Causes of Mental Retardation in CHildren

Causes of Mental Retardation in Children Nowadays, although many women prefer to focus on their jobs rather than give birth to children, but some young mother agree that it is a life-changing experience. Giving birth to a child is the most significant event in the life of almost any woman. It is undeniable that a good looking and healthy child is the most valued living being for every mother. However, unfortunately, some children are born with different deviations, both physically and mentally. A question arises, what is the reason of mental retardation in children?

The most significant factor which contribute to mental retardation in children is the excessive use of alcohol used by a young mother in the prenatal period, which is during the first trimeter(12 weeks) of pregnancy. According to a research, even moderate intakes of alcohol can influence the mental capabilities of future children. The tobacco, some chemical substances and illegal drugs also lead to the mental retardation.

Genetics is the second influential cause of mental retardation among children that should be taken in consideration. Chances of giving birth to a mentally challenged child will increase if one or both parents were mentally retarded. Sometimes, decreased mental capabilities are caused by abnormalities in chromosomes. About 25% are due to either a chromosomal or metabolic abnormality, the most common which are Down Syndrome and Fragile-x syndrome. Down Syndrome, which is due to an extra chromosome, is the most common form of mental retardation. Whereas Fragile-x is the most common form of inherited mental retardation and second only to Down Syndrome in frequency as a known chromosome cause. It is estimated that about 1 of every 1250 male birth and 1 of every 2500 female birth will get this problem.

Besides that, ecology and environment are the other factors which can increase the risk of mental retardation . Most of the people live in the age of poor ecology,