Psychiatric Disorders in Mildly and Severely Mentally Retarded Urban Children and Adolescents: Epidemiological Aspects

Abstract

A total of 149 children aged 13–17 years were examined. 83 were mildly and 66 severely mentally retarded. These children, especially the severely retarded ones, are representative of all mentally retarded children born in 1966–1970 and living in Göteborg, Sweden. 64% of the severely mentally retarded and 57% of the mildly mentally retarded children were suffering from a handicapping psychiatric condition. Autism-like ‘psychotic behaviour’ was common in the severely retarded. 0.2% of the total child population aged 13–17 years suffering from the combination of mental retardation and ‘psychotic behaviour’. Epilepsy was associated with psychiatric abnormality, but Down's syndrome was generally not so associated.