This thesis presents the results of a study undertaken to assess the contribution of medical factors, especially those of genetic origin, to mild mental retardation. Such knowledge would permit appraisal of the potential role of genetic counselling in reducing the prevalence of mild retardation. Medical histories of 169 Southampton schoolchildren attending schools for the mildly mentally retarded were studied. Each child had a clinical examination, and chromosomal and biochemical analysis. Consideration was given to both those medical features commonly thought to be significant, and to those whose relevance is less certain. Non-medical factors such as parental education and social background were also taken into account. Medical factors of recognised significance were present in 71 children (42%). These were prenatal in 22, perinatal in 41, and postnatal in eight. Factors of possible, but less certain, significance were found in a further 63 children (37%). In 86 families (51%) there was a history of serious learning difficulties in both parents. The prevalence of both types of medical factors was higher in children whose parents had had no educational problems. There were, however, 25 children (15%) whose parents had had no learning difficulties, and in whom medical factors were absent or minimal. Genetic abnormalities were present in 19 children (11.2%), but were largely sporadic. Hence the scope for reduction in the prevalence of mild mental retardation by genetic counselling would appear to be very limited.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:653645 |
| Date | January 1992 |
| Creators | Lamont, Margaret A. |
| Publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/1842/19912 |
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