Mild intellectual disability in children in Lahore, Pakistan: aetiology and risk factors.
BACKGROUND
One of the main objectives of studying intellectual disability (ID) in children is to explore its causes. A specific aetiological diagnosis is important in determining the prognosis, nature and extent of services needed to support affected children.


METHODS
Aetiology and risk factors in mild ID were studied in a cohort of longitudinally followed children (6-10 years of age, n = 40) in four population groups in and around Lahore, Pakistan.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of mild ID was 6.2%. In 22% of the cases the onset of mild ID was prenatal with small for gestational age and multifactorial inheritance as the main underlying factors. During the postnatal period (28% of the cases), social deprivation and malnutrition were the major causes of ID. In a substantial proportion of the cases (50%), the cause of ID could not be traced.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicates a clear relationship of mild ID with prenatal and postnatal malnutrition and social deprivation. Two independent variables, maternal illiteracy and small head circumference at birth, showed a clear association with the development of mild mental disability among children in the study population.
Yaqoob
M
M
Department of Paediatrics, Maternity and Children's Hospital, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. drmyaqoob56@hotmail.com
Bashir
A
A
Zaman
S
S
Ferngren
H
H
Von Dobeln
U
U
Gustavson
K-H
KH
D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D008423:Maternal Age; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016487:Parenting; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data