Children of correctional school of 8 types. Educational subjects of the auxiliary school. What is behind the protests of Moscow teachers

26.08.2020 Repair

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Correctional school 8 types. School for mentally retarded children.

In a specialized (correctional) educational institution of type VIII, children with mental retardation are trained and educated in order to correct deviations in their development through education and labor training, as well as socio-psychological rehabilitation for subsequent integration into society.

IN primary school(first 4 grades) a comprehensive psychological, medical and pedagogical study of the student’s personality is carried out, identifying his capabilities and individual characteristics in order to develop forms and methods of organization educational process. Psychological and pedagogical work is aimed at instilling interest in acquiring knowledge, developing skills in educational activities and independence. Work is being carried out on general and speech development children, correction of motor skills disorders, deviations in the intellectual and emotional-volitional spheres, behavior. Class sizes are up to 12 people. In high school, students receive knowledge in general education subjects that have a practical orientation and correspond to their psychophysical capabilities. In grades 10-11, the main direction of work is industrial training, skills are instilled independent work in educational workshops, subsidiary farms, and enterprises. Vocational training is carried out taking into account interests and psychophysical capabilities. In case of successful mastery of professional skills, graduates may be assigned a qualification rank (the decision is made by the administration of the interested enterprise). In a correctional institution of the VIII type, training is organized in types of work of varying levels of complexity, taking into account the interests of pupils and in accordance with their psychophysical capabilities, the need for workers, employment opportunities for graduates, the continuation of their education in special groups of primary institutions vocational education.

Continuation of vocational education is carried out in special groups of primary vocational education institutions. In a correctional educational institution of the VIII type, classes for children with severe mental retardation can be created and operated, the occupancy of which should not exceed 8 people. NDC specialists will help parents choose a school, and children will help them adapt to the educational process and the school staff.

Rehabilitation and socialization of children with mental retardation - ( video)

Prognosis for mental retardation - ( video)

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Treatment and correction of mental retardation ( how to treat oligophrenia?)

Treatment and correction mental retardation ( mental retardation) - a complex process that requires a lot of attention, effort and time. However, with the right approach, you can achieve certain positive results within a few months after the start of treatment.

Is it possible to cure mental retardation? remove the diagnosis of mental retardation)?

Oligophrenia is incurable. This is due to the fact that when exposed to causal factors ( provoking the disease) factors cause damage to certain parts brain. As is known, the nervous system ( especially its central section, that is, the brain and spinal cord) develop in the prenatal period. After the cell is born nervous system practically do not divide, that is, the ability of the brain to regenerate ( recovery after damage) is almost minimal. Once damaged neurons ( nerve cells) will never be restored, as a result of which once developed mental retardation will remain in the child until the end of his life.

At the same time, children with a mild form of the disease respond well to treatment and correctional measures, as a result of which they can receive a minimum education, learn self-care skills, and even get a simple job.

It is also worth noting that in some cases the goal of treatment is not to cure mental retardation as such, but to eliminate its cause, which will prevent the progression of the disease. Such treatment should be carried out immediately after identifying a risk factor ( for example, when examining the mother before, during or after childbirth ), since the longer the causative factor affects the baby’s body, the more profound disorders of thinking he may develop in the future.

Treatment for the cause of mental retardation can be carried out:

For congenital infections- at syphilis , cytomegalovirus infection , rubella and others infections may be appointed antiviral and antibacterial drugs.
At diabetes mellitus at the mother's.
For metabolic disorders– for example, when phenylketonuria (violation of the metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine in the body) eliminating foods containing phenylalanine from your diet may help solve the problem.
For hydrocephalus– surgery immediately after identifying pathology can prevent the development of mental retardation.

Finger gymnastics for the development of fine motor skills

One of the disorders that occurs with mental retardation is impaired fine motor skills of the fingers. At the same time, it is difficult for children to perform precise, targeted movements ( for example, holding a pen or pencil, tying shoelaces, etc.). Finger gymnastics, the purpose of which is to develop fine motor skills in children, will help correct this deficiency. The mechanism of action of the method is that frequently performed finger movements are “remembered” by the child’s nervous system, as a result of which in the future ( after repeated training) the child can perform them more accurately, while spending less effort.

Finger gymnastics may include:

Exercise 1 (counting fingers). Suitable for children with mild mental retardation who are learning to count. First you need to fold your hand into a fist, and then straighten 1 finger at a time and count them ( aloud). Then you need to bend your fingers back, also counting them.
Exercise 2. First, the child should spread the fingers of both palms and place them in front of each other so that only the pads of the fingers touch each other. Then he needs to bring his palms together ( so that they also touch), and then return to the starting position.
Exercise 3. During this exercise, the child should clasp his hands, with the thumb of one hand on top first, and then the thumb of the other hand.
Exercise 4. First, the child should spread his fingers, and then bring them together so that the tips of all five fingers are gathered at one point. The exercise can be repeated many times.
Exercise 5. During this exercise, the child needs to clench his hands into fists, and then straighten his fingers and spread them, repeating these actions several times.

It is also worth noting that the development of fine motor skills of the fingers is facilitated by regular exercises with plasticine and drawing ( even if the child just runs a pencil on paper), rearranging small objects ( for example, multi-colored buttons, but you need to make sure that the child does not swallow one of them) and so on.

Medicines ( drugs, tablets) with mental retardation ( nootropics, vitamins, antipsychotics)

The goal of drug treatment for oligophrenia is to improve metabolism at the brain level, as well as stimulate the development of nerve cells. In addition, medications may be prescribed to treat specific symptoms of the disease, which may be expressed differently in different children. In any case, the treatment regimen must be selected for each child individually, taking into account the severity of the underlying disease, its clinical form and other features.

Drug treatment of mental retardation

Group of drugs	Representatives	Mechanism of therapeutic action
*Nootropics and drugs that improve cerebral circulation*	*Piracetam*	Improves metabolism at the neuronal level ( nerve cells) of the brain, increasing the rate at which they use oxygen. This may promote the patient's learning and mental development.
	*Phenibut*
	*Vinpocetine*
	*Glycine*
	*Aminalon*
	*Pantogam*
	*Cerebrolysin*
	*Oxybral*
*Vitamins*	*Vitamin B1*	Necessary for the normal development and functioning of the central nervous system.
	*Vitamin B6*	Necessary for the normal process of transmission of nerve impulses in the central nervous system. With its deficiency, such a sign of mental retardation as inhibition of thinking can progress.
	*Vitamin B12*	If there is a lack of this vitamin A Accelerated death of nerve cells may occur in the body ( including at the level of the brain), which may contribute to the progression of mental retardation.
	*Vitamin E*	Protects the central nervous system and other tissues from damage by various harmful factors ( in particular with a lack of oxygen, with intoxications, upon irradiation).
	*Vitamin A*	If it is deficient, the functioning of the visual analyzer may be disrupted.
*Neuroleptics*	*Sonapax*	They inhibit brain activity, making it possible to eliminate such manifestations of oligophrenia as aggressiveness and severe psychomotor agitation.
	*Haloperidol*
	*Neuleptil*
*Tranquilizers*	*Tazepam*	They also inhibit the activity of the central nervous system, helping to eliminate aggressiveness, as well as anxiety, increased excitability and mobility.
	*Nozepam*
	*Adaptol*
*Antidepressants*	*Trittico*	Prescribed for depression psycho-emotional state child, persisting for a long time ( more than 3 – 6 months in a row). It is important to note that maintaining this condition for a long time significantly reduces the child’s ability to learn in the future.
	*Amitriptyline*
	*Paxil*

It is worth noting that the dosage, frequency and duration of use of each of the listed drugs is also determined by the attending physician depending on many factors ( in particular, on the general condition of the patient, the prevalence of certain symptoms, the effectiveness of the treatment, possible side effects, and so on).

Objectives of massage for mental retardation

Massage neck and head is part complex treatment mentally retarded children. At the same time, a full body massage can stimulate the development of the musculoskeletal system, improve the patient’s overall well-being, and improve his mood.

The objectives of massage for mental retardation are:

Improving blood microcirculation in the massaged tissues, which will improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to nerve cells brain.
Improved lymphatic drainage, which will improve the process of removing toxins and metabolic byproducts from brain tissue.
Improving microcirculation in the muscles, which helps to increase their tone.
Stimulates nerve endings in the fingers and palms, which can help develop fine motor skills in the hands.
Creation of positive emotions that have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the patient.

The influence of music on children with mental retardation

Playing music or simply listening to it has a positive effect on the course of mental retardation. That is why almost all children with mild to moderate forms of the disease are recommended to include music in correctional programs. At the same time, it is worth noting that with a more severe degree of mental retardation, children do not perceive music and do not understand its meaning ( for them it's just a set of sounds), and therefore they will not be able to achieve a positive effect.

Music lessons allow you to:

Develop the child’s speech apparatus (while singing songs). In particular, children improve their pronunciation of individual letters, syllables and words.
Develop a child's hearing. In the process of listening to music or singing, the patient learns to distinguish sounds by their tonality.
Develop intellectual abilities. To sing a song, a child needs to perform several sequential actions at once ( take a deep breath before the next verse, wait for the right melody, choose the right voice volume and singing speed). All this stimulates the thought processes that are disturbed in children with mental retardation.
Develop cognitive activity. While listening to music, a child can learn new musical instruments, evaluate and remember the nature of their sound, and then recognize ( determine) them by sound alone.
Teach your child to play musical instruments. This is possible only with a mild form of oligophrenia.

Education of persons with mental retardation

Despite mental retardation, almost all patients with mental retardation ( except deep form) may be amenable to certain training. At the same time, the general education programs of regular schools may not be suitable for all children. It is extremely important to choose the right place and type of education, which will allow the child to develop his abilities to the maximum.

Regular and correctional schools, boarding schools and classes for schoolchildren with mental retardation ( PMPC recommendations)

In order for a child to develop as intensively as possible, you need to choose the right educational institution to send him to.

Education for mentally retarded children can be carried out:

In secondary schools. This method is suitable for children with mild mental retardation. In some cases, mentally retarded children can successfully complete the first 1–2 grades of school, and no differences between them and ordinary children will be noticeable. At the same time, it is worth noting that as children grow older and the school curriculum becomes more difficult, they will begin to lag behind their peers in academic performance, which can cause certain difficulties ( low mood, fear of failure, etc.).
In correctional schools or boarding schools for mentally retarded persons. A special school for children with mental retardation has both its pros and cons. On the one hand, educating a child in a boarding school allows him to receive much more attention from teachers than when he attends a regular school. In the boarding school, teachers and educators are trained to work with such children, as a result of which it is easier to establish contact with them, find an individual approach to them in teaching, and so on. The main disadvantage of such training is the social isolation of the sick child, who practically does not communicate with normal people ( healthy) children. Moreover, during their stay in the boarding school, children are constantly monitored and carefully cared for, to which they become accustomed. After graduating from boarding school, they may simply be unprepared for life in society, as a result of which they will need constant care for the rest of their lives.
In special correctional schools or classes. Some general education schools have classes for mentally retarded children, in which they are taught a simplified school curriculum. This allows children to receive the necessary minimum knowledge, as well as to be among “normal” peers, which contributes to their integration into society in the future. This teaching method is suitable only for patients with mild mental retardation.

Sending a child to general education or special ( correctional) the school is run by the so-called psychological-medical-pedagogical commission ( PMPC). The doctors included in the commission, psychologists and teachers conduct a short conversation with the child, while assessing his general and mental condition and trying to identify signs of mental retardation or delay mental development.

During the PMP examination, the child may be asked:

What's his name?
How old is he?
Where does he live?
How many people are in his family ( may be asked to briefly describe each family member)?
Are there any pets at home?
What games does your child like?
What dishes does he prefer for breakfast, lunch or dinner?
Can the child sing? they may be asked to sing a song or recite a short rhyme)?

After these and some other questions, the child may be asked to complete several simple tasks (arrange pictures into groups, name the colors you see, draw something, and so on). If, during the examination, specialists identify any delays in mental or mental development, they may recommend sending the child to a special ( correctional) school. If the mental retardation is slight ( for a given age), the child can attend a regular school, but remain under supervision psychiatrists and teachers.

Federal State Educational Standard OVZ ( federal state educational standard

Federal State Educational Standard is a generally recognized standard of education that all educational institutions in the country must adhere to ( for preschoolers, schoolchildren, students and so on). This standard regulates the work of an educational institution, material, technical and other equipment of the educational institution ( what personnel and how many should work there?), as well as control of training, availability of training programs, and so on.

FSES OVZ is a federal state educational standard for students with disabilities. disabilities health. It regulates the educational process for children and adolescents with various physical or mental disabilities, including mentally retarded patients.

Adapted basic general education programs ( AOOP) for preschoolers and schoolchildren with mental retardation

These programs are part of the Federal State Educational Standard for Physical Education and represent the optimal method of teaching people with mental retardation in preschool institutions and schools.

The main objectives of the AOOP for children with mental retardation are:

Creation of conditions for the education of mentally retarded children in general education schools, as well as in special boarding schools.
Creation of similar educational programs for children with mental retardation who could master these programs.
Creation of educational programs for mentally retarded children to receive preschool and general education.
Development special programs for children with varying degrees of mental retardation.
Organization of the educational process taking into account the behavioral and mental characteristics of children with varying degrees of mental retardation.
Quality control of educational programs.
Monitoring the assimilation of information by students.

The use of AOOP allows:

Maximize the mental abilities of each individual child with mental retardation.
Teach mentally retarded children self-care ( if possible), performing simple work and other necessary skills.
Teach children to behave correctly in society and interact with it.
Develop students' interest in learning.
Eliminate or smooth out shortcomings and defects that a mentally retarded child may have.
Teach parents of a mentally retarded child to behave correctly with him and so on.

The ultimate goal of all of the above points is the most effective education of the child, which would allow him to lead the most fulfilling life in the family and in society.

Work programs for children with mental retardation

Based on basic general education programs ( regulating the general principles of teaching mentally retarded children) work programs are being developed designed for children with various degrees and forms of mental retardation. The advantage of this approach is that working programm takes into account as much as possible the individual characteristics of the child, his ability to learn, perceive new information and communicate in society.

For example, a work program for children with a mild form of mental retardation may include training in self-care, reading, writing, mathematics, and so on. At the same time, children with a severe form of the disease are not able to read, write and count in principle, as a result of which their work programs will include only general self-care skills, learning to control emotions and other simple activities.

Corrective classes for mental retardation

Correctional classes are selected for each child individually, depending on his mental disorders, behavior, thinking, and so on. These classes can be conducted in special schools ( professionals) or at home.

The goals of correctional classes are:

Teaching your child basic school skills- reading, writing, simple counting.
Teaching children how to behave in society– Group classes are used for this.
Speech development– especially in children who have impaired pronunciation of sounds or other similar defects.
Teach your child to look after himself– at the same time, the teacher should focus on the dangers and risks that may await the child in everyday life ( for example, the child must learn that there is no need to grab hot or sharp objects, as this will hurt).
Develop attention and perseverance– especially important for children with impaired ability to concentrate.
Teach your child to control their emotions– especially if he has attacks of anger or rage.
Develop fine motor skills of hands- if it is broken.
Develop memory– learn words, phrases, sentences or even poems.

It is worth noting that this is far from full list defects that can be corrected during correctional classes. It is important to remember that a positive result can only be achieved after long-term training, since the ability of mentally retarded children to learn and master new skills is significantly reduced. At the same time, with properly selected exercises and regular classes, a child can develop, learn self-care, perform simple work, and so on.

CIPRs for children with mental retardation

SIPR is a special individual development program, selected for each specific mentally retarded child individually. The objectives of this program are similar to those of correctional classes and adapted programs, however, when developing SIPR, not only the degree of mental retardation and its form are taken into account, but also all the features of the disease that the child has, the degree of their severity, and so on.

To develop a CIPR, a child must undergo a full examination by many specialists ( from a psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist , speech therapist and so on). During the examination, doctors will identify dysfunctions of various organs ( for example, memory impairment, fine motor skills, difficulty concentrating) and evaluate their severity. Based on the data obtained, a CIPR will be drawn up, designed to correct, first of all, those violations that are most pronounced in the child.

So, for example, if a child with mental retardation has problems with speech, hearing and concentration, however movement disorders are absent, there is no point in prescribing him many hours of lessons to improve fine motor skills. To the fore in in this case should be sessions with a speech therapist ( to improve the pronunciation of sounds and words), classes to improve the ability to concentrate, and so on. At the same time, there is no point in wasting time teaching a child with severe mental retardation to read or write, since he will still not master these skills.

Methods of teaching literacy ( reading) children with mental retardation

With a mild form of the disease, the child can learn to read, understand the meaning of the text read, or even partially retell it. With a moderate form of mental retardation, children can also learn to read words and sentences, but their text reading is not meaningful ( they read, but don’t understand what they’re talking about). They are also unable to retell what they read. In severe and profound forms of mental retardation, the child cannot read.

Teaching reading to mentally retarded children allows:

Teach your child to recognize letters, words and sentences.
Learn to read expressively ( with intonation).
Learn to understand the meaning of the text you read.
Develop speech ( while reading aloud).
Create the prerequisites for teaching writing.

To teach reading to mentally retarded children, you need to select simple texts that do not contain complex phrases, long words and sentences. It is also not recommended to use texts with a large number of abstract concepts, proverbs, metaphors and other similar elements. The fact is that a mentally retarded child has poorly developed ( or completely absent) abstract thinking. As a result, even after correctly reading a proverb, he can understand all the words, but will not be able to explain its essence, which can negatively affect the desire to learn in the future.

Teaching writing

Only children with mild illness can learn to write. With moderate mental retardation, children may try to pick up a pen, write letters or words, but will not be able to write anything meaningful.

It is extremely important that before starting school, the child learns to read at least to a minimal extent. After this, he should be taught to draw simple geometric shapes ( circles, rectangles, squares, straight lines and so on). When he masters this, you can move on to writing letters and memorizing them. Then you can start writing words and sentences.

It is worth noting that for a mentally retarded child, the difficulty lies not only in mastering writing, but also in understanding the meaning of what is written. At the same time, some children have a pronounced impairment of fine motor skills, which prevents them from mastering writing. In this case, it is recommended to combine grammar teaching with corrective exercises that allow the development of motor activity in the fingers.

Mathematics for children with mental retardation

Teaching mathematics to children with mild mental retardation promotes the development of thinking and social behavior. At the same time, it is worth noting that the mathematical abilities of children with imbecility ( moderate degree of oligophrenia) are very limited - they can perform simple mathematical operations ( add, subtract), however, it is not able to solve more complex problems. Children with severe and profound mental retardation do not understand mathematics in principle.

Children with mild mental retardation may:

Count natural numbers.
Learn the concepts of “fraction”, “proportion”, “area” and others.
Master the basic units of measurement of mass, length, speed and learn to apply them in everyday life.
Learn to shop, calculate the cost of several items at once and the amount of change required.
Learn to use measuring and calculating instruments ( ruler, compass, calculator, abacus, clock, scales).

It is important to note that studying mathematics should not consist of banal memorization of information. Children must understand what they are learning and immediately learn to put it into practice. To achieve this, each lesson can end with a situational task ( for example, give children “money” and play “store” with them, where they will have to buy some things, pay and take change from the seller).

Pictograms for children with mental retardation

Pictograms are unique schematic pictures that depict certain objects or actions. Pictograms allow you to establish contact with a mentally retarded child and teach him in cases where it is impossible to communicate with him through speech ( for example, if he is deaf, and also if he does not understand the words of others).

The essence of the pictogram technique is to associate a certain image in the child ( picture) with any specific action. For example, a picture of a toilet can be associated with the desire to go to the toilet. At the same time, a picture depicting a bath or shower can be associated with water procedures. In the future, these pictures can be attached to the doors of the corresponding rooms, as a result of which the child will better navigate the house ( if he wants to go to the toilet, he will independently find the door through which he needs to enter for this).

On the other hand, pictograms can also be used to communicate with a child. So, for example, in the kitchen you can keep pictures of a cup ( jug) with water, plates of food, fruits and vegetables. When a child feels thirsty, he can point to water, while pointing at a picture of food will help others understand that the child is hungry.

The above were just some examples of the use of pictograms, but using this technique you can teach a mentally retarded child a wide variety of activities ( brush your teeth in the morning, make and spread your bed yourself, fold things, etc.). However, it is worth noting that this technique will be most effective for mild mental retardation and only partially effective for moderate degrees of the disease. At the same time, children with severe and profound mental retardation are practically not amenable to learning using pictograms ( due to a complete lack of associative thinking).

Extracurricular activities for children with mental retardation

Extracurricular activities are activities that take place outside of class ( like all lessons), and in a different setting and according to a different plan ( in the form of games, competitions, travel, etc.). Changing the method of presenting information to mentally retarded children allows them to stimulate the development of intelligence and cognitive activity, which has a beneficial effect on the course of the disease.

The goals of extracurricular activities can be:

adaptation of the child in society;
application of acquired skills and knowledge in practice;
speech development;
physical ( sports) child development;
development of logical thinking;
developing the ability to navigate in unfamiliar areas;
psycho-emotional development of the child;
the child’s acquisition of new experiences;
development creativity (for example, while hiking, playing in the park, in the forest, etc.).

Homeschooling children with mental retardation

Education for mentally retarded children can be done at home. Both parents themselves and specialists can take a direct part in this ( speech therapist, psychiatrist, teachers who know how to work with such children, and so on).

On the one hand, this teaching method has its advantages, since the child receives much more attention than when teaching in groups ( classes). At the same time, during the learning process, the child does not have contact with peers, does not acquire the communication and behavior skills he needs, as a result of which in the future it will be much more difficult for him to integrate into society and become a part of it. Therefore, teaching mentally retarded children exclusively at home is not recommended. It is best to combine both methods when the child visits during the day educational institution, and after lunch his parents study with him at home.

Rehabilitation and socialization of children with mental retardation

If the diagnosis of mental retardation is confirmed, it is extremely important to start working with the child in a timely manner, which, in mild forms of the disease, will allow him to get along in society and become a full member of it. At the same time, special attention should be paid to the development of mental, mental, emotional and other functions that are impaired in children with oligophrenia.

Classes with a psychologist ( psychocorrection)

The primary task of a psychologist when working with a mentally retarded child is to establish friendly, trusting relationships with him. After this, in the process of communicating with the child, the doctor identifies certain mental and psychological disorders that predominate in this particular patient ( for example, instability of the emotional sphere, frequent tearfulness, aggressive behavior, inexplicable joy, difficulties in communicating with others, etc.). Having established the main disorders, the doctor tries to help the child get rid of them, thereby speeding up the learning process and improving his quality of life.

Psychocorrection may include:

psychological education of the child;
help in realizing your “I”;
social education ( teaching rules and norms of behavior in society);
assistance in experiencing psycho-emotional trauma;
creation of favorable ( friendly) family situation;
improving communication skills;
teaching a child to control emotions;
learning skills to overcome difficult life situations and problems.

Speech therapy classes ( with a speech pathologist)

Speech disorders and underdevelopment can be observed in children with varying degrees of mental retardation. To correct them, classes are prescribed with a speech therapist who will help children develop speech abilities.

Classes with a speech therapist allow you to:

Teach children to pronounce sounds and words correctly. To do this, the speech therapist uses various exercises, during which children have to repeatedly repeat those sounds and letters that they pronounce the worst.
Teach your child to form sentences correctly. This is also achieved through sessions during which the speech therapist communicates with the child orally or in writing.
Improve your child's performance in school. Speech underdevelopment can be the cause of poor performance in many subjects.
Stimulate the overall development of the child. While learning to speak and pronounce words correctly, the child simultaneously remembers new information.
Improve the child's position in society. If a student learns to speak correctly and correctly, it will be easier for him to communicate with classmates and make friends.
Develop the child's ability to concentrate. During classes, the speech therapist may have the child read aloud increasingly longer texts, which will require longer concentration of attention.
Expand lexicon child.
Improve understanding of spoken and written language.
Develop abstract thinking and imagination of the child. To do this, the doctor may give the child books with fairy tales or fictional stories to read aloud, and then discuss the plot with him.

Didactic games for children with mental retardation

During observations of mentally retarded children, it was noted that they are reluctant to study any new information, but with great pleasure they can play all kinds of games. Based on this, a didactic methodology was developed ( teaching) games, during which the teacher game form conveys certain information to the child. The main advantage this method is that the child, without realizing it, develops mentally, mentally and physically, learns to communicate with other people and acquires certain skills that he will need in later life.

For educational purposes you can use:

Games with pictures- children are offered a set of pictures and asked to choose from them animals, cars, birds, and so on.
Games with numbers– if the child already knows how to count in various objects ( for blocks, books or toys) you can stick the numbers from 1 to 10 and mix them up, and then ask the child to put them in order.
Games with animal sounds– the child is shown a series of pictures with images of animals and asked to demonstrate what sounds each of them makes.
Games that promote the development of fine motor skills– you can draw letters on small cubes, and then ask the child to assemble a word from them ( name of animal, bird, city, etc.).

Exercises and physical therapy ( Exercise therapy) for children with mental retardation

The purpose of exercise therapy ( physical therapy) is a general strengthening of the body, as well as correction of physical defects that a mentally retarded child may have. A physical exercise program should be selected individually or by combining children with similar problems into groups of 3 to 5 people, which will allow the instructor to pay enough attention to each of them.

The goals of exercise therapy for oligophrenia may be:

Development of fine motor skills of the hands. Since this disorder is most common in mentally retarded children, exercises to correct it should be included in every training program. Some of the exercises include clenching and unclenching your hands into fists, spreading and closing your fingers, touching your fingertips to each other, alternately bending and straightening each finger separately, and so on.
Correction of spinal deformities. This disorder occurs in children with severe mental retardation. To correct it, exercises are used that develop the muscles of the back and abdomen, joints spine , water procedures, exercises on the horizontal bar and others.
Correction of movement disorders. If a child has paresis ( in which he weakly moves his arms or legs), exercises should be aimed at developing the affected limbs ( flexion and extension of arms and legs, rotational movements of them, and so on).
Development of movement coordination. To do this, you can perform exercises such as jumping on one leg, long jumps ( after the jump, the child must maintain balance and remain on his feet), throwing a ball.
Development of mental functions. To do this, you can perform exercises consisting of several successive parts ( for example, put your hands on your belt, then sit down, stretch your arms forward, and then do the same in reverse order).

It is also worth noting that children with mild or moderate illness can participate in active sports, but only with the constant supervision of an instructor or another adult ( healthy) person.

To play sports, mentally retarded children are recommended to:

Swimming. This helps them learn to solve complex sequential problems ( come to the pool, change clothes, wash, swim, wash and get dressed again), and also forms a normal attitude towards water and water procedures.
Skiing. Develop motor activity and the ability to coordinate the movements of arms and legs.
Biking. Helps develop balance, concentration and the ability to quickly switch from one task to another.
Trips ( tourism). A change of environment stimulates the development of cognitive activity in a mentally retarded patient. At the same time, when traveling, physical development and strengthening of the body occurs.

Recommendations for parents regarding the labor education of children with mental retardation

Labor education of a mentally retarded child is one of key points in the treatment of this pathology. After all, it is the ability for self-care and work that determines whether a person will be able to live independently or will need the care of strangers throughout his life. Labor education The child should be taught not only by teachers at school, but also by parents at home.

The development of work activity in a child with mental retardation may include:

Self-care training– the child needs to be taught to dress independently, to follow the rules of personal hygiene, take care of your appearance, eat food, and so on.
Training for feasible work– from an early age, children can independently lay out things, sweep the street, vacuum, feed pets or clean up after them.
Teamwork training– if parents go to do some simple work ( for example, picking mushrooms or apples, watering the garden), the child should be taken with you, explaining and clearly demonstrating to him all the nuances of the work being performed, as well as actively cooperating with him ( for example, instruct him to fetch water while watering the garden).
Versatile training- parents should teach their child the most different types labor ( even if at first he is unable to do any work).
The child’s awareness of the benefits of his work– parents should explain to the child that after watering the garden, vegetables and fruits will grow there, which the child can then eat.

Prognosis for mental retardation

The prognosis for this pathology directly depends on the severity of the disease, as well as on the correctness and timeliness of the therapeutic and corrective measures taken. So, for example, if you regularly and intensively work with a child who has been diagnosed with a moderate degree of mental retardation, he can learn to speak, read, communicate with peers, and so on. At the same time, the absence of any training sessions can provoke a deterioration in the patient’s condition, as a result of which even a mild degree of oligophrenia can progress, turning into moderate or even severe.

Is a child given a disability group for mental retardation?

Since the ability for self-care and a full life of a mentally retarded child is impaired, he can receive a group disability, which will allow you to enjoy certain advantages in society. At the same time, one or another disability group is assigned depending on the degree of oligophrenia and the general condition of the patient.

Children with mental retardation may be assigned:

3 disability group. Issued to children with mild mental retardation who can take care of themselves, are amenable to learning and can attend regular schools, but require increased attention from the family, others and teachers.
Disability group 2. Issued to children with moderate mental retardation who are forced to attend special correctional schools. They are difficult to train, do not get along well in society, have little control over their actions and cannot be responsible for some of them, and therefore often need constant care, as well as the creation of special living conditions.
1st disability group. Issued to children with severe and profound mental retardation, who are practically unable to learn or care for themselves, and therefore require continuous care and guardianship.

Life expectancy of children and adults with oligophrenia

In the absence of other diseases and developmental defects, the life expectancy of mentally retarded people directly depends on the ability to self-care or on the care they receive from others.

Healthy ( physically) people with mild mental retardation can take care of themselves, are easy to train, and can even get a job, earning money to feed themselves. Due to this average duration their lives and causes of death are practically no different from those among healthy people. The same can be said about patients with moderate mental retardation, who, however, are also trainable.

At the same time, patients with severe forms of the disease live much shorter ordinary people. First of all, this may be due to multiple defects and congenital developmental anomalies, which can lead to the death of children during the first years of life. Another reason for premature death may be a person’s inability to critically evaluate his actions and the environment. In this case, patients may be in dangerous proximity to fire, operating electrical appliances or poisons, or fall into the pool ( while not knowing how to swim), get hit by a car ( accidentally running out onto the road) and so on. That is why the duration and quality of their lives directly depend on the attention from others.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.