Impulse control disorders are mental illnesses that can affect children and adults. The symptoms are often alarming to parents, who might interpret the symptoms as serious misbehavior and delay seeking treatment. Children with untreated impulse...
Cytomegalovirus is a type of herpes virus that most Americans are exposed to during their lives. It remains in the body forever but usually causes no harm beyond a mild flu-like infection of two weeks or less. For newborns or those with a weak...
Raising a child who is mentally challenged requires emotional strength and flexibility. The child has special needs in addition to the regular needs of all children, and parents can find themselves overwhelmed by various medical, caregiving and...
Mentally challenged children can suffer from one or multiple impairments that interfere with cognitive function. These impairments can be biological or psychological in nature and can manifest as mental retardation, developmental delays, mental...
Mentally challenged adults are clinically referred to as mentally retarded adults. According to the American Psychiatric Association, the mentally retarded have considerable intellectual deficits as evidenced by substandard IQ scores. An IQ of...
The brain, spinal cord and nerves of the body comprise the nervous system. Voluntary and involuntary functions of the body occur under the influence of the nervous system. The brain reigns supreme in the nervous system, controlling everything from...
Phenylalanine sensitivity is caused by a rare genetic condition called phenylketonuria, or PKU. People who are born with PKU are missing a liver enzyme required to break down phenylalanine, an amino acid found in almost every type of protein and...
Exercise is vitally important for adults with mental retardation. In many cases, adults with a mental disability have a number of physical deficits such as decreased function of the heart and lungs, and daily exercise can help improve their...
Addiction and substance abuse can have lasting effects on the family unit and can even break families apart. Families marked by substance abuse often have a pattern of unpredictability and a lack of communication, making growing up hard for some...
