The degree of mental retardation a person has affects how much and how quickly he or she can learn. Mental retardation occurs once in every 33 people. Most have only mild retardation. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly how many Oklahomans have mental retardation because so many are able to function well and live in their own communities. Mental retardation is not mental illness.
Mental retardation refers to a person's capability to think and reason.
Like anyone else, a person with mental retardation may become emotionally disturbed or mentally ill. Some experts estimate that as many as 1,000 causes remain to be identified. Mental retardation can be caused by environmental factors, genetic factors or a combination of both. Environmental factors include everything that goes on around a person. Those factors could include an infection during pregnancy, a lack of oxygen at birth, encephalitis, meningitis, lead poisoning, alcohol, drug abuse or poor parenting.