Mild mental retardation in schoolchildren in a Swedish suburban municipality: prevalence and diagnostic aspects.
The prevalence of mild mental retardation (MMR) (IQ 50-72) was investigated in a Swedish suburban municipality with special demographic characteristics. The study population consisted of the 6397 children aged 9-15 years residing in the municipality on December 31, 1994. A total of 82 children fulfilled psychometric and adaptive criteria of MMR, corresponding to a prevalence of 12.8/1000. The prevalence was higher than that reported in previous Swedish and Finnish studies using similar case-finding methods. This can probably be explained by the lower socioeconomic status in the municipality studied and by the fact that testing is now more acceptable. Nearly 90% of the MMR children had symptoms in their preschool years, mainly motor, speech/language deviations and a relative inability to perform certain tasks. These symptoms also occur in children with minimal brain dysfunction/ deficits in attention, motor control and perception which should be taken into consideration when selecting screening tests.
Fernell
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Department of Paediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D013383:Suburban Population; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology