%0 Journal Article
%T Study of health status and etiological factors of mentally challenged children
%A Rubeena Bano
%A Piyush Kalakoti
%A Nadeem Ahmad
%A D.B.Phalke
%J Calicut Medical Journal
%D 2009
%I 
%X The mental health of the child affects hisphysical health and the learningprocess. The aim of the present studywas to study the health status andetiological factors among 58 mentallychallenged children in a school formentally challenged at Sangamner, inRural Maharashtra. Majority of mentallychallenged children (68.0%) were in 5-9years age group. Most of them hadmoderate retardation. (43.0%) Inmajority of children (70.68%) no clinicalsyndrome was present. Most commonclinical syndrome was DownĄŻs syndrome(17.23%), followed by Fragile Xsyndrome (6.89%). 60.35% childrenwere off springs of consanguineousmarriages. Idiopathic causes (63.8%)followed by genetic causes (29.31%)were common etiological factorresponsible for mental retardation.Mental handicap should be preventedby application of preventive measures inpreconception, prenatal and intranatalperiods and during infancy, childhoodand adolescence.
%K Mentally challenged
%K consanguineous marriage
%U http://calicutmedicaljournal.org/2009/3/e3.pdf