 | | | | Medical Health Encyclopedia | |
Motormental retardation
Definition:
Motormental retardation is described as delayed or decreased development of both mental and motor skills. Alternative Names:
Delayed motor and mental development; Retardation - motormental; Psychomotor retardation
Text Continues Below
Considerations:
Motormental retardation in children is generally related to significant central nervous system damage or abnormality. The term refers specifically to delayed development of cognitive skills (like speech) and delayed development of motor skills (such as walking). There can be various degrees of mental retardation, which include failure to meet certain normal developmental milestones. Infants can be born with conditions that cause mental retardation and delayed or absent motor development. Motormental retardation may also develop AFTER birth with deterioration of both mental and motor function related to disease or accident. Common Causes:
BEFORE BIRTH causes include: - asphyxia (insufficient oxygen before or during birth)
- cerebral hemorrhage
- congenital rubella syndrome
- congenital toxoplasmosis
- chromosomal abnormalities (excessive numbers or reduced numbers), such as trisomy 13, trisomy 18, trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)
- abnormalities of the chromosome (with normal number of chromosomes), such as Fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Angelman syndrome
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
INFANCY/CHILDHOOD causes include: - infection -- meningitis and/or encephalitis (Organisms can include virus, bacteria, or parasites. Some infectious agents include: HIV infection, Herpes Simplex virus, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, listeria, H. influenza)
- traumatic -- head injury, shaken-baby syndrome, asphyxia (such as near drowning)
- non-genetic metabolic disorders -- kernicterus, hypoglycemia, Reye's syndrome, congenital hypothyroidism (untreated)
- genetic metabolic disorders -- phenylketonuria (if untreated), histidinemia
- intraventricular hemorrhage (as seen in very premature infants)
- other heritable disorders -- Tay-Sachs disease, Aicardi syndrome, Niemann-Pick disease.
- environmental or toxins -- lead poisoning, methyl mercury exposure (Minamata disease)
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | |
|
.gif)
