Mental retardation (MR), also known as intellectual disability, is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in infants, children and adolescents. Its prevalence in the general population is usually reported in the 1–3% range People with this type of disability have an intellectual functioning significantly lower than the average. In general, it coexists alongside limitations in two or more areas of adaptive skills, such as: communication, self-direction, health and safety, functional academic skills, free time and work.
Intellectual disability occurs at different levels of functioning. In the case of severe intellectual disability, the person has the potential to achieve functional adaptive skills and is susceptible to learning elementary labor techniques, capable of integrating socially and professionally into a protected environment. People with severe intellectual disabilities have verbal or extraverbal elementary communication potentialities and their development is directly related to the opportunities offered by both the family and the community.
Health care institutions in San Antonio de los Baños carry out the screening of patients with symptoms of mental retardation. This process starts from pregnancy. Pregnant women undergo a series of studies and consultations with different specialists. Psychometric and genetic laboratory tests are applied to patients under the age of 18 in order to determine the complexity of the disability and the corresponding medical treatment. It is very important the preparation that family members must receive to contribute to their children's welfare, taking into account their particularities.
Social workers, together with professionals and specialized technicians, visit these people with the aim of knowing the real conditions in which they develop and thus process social assistance, if necessary. People’s Power government bodies of the municipality participate in these actions.
It is important to note that people who have an intellectual disability receive educational benefits, as well as community attention from representatives of the Culture Department and teachers of sports and recreation; the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) and the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) also participate.