Question
An eight-month-old baby has been diagnosed with congenital mental retardation. The inquiry is about the possible symptoms as the child grows older, the possibility of treatment, and the methods parents should adopt.
Answer
Mental retardation is a condition that is usually caused by other diseases or harmful factors rather than a standalone disease. In mild cases, it may be accompanied by brain atrophy, developmental delay, or ataxia. Facing such a diagnosis, parents should remain calm and correctly recognize this reality. The birth of a child is an objective fact, and one should not feel inferior or emotionally down because of it. Although the treatment of mental retardation is highly challenging, early detection and active treatment may yield certain therapeutic effects.