BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children

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There are two terms ‘Mental retardation’ and ‘Mental deficiency’ that differ significantly from each other. Mental deficiency refers to a lower level of intelligence or low intelligent quotient. Mental retardation refers to sub-average intellectual functioning which originates during the development period. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Mental deficiency is due to heredity factors where here as mental retardation is due to both heredities as well as environmental factors. Mental retardation is remediable whereas mental deficiency is not remediable.

Mental retardation is to be diagnosed and remediation can be given. Mental deficiency is due to the nervous system but mental retardation is due to social and intellectual factors. They are children who can not mentally function as well as most children we find in society.

These children are subnormal in intelligence and behaviour. Retradation is pervasive and is been in all societies and cultures in varying proportions. Students will get a comprehensive and clear idea about mentally retarded children after reading the text presented here.

Meaning and Definitions of Mentally Retarded Children

There are some definitions of mental retardation-

“Mental deficiency is characterized by inadequate intellectual functioning in adaptive, associative and learning power, yet sufficient with I.Q. fifty (50) to become socially adequate and occupationally competent with the help of special educational facilities.”

The most comprehensive definition is given by the American Association of Mental Retardation.

The definition given in 1983 is as follows. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

“Mental Retardation refers to significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, resulting in or associated with concurrent impairments in adaptive behaviour, and manifested during the developmental period.”

The children with mental deficiency lack mental development and possess less I.Q. their I.Q. is less than 74 but more than 50.

Historical Development of Mental Retardation

Mental retardation has been known for centuries and different terms have been used to explain It. Early in the twentieth century, the terms moron, imbecile and idiot explained the three levels of retardation. During the 1940s the term feeble-minded was used. In recent years terms like mental subnormality’ and ‘developmental disability’ are being used.

Until the twentieth century, retardation was defined in terms of an individual’s inability to meet the minimal demands of society. In 1905 Alfred Binet developed a method of identifying students who could be expected to fail in the regular school curriculum and who therefore required a special instructional programme, which was translated and used in the USA by Henry Herbert Goddard.

Terman’s 1916 edition of the Standard Binet Intelligence Scale was quickly adopted as standardized, objective. norm-referenced way of identifying retarded children. I.Q. became the standard for the classification of mental retardation.

However, David Wechsler, who devised a sense of intelligence tests, warned against the rigid use of intelligence test scores as the sole criterion for diagnosing retardation. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

The Mental Deficiency Act of 1921 in England considered “Mental defectiveness as a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind existing before the age of eighteen years, whether arising from inherent causes or induced by disease or injury”.

One of the earliest definitions was given by Dool (1941). According to him, mentally retarded children show different characteristics. These are:

1. Social incompetency
2. Mental subnormality
3. The deficiency is developmentally linked to doing innuilstar
4. The retardation finally comes on maturity.
5. Retardation is constitutional in origin and
6. It is essentially incurable

Encyclopedia Britancica defines mental deficiency as “A state of subnormal evaluation of the human organism in consequence of which the individual affected is incapable of assuming the responsibilities expected of a socially adequate person such as self-direction, self-support and social participation.” (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Sarason and Dorris (1969) defined, “Mental retardation refers to individuals, who for temporary or long-standing reasons function intellectually below the average of their peer groups, but social adequacy is not in question or if it is in question, there is little likelihood that the individual can learn to function independently and adequately in the community.”

All the definitions were prevalent at different times and in different countries. But none of them could adequately explain mental retardation. The characteristics pointed out by different experts are also unrelated to one another.

Therefore, the American Association of Mental Deficiency (AAMD) set up a committee under the retardation. Chairmanship of Rick Heber to develop a comprehensive definition of mental retardation. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Herber defined mental retardation as “significantly sub-average general functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour and manifested during the development period” (Herber, 1959).

The definition was subsequently restated as: “Mental retardation refers to significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, resulting in or associated with, concurrent impairments in adaptive behaviour and manifested during the developmental period”.

This definition has three aspects:

1. Sub-average intellectual functioning.
2. Developmental in origin, and
3. Impairment in adaptive behaviour.

Mentally Retarded Children who function at different levels of retardation require different educational programmes, curricula, methods, and materials. In recent years, differences observed among them have led to the use of four levels, mild, moderate, serve, and profound retardation. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

The mild group makes up approximately 75 to 80. IQ students in the EMR range are capable of learning basic academic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. Most children can learn vocational skills.

These children may enter school at the usual age, but formal reading and writing instruction may be delayed until about age eight or nine. During school years, they may be given instruction in simple arithmetical concepts understanding the home and community and developing good work habits.

Curricula are designed to provide basic skills for coping with the environment Educable children usually develop language skills.

The moderate level of retardation (IQ range about 35 to 60) includes essentially the same group as those called trainable mentally retarded (TMR) in schools. Until the 1950s, this group was usually not admitted to public schools. Gradually separate classes were started for them under the public school system. The curricula for TMR students differ from that of EMR curricula.

TMR students are unlikely to develop independence as adults. They are unlikely to learn to handle finances beyond simple purchases and usually need some supervisory help. The academic skills taught include learning to recognise signs and common symbols, learning to recognise and use coins and telling time to the half or quarter-hour.

In addition to the development of skills of self-care and simple skills. TMR students eventually develop language skills, but articulation problems are more common than that in EMR children. Teachers use experiences as well as reinforcement techniques to teach the TMR.

Severely retarded (IQ range about 20 to 35) and profoundly retarded (IQ below 20) children are not considered for school placement Educators usually referred to all retarded children below the TMR level as custodial. It was assumed that all such children would be in residential institutions. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Although today about 80% of individuals who are in residential facilities are severely or profoundly retarded, many others have remained at home. With the deinstitutionalization movement, many children in western countries are provided education through public schools. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Characteristics of Mental Retardation

Menial Retarded children have many characteristics in common with normal children. Some authorities have described tile characteristics according to the severity of retardation some other experts have mentioned the characteristics not according to the degree of disability but in terms of their educatability.

Thus the characteristics of mentally retarded children are classified into two categories-
1. General characteristics and 2. Specified characteristics.

1. General Characteristics of Mentally Retarded Children

The following are some important features of mentally retarded children-

1. A mentally retarded child has low intelligence but his development is not adequate according to his mental level.
2. Mentally retarded children are of two types (a) Educable mentally retarded and (b) Trainable mentally I.Q. (55-50) trainable retarded I.Q. (50-75) educable. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)
3. Mentally retarded child differs with regard to learning emotions, adjustment and physical development from normal children.
4. Mentally retarded children have poor adjustment due to several reason-lack of motivation, and feelings of insecurity.
5. Identification is difficult for such children. They lack abstract thinking concept formation and process of generalization.
6. Some specific facilities for some MR children-
   (i) Slow reaction,
   (ii) Absence of clarity,
   (ii) Inability to learn fast,
   (iv) Inability to understand quickly,
   (v) Inability to decide,
   (vi) Lack of concentration,
   (vii) Short temper,
   (vii) Inability to remember,
   (ix) Lack of coordination, and
   (x) Delay in development.

2. Specific Characteristics of Mentally Retarded Children

Some features of MR children are classified into three categories

(a) Educable Mentally Retarded (EMR)

(b) Trainable Mentally Retarded (TMR) and

(c) Custodial Mentally Retarded (CMR)

(a) Educable Mentally Retarded (EMR): The EMR children have IQ 50 to 75. They have a normal appearance and remain unidentified until their late teens. They function at an intellectual level generally limited to learning the most basic school subjects, skills such as reading, spelling, writing and numerical calculation.

They are expected to learn up to the seventh standard. they can communicate effectively in everyday conversation, and enjoy friendship and group social activities. They can travel with ease in their home town or locality.

During adulthood, they are able to live independently, marry or have children. They can hold are able to live independently, marry or have children. They can hold skilled or semi-skilled jobs. But at times they may need assistance in doing their job. They can be educated in regular classrooms. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

(b) Trainable Mentally Retarded (TMR): The TMR children have IQ 25 to 50. They are expected to have physical or sensory impairments and many tend to like different in terms of facial features and physical characteristics. They function at a level where formal academic learning is quite limited.

They can learn to feed, toilet and dress self adequately. They can carry on a sedimentary conversation, and do simple household work. But they need training in self-care activities, language development and rudimentary academic skills, they are usually placed in special classes or special schools.

(c) Custodial Mentally Retarded (CMR): The CMR have an IQ below 25. They are so retarded in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour that they remain totally dependent on others for their existence, It is because of their severe retardation that they are institutionalised early in life.

Their speech and toilet habits remain at a primitive level. Behaviour modification and environmental stimulation techniques are usually recommended for their training.

Causes (Etiology) of Mental Retardation

It has been mentioned that mental retardation is due to both types of factors-1. Heredity-Endogenous factors and 2. Environment exogenous factors:

1. Heredity-Endogenous factors: may be of the following types:-

(a) Development defects: before birth skull deformities and endocrine disorders.

(b) Metabolic defects: skin diseases, infantile juvenile.

(c) Neuromotor defect: motor skills defects, motor paralysis

(d) Psychological disorder: Sensory defects, psychic defects.

2. Environment-Exogenous factors: these may be of the following types:-

(a)  Developments after the birth of the child.

(b) Anti-measures used by mother in pregnancy

(c) Postnatal conditions-direct injury disease etc.

(d) Process of Growth and development-

1. Developmental defects,
2. Metabolic defects,
3. Meurosomotor defects, and
4. Psychological disorder.

Kirk has enumerated the causes of retardation into three categories:-

1. Organic or biological,
2. Genetic or heredity and
3. Cultural or environmental factors.

The empirical research studies have yielded that three types of factors are responsible for the mental retardation of children.

Mentally retarded children child are identified by using both observation of their behaviour and administering intelligence tests to ascertain their level of intelligence. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)

Mental Retardation occurs due to genetic and environmental factors which come into play at prenatal, perinatal and postnatal stages of development. (BEd 2nd Year What do you mean by Mentally Retarded Children)