Mental Retardation

Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence, Apr 06, 2001

Counseling and therapy are another important type of treatment for the mentally retarded. Retarded children as a group are prone to behavioral problems caused by short attention spans, low tolerance for frustration, and poor impulse control. Behavior therapy with a mental health professional can help combat negative behavior patterns and replace them with more functional ones. A counselor or therapist can also help retarded children cope with the low self esteem that often results from the realization that they are different from other children, including siblings. Counseling can also be valuable for the family of a retarded child to help parents cope with painful feelings about the child's condition, and with the extra time and patience needed for the care and education of a special-needs child. Siblings may need to talk about the pressures they face, such as accepting the extra time and attention their parents must devote to a retarded brother or sister. Sometimes parents have trouble bonding with an infant who is retarded and need professional help and reassurance to establish a close and loving relationship.

Current social and health care policies encourage keeping mentally retarded persons in their own homes or in informal group home settings rather than institutions. The variety of social and mental health services available to the mentally retarded, including pre-vocational and vocational training, are geared toward making this possible.

• Beirne-Smith, Mary, et al., eds. Mental Retardation. New York: Merrill, 1994.
• Drew, Clifford J. Retardation: A Life Cycle Approach. Columbus: Merrill, 1988.
• Grossman, Herbert J., et al, eds. AMA Handbook on Mental Retardation. Chicago: American Medical Association, 1987.
• Matson, Johnny L., and James A. Mulick, eds. Handbook of Mental Retardation. New York: Pergamon Press, 1991.