children s health issues
Intellectual Disability
Causes of Intellectual Disability
A wide variety of medical and environmental conditions can cause intellectual disability. Some conditions are genetic. Some are present before or at the time of conception, and others occur during pregnancy, during birth, or after birth. The common factor is that something interferes with the growth and development of the brain. Even with recent advances in genetics, especially techniques of chromosome analysis, a specific cause of ID often cannot be identified. Some causes that can occurbefore or at conceptioninclude Inherited disorders (such as Phenylketonuria (PKU) , Chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) ) Some causes that can occurduring pregnancyinclude Severe maternal Undernutrition None Infections with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection in Children and Adolescents , Toxins (such as lead and methylmercury) Alcohol ( Alcohol ) Safety of Medications During Pregnancy (such as Overview of Brain and Spinal Cord Birth Defects (such as porencephalic cyst, gray matter heterotopia, and encephalocele) Preeclampsia and Eclampsia and Some causes that can occurduring birthinclude Insufficient oxygen (hypoxia) Extreme Preterm (Premature) Newborns None Some causes that can occurafter birthinclude Brain infections (such as Meningitis in Children and encephalitis) Severe head injury Undernutrition of the child Severe Overview of Child Neglect and Abuse None Poisons (such as Lead Poisoning and mercury) Overview of Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Children None 