Mild mental retardation will go unrecognized if attorneys and judges do not know what to look for. Current research indicates that Autism may be caused by a biochemical or neurological disturbance. Cerebral Palsy is a condition caused by damage to the brain during pregnancy, labor or shortly after birth. It is a brain disorder of movement or posture. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain, which is characterized by the tendency to have recurrent seizures, without cognitive impairment.
Seizures are sudden.
Individuals with these developmental disabilities will be more easily identified through physical characteristics than an individual with mental retardation. Also, it is primarily the individual with mental retardation who will be involved with the criminal justice system. Mental Retardation Defined Mental Retardation refers to substantial limitations in present functioning. Mental retardation is manifest before age 18. Mental retardation will yield a score of 70 or below on an IQ test.