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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
[Mental retardation: case series of Dona Estefânia Hospital child development centre]
Raquel Amaral1, Mónica Pinto, Maria João Pimentel
1Serviço de Pediatria, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Açores.
Insights
This study characterized children with intellectual disability (ID) at a development center, finding mild to profound ID in 185 children. Genetic diseases and prematurity were common causes, with most children requiring early intervention and special education.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Clinical Psychology
Context:
- Intellectual disability (ID), defined by subaverage intellectual functioning and adaptive limitations before age 18, requires comprehensive characterization.
- The Dona Estefânia Hospital Development Center serves children with ID, necessitating an understanding of their specific demographic and clinical profiles.
- Retrospective studies are crucial for analyzing epidemiological data and identifying trends in pediatric populations with developmental disorders.
Purpose:
- To characterize the pediatric population with intellectual disability (ID) at the Dona Estefânia Hospital Development Center.
- To analyze epidemiological data, including severity of ID, etiological factors, comorbidities, and interventions.
- To compare findings with existing literature on intellectual disability in children.
Summary:
- A retrospective study of 232 children assessed between January 2005 and June 2007 identified 185 with ID (58% boys).
- Mild ID was most common (46%), followed by moderate (29%), severe (9%), and profound (1%).
- Defined etiologies in 46% of cases included genetic diseases, prematurity, and comorbidities; 66% had comorbidities, primarily ophthalmologic (46%).
- All children with ID were recommended for early intervention (47%) and special education (58%).
Impact:
- Provides essential epidemiological data on intellectual disability in a specific pediatric cohort.
- Highlights the significant role of genetic factors, prematurity, and comorbidities in the etiology of ID.
- Underscores the critical need for early intervention and special education services for children with ID.
- Offers a benchmark for comparing findings with international and regional studies on intellectual disability.
- Informs healthcare providers and policymakers about the characteristics and needs of children with ID.
Abstract:
Mental retardation (MR) consists of a sub average general intellectual functioning (IQ < 70) that is associated with significant limitations in adaptative functioning which begins before age 18 years (DSM IV). It's our intention to characterize the children's population with MR observed at the Dona Estefânia Hospital Development Center, trough a retrospective study of the children which were assessed between January 2005 and June 2007. Epidemiologic data, like the severity of DM, organic aetiologies, co-morbidity and therapeutical and educational intervention, were the parameters evaluated. There were 232 children assessed and 185 had MR, mainly boys (58%): 112 (46%) had mild MR, 54 (29%) had moderate MR, 17 (9%) had severe DM and 2 (1%) profound MR. Aetiologies were defined on 86 children (46%); the highest rate of diagnosis occurred on the most severe cases of MR. The aetiologies most frequently found were the genetic diseases, prematurity and associated comorbidity, with high variety of aetiologies. Co-morbidity was detected on 123 children (66%), being the most frequent the ophthalmologic (57 children, 46%). The totality of children with MR were proposed for early intervention (47%) and special education (58%). The data obtained from the clinical and functional characterization of the children accompanied by the Development Center of Dona Estefânia Hospital with MR diagnosis was similar to the data described in literature. However, some data differ from other case series due, among other things, to etiological group differences, different age groups and different assistential politics.
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