retardation

retardation /re·tar·da·tion/ (re″tahr-da´shun) delay; hindrance; delayed development.

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fetal growth retardation , intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) birth weight below the tenth percentile for gestational age for infants born in a given population, defined as symmetric (both weight and length below normal) or asymmetric (weight below normal, length normal).

mental retardation  a mental disorder characterized by significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning associated with impairment in adaptive behavior and manifested in the developmental period; classified according to IQ as mild (50–70), moderate (35–50), severe (20–35), and profound (less than 20).

psychomotor retardation  generalized slowing of mental and physical activity.

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re·tar·da·tion (rtär-dshn)

n.

1. The condition of being relatively slow in mental, emotional, or physical development.

2. The extent to which something is held back or delayed.

3. Mental retardation.

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retardation

[rē′tärdā′shən]

Etymology: L, retardare, to check

the slowing down of any mental or physical activity or failure of intellectual abilities to develop normally, as in mental retardation. Psychomotor retardation may occur in depression, and a conditioned response to an unconditioned stimulus may be retarded in appearance.

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retardation,

n See mental retardation.

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retardation

Medtalk The slowing of a process or activity. See Intrauterine growth retardation, Mental retardation, Psychomotor retardation, Reading retardation.

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Patient discussion about retardation.

Q. This makes me to think how babies come out retarded and what the causes of retardation in babies are. My heart some time trembles when I see some parents dedicating their whole life for their retarded babies whom they gave birth after few years of their marriage. This makes me to think how babies come out retarded and what the causes of retardation in babies are. Is it not in our hands?

A. Hi there,

My opinion is that we are all perfect - just the way we are regardless of whether we are well or ill, beautiful or ugly, nice or mean. There is a perfect balance in the Universe – we cannot have positive without the negative – to think otherwise is to be ignorant. There is no a curse without a blessing nor a blessing without a curse. We are all part of the divine matrix – a matrix of love (as Dr Demartini likes to call it). The reason we don’t see any of this is only because we don’t look.

Please think about your question – whatever answer I could give – it would never satisfy you and it would not change what is.

My personal view is that we don't choose our babies – our babies choose us. There is a reason why 'your baby' wanted you to be her/his parent. Your baby may have ‘felt’ that you would be the perfect parents to shower them with love, affection and patience – everything that a child with autisms requires. Or perhaps, it is something that you (your so