple factors have to be considered in the prevention of mental retardation. So that asserting medicosocial factors & cause becomes imperative not only for early interventions but also counselling done based on aetiological factors. Aim: To study medicosocial factors associated with mental retardation in children attending special clinics of two major municipal general hospitals. Material & methods: A non-randomized sampling technique was used & total of 258 children upto 12 years of age identified as cases of developmental disability by the team, during the specified time period were included in the study. All new as well as old cases that were referred from various departments and came for follow-up were included. Results & Conclusion: More than half of the mentally retarded children were 0-3 years of age group. Cases were predominantly males and came from nuclear families. 55.82% were mildly retarded. 54.26% mentally retarded children belonged to lower socio-economic status. Almost one third mothers had history of taking drugs of one or the other during pregnancy. Cerebral palsy & seizures were major associated impairment in the cases. In almost 50% cases, preventable environmental factors were responsible for mental retardation. Birth asphyxia and Down’s syndrome ranks as a topmost cause in environmental and genetic factors respectively.