An Epidemiological Study of Mental Retardation without a Common Genetic Cause in the Population of Himachal Pradesh, India

This study evaluated the contribution of potential risk factors of mental retardation without a common genetic cause of aware the population and delineate intercession methods. The present study included 150 MR of unrevealed causes and 150 normal children as a control for taking account of attribution of dysmorphic features, deformities, development deceleration, pedigrees of MR, delayed development, etc. For ascertaining the degree of mental retardation, Stanford-Binet Intelligence test was conducted for every patient and alienated into two categories i.e. Mild (IQ 70 to 5055) and serious category (IQ< 50-55). We abstracted information on demographic, prenatal, perinatal and neonatal risk factors of MR which was selected stringently based on recent literature. The parental age effect was not observed in mild MR but in severe mental retardation, risk augmented steadily and autonomously with increasing maternal age. Lack of maternal education, history of pregnancy loss, no consanguinity, birth at home, neonatal infections, lack of breast feeding, diarrhea were independently associated with mild congenital abnormality. Whereas, the prevalence of serious congenital abnormality was found to be concomitant with maternal illiteracy, consanguinity, multiple births, neonatal jaundice and lack of breast feeding. This work is uncovering the present situation and ascertains the utmost tenacious interventions to decrease the occurrence of childhood MR in Himachal Pradesh.