Mental Retardation - Mentally Retarded Children - MR
       
It has been seen that Mental Retardation  & CP Cerebral Palsy  go together. IF the damage is in motor area of the cerebral cortex, it causes aberrations and difficulties in motor movements of body. we call it cerebral palsy. In case, the motor area escapes the damage but other areas like sensory areas, cognition areas, prefrontal lobe, angular gyrus or any other area that contributes to poor intelligence, social development or learning capacity of the child are damaged.

Brain is the synchronized structure made of billions of neuronal network. Neurones and their synaptic as well as dendriatic connections join many other neurones. This makes an integrated unit . In case of damage these interconnections and their supporting cells, glial cells, suffer much, making their working inefficient to contribute to intelligence according the modern theories number of neurones is not so important for excellent brain model, rather their multiplicity of synaptic and dendriatic connections along with obscure role of glial cells.

 Causes of Mental Retardation 

1. Genetical - Mongolism.
2. Nutritional - Iodine deficiency / poor gestational nutrition.
3. Obstetrical birth injuries of head - poor APGAR score at birth.
4. Some infections of brain - tubercular meningitis, viral (rubella), protozoal (toxoplasma) etc.
5. Severe dehydration - High grade fever in childhood  can cause irreversible injuries .
6. Head injuries.
7. Poor social environment.

Assessment is done by mental aging, psychological scoring and I.Q. testing.

Treatment Of Mentally Retarded Children:- 

It is difficult to treat in Allopathy. As such there are no medicines for direct application, except nutritional support of tonics. Ayurveda do offer some medicines like Acorus calamus, Celastrus peniculus, Bacopa monnieri etc. But their efficacy is not uniform and success rate is poor in cases of childhood mental retardation.

Homeopathy offers a definite advantage of uniform success rate, graded progressive response with time frame, their accuracy & positivity is highest. Mostly the improvement starts within 1 to 2 months and can achieve the highest recoverable mental potential within 1 year of treatment. These medicines repairs glial damage and promotes dendritic connections which uplifts neuronal set ups to higher level of functioning. Medicines are easy to take and have no side effects.