Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Parents are always very worried about the health of their child. They are especially wary of the first few years after birth.
Problems with mental development are not as obvious at first glance as a cough or runny nose with the flu.
Therefore, you need to understand the causes and signs of mental retardation, understand who the imbecile is, and whether it is possible to cope with it.
Description
With imbecility, children lag behind in physical development, deviations are noticeable externally.
There may be signs of physical malformations: disturbances in the formation of the head, underdevelopment of the limbs, fingers, defects of the face, ears, eyes, hypogenitalism, etc. There may also be neurological symptoms such as paralysis, paresis. Imbeciles understand those around them, they themselves can pronounce individual words and sometimes even short phrases. Speech consists only of verbs and nouns, is tongue-tied and grammatically incorrect. As a rule, speech consists of very short standard phrases, and the vocabulary is limited to several dozen words (sometimes up to 200-300 words). Thinking is concrete and primitive, but consistent, distractions are inaccessible, the stock of information is extremely narrow, there is a sharp underdevelopment of attention, memory, and will. Imbeciles can form ideas, but the formation of concepts, as a higher stage of mental activity, is inaccessible to them or is severely difficult. They have almost no imagination.
Those suffering from imbecility manage to instill basic self-care skills (dressing themselves, taking care of themselves, eating) and simple work skills, mainly through training in imitative actions. With mild and moderate degrees of imbecility, patients can study in a auxiliary school, but they can be taught little: basic counting (within a few units), writing individual words, reading simple texts.
The emotions of imbeciles are more differentiated than those of idiots, they are attached to their family, and react adequately to praise or blame. Imbeciles lack initiative, are inert, very suggestible, easily get lost when the situation changes, need constant supervision and care, and in an unfavorable environment, behavior can be asocial. The interests of imbeciles are extremely primitive and are limited mainly to the satisfaction of physiological needs.
Sexual desire in those suffering from imbecility is usually reduced, but sometimes there is a painfully increased sexual desire along with a lack of restraining moral restrictions.
Based on their behavior, there are two groups of imbeciles: sluggish and apathetic, indifferent to everything except satisfying natural needs (torpid) and lively, active, restless (erectile). By character they are also divided into two groups: maliciously aggressive, stubborn and sociable, good-natured, friendly, flexible.
The concept of the definition of imbeciles and statistics of occurrence
The word imbecil is of Latin origin: imbecillus - this was the name in ancient times for weak, sick and non-viable babies, who were quickly disposed of.
Imbecility is a mental illness that arises as a result of a violation of ontogenesis (development of the body at the stages of formation). Imbecility is manifested by underdevelopment, first of all, of intellectual functions and clinically corresponds to moderate and severe mental retardation (according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision).
It should also be noted that not only mental factors are highlighted, but also the appearance of the person himself, his characteristic appearance, and body composition. Delayed physical development, defects of organs and body parts (head, limbs, internal organs) are possible. Thus, from very early childhood, various disorders and developmental features appear. An imbecile, as a rule, has a limited vocabulary, represented by simple individual words. Concrete thinking, no imagination or figurative representation. Imbeciles do not have a wide range of knowledge, but can learn basic reading and arithmetic skills with good teaching.
The diagnosis of oligophrenia is made on the basis of IQ. An IQ score of 31 – 49 corresponds to moderate mental retardation, and 20 – 34 – severe. Mental age stops at 6–9 years for moderate cases, and 3–6 years for severe cases.
The actual number of patients is difficult to calculate within a single region of the country. This depends not only on the detection of the disease and diagnostic criteria, but also on the characteristics of culture, society, and the current education and upbringing system. Thus, the prevalence of mental retardation ranges from 1 to 3% of the total population.
Imbecility causes and symptoms
The causes of imbecility lie in hereditary factors (microcephaly, Down syndrome, intrauterine damage to the fetus, infectious diseases suffered by the mother, rubella, toxoplasmosis, syphilis), immunological incompatibility of the blood of the fetus and mother, various harmful effects on the fetus, and birth injuries.
In those suffering from imbecility, motor skills are poorly developed, movements are angular and uncoordinated. Small, precise, manual motor acts are inaccessible to them. Their gait is often stiff, awkward, and hunched over.
The face of imbeciles has no facial expression, it is frozen, dull, and the blinking of the eyes is very rare. Many patients have pronounced congenital stigmas (protruding ears, attached lobes, defective bite, rough structure of the facial skull, microcephalic or hydrocephalic skull). Those suffering from imbecility have focal neurological symptoms. It is difficult for such patients to master the skills of neatness, but they happily take on feasible work, are proud of their successes and express displeasure and anger if someone litters in the place they have cleaned. At the same time, patients exhibit poor switchability and extreme lack of independence.
Characteristics of imbecility
The intelligence quotient (IQ) is determined in imbeciles within the range of 20-50. The International Classification of Diseases distinguishes imbecility as pronounced, in which (IQ is 20-35), and moderately expressed, in which (IQ is 35-50).
Those suffering from imbecility understand speech addressed to them well and are able to pronounce short phrases, but their speech is poor and also has inaccuracies. The active dictionary consists of 200-300 words. Patients' thinking is sequential, concrete, primitive, distractions are inaccessible to them, and the supply of information is extremely narrow. Such people are characterized by a sharp underdevelopment of memory, attention, and will.
Characteristics of imbecility include the following signs: lack of initiative, inertia, suggestibility, loss in a new environment. For those suffering from imbecility, it is possible to instill the simplest work skills, teach counting, reading, and writing. Individuals are able to learn how to perform simple counting operations, as well as learn simple work skills and serve themselves independently. They are capable of rewinding threads, cleaning the yard or room, and performing one operation (for example, gluing boxes, washing dishes).
Emotions in patients are more varied than in idiots. They react adequately to reproach and praise and have a strong attachment to their family. Those suffering from imbecility are deprived of any initiative, are inert, suggestible, and easily get lost in a changed environment. Such people constantly need supervision and care, and an unfavorable environment can make imbeciles antisocial. Those suffering from imbecility do not have the ability to make generalizations or abstract thinking.
What is the difference between a moron and an imbecile?
In terms of the severity of the disease, imbecility is a preceding and more severe stage of moronism. They differ fundamentally in several respects:
- A moron (at the moment this term is not recommended for use in medicine due to its pronounced negative connotation) is able to master a job well and live independently, occasionally needing support. At best, an imbecile can study the beginnings of some simple activity, guided solely by the principle of imitation, and is unable to live independently.
- The level and severity of physical abnormalities in persons suffering from imbecility are significantly higher than in morons.
- Emotions in morons are better developed and more varied than in imbeciles.
- The interests of morons are focused on satisfying the food and sexual instincts and taking care of their appearance. An imbecile can only strive to satisfy basic needs.
Degrees of imbecility
With this disease, three degrees of imbecility are noted: severe, moderate, and mild. All of them are expressed in various levels of mental underdevelopment. Assimilation of new material is given to patients with great difficulty. This happens within the framework of specific ideas and without any generalization. Imbeciles are incapable of thinking independently. Adaptation to the world around them is carried out only in a familiar and familiar environment. A slight change in the situation leads the patient to difficult moments, and he constantly needs guidance.
Those suffering from imbecility are very suggestible. Their personal interests are very primitive and boil down mainly to the fulfillment of physiological needs. They often show gluttony and sloppiness in eating. Their sexual behavior is characterized by fluctuations with increased sexual desire and promiscuity.
According to its behavior, oligophrenia in the degree of imbecility is divided into two groups. The first includes living, active, mobile people, and the second includes lethargic and apathetic, indifferent people who do not react to anything. According to character traits, imbeciles are distinguished as friendly, good-natured, flexible, sociable and aggressive, malicious. Those suffering from imbecility cannot live independently; they need constant qualified supervision. To do this, they are sent to special schools and institutions such as occupational therapy workshops.
What should parents do?
Raising a child with an average level of retardation (imbecility) is not an easy task. Often parents themselves need psychotherapy.
The specialist helps to understand that such children need constant support, understanding and a patient attitude. Only then can you create a calm and comfortable life for your baby.
Relatives should not get hung up on the amount of knowledge from the school curriculum. The main place should be occupied by the desire to give love and warmth to the child .
In such conditions, it is necessary to gradually teach him household and work skills. Such children are willing to do handicrafts and help around the house if they are adapted to this.
Conversations on various simple topics, watching movies and TV shows together, reading books by parents - such leisure time also contributes to development. Even if children perceive information in their own way.
You need to remember that if a child behaves aggressively towards mom and dad, then you shouldn’t take it personally . Because everyone is in a bad mood, and negativism often prevails in such children.
Imbecility treatment
Treatment is focused on proper education, as well as guiding the actions of patients. Doctors prescribe nootropic drugs, antipsychotics, tranquilizers; Classes with a speech therapist or psychoneurologist are recommended, and home training is recommended.
The normal school environment is not suitable for such patients. Children may have speech defects (stuttering, lisp, tongue-tiedness), which require correction. It is possible to teach imbeciles to count, read, and write, but they cannot do complex arithmetic operations.
An antisocial environment has a bad effect on imbeciles; for this reason, patients pose a threat to society. With the development of pathological uncontrollable situations, patients are hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital.
Treatment of imbecility is conventionally divided into specific (causal) and symptomatic. Specific therapy is carried out for phenylketonuria, as well as other enzymopathies. Hypothyroidism is treated with compensatory hormonal therapy (Thyroidin); congenital syphilis, toxoplasmosis is treated with antibiotics, Arsenic preparations, Chloridine; Brain infections in children are treated with antibiotics and sulfa drugs.
The earlier it is started, the more effective treatment is. The importance of corrective therapeutic and pedagogical measures is great.
The prognosis directly depends on the depth of mental retardation. Primary prevention includes medical and genetic counseling. Such consultation is carried out on the territory of medical genetic institutions.
Symptomatic therapy uses drugs that stimulate brain metabolism, these include (Cerebrolysin, Nootropil, Aminalon); B vitamins; psychostimulants (Phenamine, Sidnocarb); dehydrating agents (Lasix, Magnesium Sulfate, Diacarb); drugs with absorbable effect (Potassium Iodide, Biyoquinol); biogenic stimulants. Convulsive syndrome is relieved by systematic use of antiepileptic drugs.
Treatment and correction of the condition
The goal of treating imbecility is to reduce the severity of symptoms and socialize the patient. Correction of the condition is carried out using drug treatment with nootropic drugs. They saturate the brain with oxygen, nourish neurons and improve cognitive function. These include, for example, drugs such as Pantogam, Pantocalcin, Piracetam.
In the presence of behavioral disorders, it is possible to use tranquilizers in short courses of up to 14 days and behavior correctors (Sonapax, Neuleptil). Antipsychotic drugs in small dosages act as sedatives and improve night sleep.
In the presence of convulsive syndrome and mood swings, Carbamazepine and Valproic acid are used.
Nature of the pathology
Disturbances in the higher functions of brain activity lead to pathologies in the development of the human personality. A distinctive feature of this congenital disease is the image of an “eternal child”. As a rule, imbeciles master only primitive life skills. Many of the children with this disease easily make contact with others and show different reactions when approached.
Problems associated with pathology of brain activity make it difficult to master complex sciences. This feature can be clearly seen in the example of mathematics. A person suffering from this disease is able to fold only objects that have a certain specificity. Adding or subtracting simple numbers in the head is an impossible task for imbecile children. Also, children with congenital brain diseases have problems with learning to read and write. Even in adulthood, most people only read syllables. The ability to express one's thoughts in writing is usually limited to monosyllabic phrases.
Most patients experience difficulties in mastering social and everyday skills. Many imbeciles cannot dress or eat food on their own. In order to teach a child to perform various actions, they should be repeated over a long time.
The diagnosis of “imbecilism” leaves a peculiar imprint on a person’s appearance. According to statistical data, most patients have a violation of the proportions of head size. It can either significantly exceed or decrease the norm. External signs of imbecility include deformed facial bones, a “petrified” look, earlobes attached to the head and an incorrect bite. Focal neurological lesions lead to problems related to fine motor skills. Most people with imbecility have problems with the functioning of the musculoskeletal system, which is expressed by poor coordination of movements. To assess the extent of the problem, imagine that you cannot cope with such a habitual action as tying your shoelaces.
Imbecility is characterized by a congenital or acquired mental development defect in early childhood, which does not increase throughout life (but can be partially corrected)
In simple terms, this disease is characterized as “freezing” at the age of seven. Parents of people with the problem in question are perceived by the latter as an object of inexhaustible love. Imbeciles start their own family only in isolated cases. As a rule, their social circle is limited only to close relatives and members of rehabilitation groups.
The vocabulary of people with imbelicism is limited to a few hundred simple words that are used only when necessary. In speech, only monosyllabic sentences consisting of several phrases are used. The development of thinking stops at a primitive level, which is reflected in emotional manifestations. Most people with this pathology experience a complete absence of the volitional factor. If usual living conditions change, the patient may experience a feeling of severe fear. Lack of initiative, passivity and a high degree of suggestibility contribute to the high influence of the opinions of others on the behavioral model. Based on the above, we can conclude that throughout his life the patient needs constant supervision and control from relatives.
The patient's horizons have rigid boundaries, and almost never exceed the framework of satisfying simple instincts. Doctors say that many patients do not feel full, which forces them to eat double portions.
A person with this problem should constantly learn basic rules of behavior.
Without parental and medical supervision, imbeciles can become a danger to themselves and those around them. Each holder of this diagnosis experiences difficulties associated with sexual disinhibition, which are expressed in the form of a lack of self-control of sexual desire. Violations in this area can lead to antisocial behavior, harassment of the fair sex and sexual crimes.
Types of the disease and causes of its occurrence
Imbecility, what is it? When examining this issue, it should be said that the disease in question is divided into four types, which differ in the reasons that provoked the development of the pathology. The hereditary type of the disease is associated with the presence of defective genes received from parents. The intrauterine type of pathology develops against the background of bacterial or viral lesions of the fetus during intrauterine development. There is also a special form of delayed intellectual development, provoked by pathologies in the functioning of the brain or endocrine system.
Along with external signs of underdevelopment of intelligence, primitive speech and underdeveloped learning abilities are observed
In addition, there is a type of imbecilism that is caused by asphyxia, brain hypoxia or birth injuries. This form of pathology can occur against the background of traumatic brain injury or serious infectious diseases in infancy. According to experts, there are many different factors that provoke disruptions in mental development. These factors fall into three categories:
- The first category is internal factors, the list of which includes poor heredity, genetic disorders and chromosomal abnormalities.
- The second category is external factors, among which we should highlight the presence of acute infectious diseases during gestation, or prolonged use of narcotic drugs by the child’s parents. This category of factors also includes traumatic brain injuries received during birth.
- The third category is the combination of the influence of external and internal factors, which significantly increases the risk of developing imbecility.
Main causes of the condition
The etiology of imbecility, like any other variant of intellectual underdevelopment, includes a complex of factors. These are not only hereditary, but also external reasons. And there are really a lot of them!
- There are more than 400 harmful agents that can lead to disorders even in the womb. After all, the formation of the nervous system is a very delicate and sensitive process.
- Dangers can also occur at birth: hypoxia during childbirth, a long anhydrous period, entanglement of the umbilical cord, multiple pregnancy, infections, toxins, injuries, etc. The most common cause of pathology is maternal alcoholism during pregnancy. An “alcoholic fetus” syndrome is formed, which disrupts the formation of brain cells and subsequently leads to a weak state.
- Heredity and genetic predisposition are also not at the bottom of the list of causes of mental underdevelopment. Chromosomal diseases and gene mutations produce their negative results, being passed on from generation to generation. Moreover, only a small part of them can be identified by cytogenetics.
- The effect of environmental factors: the child’s upbringing and living conditions do not meet the necessary standards, which is a huge obstacle to the development of skills and normal physiological processes.
Severity of pathology
Oligophrenia is divided into three forms of severity, each of which is determined by the degree of mental retardation. Imbecilism, which is a moderate degree of mental retardation, also has several divisions. This pathology is divided into moderate and severe forms. Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Moderate imbecility is a condition in which the IQ ranges from thirty-four to forty-eight points. In this condition, there is limited intellectual ability, which is associated with certain situations. People with this form of the disease lack analytical and associative thinking.
The paucity of vocabulary and incorrect construction of sentences forces the patient to use speech skills only in cases of urgent need. The intensity of emotional perception is extremely low. The vast majority of patients experience neurological and psychomotor impairment. Organic lesions of parts of the brain provoke the development of epileptic seizures and symptoms of autism.
With severe imbecilism, IQ scores vary from twenty to thirty-four points. It should be noted that with this form of the disease, neurological symptoms are pronounced. Many patients experience paralysis and significant impairments in psychomotor functions. The degree of personal and intellectual development can be compared with a five-year-old child. The same can be said about vocabulary. People with this form of pathology need constant monitoring and assistance in self-care.
The diagnosis is established on the basis of the clinical picture, assessment of intellectual and psychomotor development
Differential diagnosis with other similar diseases
A huge number of hereditary diseases with genetic abnormalities and metabolic disorders must be identified first.
Differentiation should be made with organic brain lesions (due to injury, intoxication, disease).
It is necessary to separate imbecility from dementia. The main difference is that with dementia there is a decrease in cognitive functions up to the complete mental and physical disintegration of the personality (senility), and with imbecility these functions are underdeveloped.
Diagnostic methods and testing
In order to understand who an imbecile is, you should familiarize yourself with the methods of diagnosing this pathology. According to experts, disorders in the field of brain development can be diagnosed at certain stages of pregnancy. The screening technique allows you to determine the pathology within the first few months. Diagnosis of the level of intellectual development is carried out using various tests and the Wechsler scale. According to established standards, the intellectual development coefficient for this disease varies from twenty to sixty points, taking into account the severity of the disease.
If, as a result of the studies, the patient scores less than fifty-five points, he may be diagnosed with imbecilism. Also, such tests conducted by a neuropsychiatrist help assess intellectual potential. During a diagnostic examination, the doctor conducts a conversation with the patient in order to find out the level of development of the speech apparatus, the breadth of interests and social adaptation. The causes of the disease can be determined using procedures such as magnetic resonance and computed tomography. An electroencephalogram can be used as an additional diagnostic method. In cases of suspected vascular abnormalities, angiography is used.
The photos of imbeciles given in the article allow you to clearly see the anomalies in the development of the human body. It should be noted that imbecility has many similarities with other mental illnesses. The pathology in question has the same clinical manifestations as diseases such as dementia, juvenile schizophrenia and epilepsy.
Diagnosis of dementia
Oligophrenia associated with genetic or embryonic causes can be noticed even during pregnancy. To do this, women undergo special screening to identify changes in the level of hormones responsible for the mental state of the fetus. Deviations such as macro- and microcephaly are already visible on ultrasound.
If it was not possible to establish the presence of pathology during pregnancy, then it will be diagnosed in the first years of the child’s life. Such children are characterized by a significant delay in physical and mental development, and the inability to hold their head up independently for several months. They do not concentrate attention on close people, do not begin to walk and talk for a long time, and have poor memory.
How to treat imbecility?
Treatment methods for imbeciles logically follow from the answer to the question, what is imbecility. Complete recovery of the patient is unattainable; all therapeutic interventions are aimed at reducing the severity of associated symptoms and maximizing socialization. Drug treatment of imbeciles is carried out in the following areas:
- Neurometabolics are drugs that nourish brain tissue.
- Dehydrants are pharmaceutical agents that reduce the number of seizures. For this purpose, diets are also used: salt-free and low-water.
- Tranquilizers for the correction of behavioral deviations.
- General restoratives, including tinctures of medicinal herbs.
- In some cases, antidepressants are indicated.
For a person suffering from a disease such as imbecility, proper care is very important to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases; three times a day of hospital treatment is indicated throughout the year. Also, families raising imbeciles need to work with a psychologist to improve the adaptation of the ward.
Degrees of mental retardation
Delayed brain development can be expressed in different ways. With a mild degree, patients not only take care of themselves, but also freely carry out everyday activities, for example, going to the store, talking with others on everyday topics. Plus, they can work. A severe degree is characterized by a complete lack of thinking. Oligophrenics are divided into 3 types:
- Morons.
- Imbeciles.
- Idiots.
Moronism is a mild degree of mental retardation, in which patients are quite independent, understand speech addressed to them, and are able to answer simple questions. The intellectual development coefficient of such patients is 50-70%.
Oligophrenia in the degree of imbecility is regarded as an average condition. The intellectual coefficient of patients is 20-50%. Imbeciles are people who are able to understand the simplest appeal to them, serve themselves, and also show their emotions.
A severe degree of oligophrenia is idiocy (IQ less than 20%). These patients require constant care, as they are unable to exist independently. Idiots almost completely lack thinking, they do not understand the meaning of words addressed to them, their loved ones must serve them.
