Mental retardation and associated psychiatric disorders

Abstract EN

Objectives: There is a high rate of psychiatric disorders in mentally retarded children and adolescents.

The aim of this study is to highlight the issues related to mental retardation like socio- demographic data, degree of mental retardation and associated psychiatric disorders.

Methods: Retrospective review of the case records of all patients younger than age of 18.

attending the psychiatric clinic in regards to socio-demographic data, degree of mental retardation and psychiatric disorders.

Results: The most reported psychiatric diagnosis in (borderline-mildly mentally retarded) were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 16.8%, dual diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and expressive language disorder 11.7% and non-specific behavioral disturbance 10.9%.

The most reported psychiatric diagnosis in moderate-severely mentally retarded were autistic disorder 15.8%.

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 10.5% and non-specific behavioral disturbance 10.5%.

Conclusion: Mentally retarded children and adolescents have high rate of psychiatric disorders, the kinds of disorders generally do not differ from those found in non-retarded individuals.

The degree of mental retardation correlates with the behavioural disturbance and the severity of psychiatric disorders.