Patient's question:
My child has been diagnosed with developmental delay. It was probably a few days ago when I first noticed something was off. I often felt that my child was a bit different from other kids, as he did things slowly and didn't respond as quickly. Sometimes, when we talked to him, it took him a long time to reply. Now, I'm not sure how to treat it.What kind of assistance is needed: How can developmental delay be treated?
Doctor's answer:
Intelligence is the result of joint selection by heredity and environmental factors. The majority of causes of mental retardation remain unclear. Common causes include taking medication, drug abuse, radiation treatment, malnutrition, and viral infections. Chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, are also common causes of mental retardation. Many genetic metabolic disorders can lead to mental retardation, such as phenylketonuria and cretinism. Early treatment for cretinism can prevent mental retardation. Premature birth, brain damage at birth, drowning, and respiratory difficulties are also debated as potential causes of mental retardation.