What causes developmental delays and mental retardation?
There are many reasons why developmental delays happen – premature babies may need time to catch up with other babies; a chronic illness or a physical disability might prevent a child developing on the same schedule as other children; a child who is in a setting where there is little interaction with others may not be getting enough stimulation to allow for normal development; etc. Children with developmental delays may also have permanent conditions that prevent them from ever being able to catch up with other children. Mental retardation also has many possible causes. Mental retardation may be due to something that a child is born with, such as a metabolic disorder (such as hypothyroidism) or a genetic problem (such as Down Syndrome or Fragile X). It may be due to something that happened while the mother was pregnant, such as an infection with a virus (such as rubella or cytomegalovirus) or a physical injury to the unborn child. Mental retardation may also be due to something that ha
