Connection between mental retardation and...

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...physical health problems?

Why is there a strong correlation between mental retardation and physical health problems? Is it because the whole body is controlled by the brain and so if you have problems in the brain you will have problems elsewhere?

But doesn't that dismiss the idea that those who are labelled as "mentally ret*d" are not simply DIFFERENT? I like to have the idea that those people just happen not to function or learn well in a conventional sense and that they have their own strengths.

Anyone have any input?

Just a musing-

MAYBE it's the reverse, and physical ill causes mental retardation, like in cases of fetal malnutrition (I could be seriously wrong, someone please correct me) the child's brain does not properly develop. The brain is part of the body, and when the body is not constructed properly, the infrastructure of the brain is also unstable.

You are right. Damage or improper contruction damages multiple parts of the fetus, brain included. You gave a very appropriate example of fetal malnutrition (stemming generally from pregnant woman's malnutrition). There's also maternal drug or alcohol use, exposure to enviromental toxins and infectious disease that the mother catches, such as Rubella. Then there are genetic problems which cause pervasive damage, such as Down's Syndrome.

They are different and they do have their strengths. But they are different either because of something damaging that happened to them as a fetus (toxic chemicals, infectious disease, disrupted blood flow because of injury to the mother etc.) or because a genetic error. Clearly they learn differently and of course they have their own strengths. But the damage they got as fgetuses damages their whole bodies in various ways and so there are the associated health problems.

The brain is very delicate and sophisticated and all sorts of things can damage its' functioning. But that doesn't mean the person has no strengths!

WAY too many variables for a direct answer on this.

In the case of a severe retardation or any condition which comes with the inability to communicate, a physical problem might fester for a long time with the person him/herself feeling it, but it doesn't come to the attention of a doctor until much later when the problem is much worse.

Also as someone said above, a birth problem or fetal harm can cause both mental and physical issues. And of course there is a strong opinion that depression causes health deterioration, but I don't know if that's because a hopeless feeling might make people not care about good eating and life habits, or if it's because there is a physical problem causing the depression in the first place.

Bottom line is that each person is unique, and needs to be treated that way.

Charles

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