ctual functioning, adaptive skills, psychological and emotional
well-being, health, physical well-being, etiology, and life activity environments. Finally, a profile of essential support systems is created for these four dimensions (Schalock et al., 1994).
There have been many criticisms of this new definition, some indicating that it would actually expand the population close to the cut-off line for being defined
as mentally retarded. Other critiques have emphasized the vagueness of the AAMR's concept of adaptive behavior, while recognizing that the idea of incorporating some concept of social competence is important in any new, useful definition (Greenspan and Granfield, 1992).
At present, the mentally retarded population is most closely associated with children having Down's Syndrome. This Syndrome is characterized by a missing chromosome on one of the genes in the human genome. Children with this
condition have a specific facial look, characterized by a flatter, wider face. They may be profoundly, mildly, or moderately retarded in their development. At one end of the continuum, children may barely be able to learn how to use the toilet by themselves, or brush their teeth. At the other end of the continuum, children may learn many skills and be able to function in the community as adults, with some support.
Mental retardation may also result from other conditions, such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or phenylketonuria. In the latter instance, there is hope for children affected by this problem, when it is discovered in time. It is a disease condition, rather than a genetic mutation, although it is driven by genetics. Untreated PKU leads to irreversible mental retardation (Centerwall and
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