Title:Pediatrics for Disability: A Comprehensive Approach to Children with
Syndromic Psychomotor Delay
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Luigi Tarani*, Debora Rasio, Francesca Tarani, Giovanni Parlapiano, Diletta Valentini, Katarzyna Anna Dylag, Alberto Spalice, Roberto Paparella and Marco Fiore*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, IBBC-CNR, Rome, Italy
Keywords:
Rare disease, birth defect, genetic syndrome, mental retardation, intellectual disability, pediatric population.
Abstract: Intellectual disability is the impairment of cognitive, linguistic, motor and social skills
that occurs in the pediatric age and is also described by the term “mental retardation”. Intellectual
disability occurs in 3-28 % of the general population due to a genetic cause, including chromosome
aberrations. Among people with intellectual disabilities, the cause of the disability was identified
as a single gene disorder in up to 12 %, multifactorial disorders in up to 4 %, and genetic disorders
in up to 8.5 %. Children affected by a malformation syndrome associated with mental retardation
or intellectual disability represent a care challenge for the pediatrician. A multidisciplinary team is
essential to manage the patient, thereby controlling the complications of the syndrome and promoting
the correct psychophysical development. This requires continuous follow-up of these children
by the pediatrician, which is essential for both the clinical management of the syndrome and facilitating
the social integration of these children.
