Games and play exercises with children with mental retardation

Essence and basic principles

Neuropsychology is a science that studies mental processes occurring in the brain. With its help, it is possible to determine the perception of the surrounding world, attention, spatial orientation, speech, memory, emotional response, and motor skills.

All these processes are the basis by which you can accurately determine how successfully the baby is developing and his learning ability. If there are even slight deviations, then the child’s learning will be difficult, a dislike for classes will appear, and it may even develop a serious psychosomatic illness.

A neuropsychological set of exercises is aimed at correcting mental disorders in children from 3 to 12 years old.

In their work, psychologists use certain principles for correcting the child’s neuropsychological state. Initially, you need to understand that the methodology, and there are two types: motor and cognitive, do not act as training. They help form the basic functions and processes necessary for proper further development.

The correction begins with an impact on background elements, and then the program is built individually for each child according to his degree of development of processes in the brain.
Functions are formed in several directions: from bottom to top, from left to right and from inside to outside. Initially, the specialist uses a basic set of exercises, gradually complicating it, while outside assistance in performing the complex decreases. As a result, the baby begins to work independently without the help of an adult.

The program is designed to ensure that all classes take place only in a playful way, which is very comfortable for the child. This is the only way to remove stress, increase the child’s motivation and maximize the efficiency of the brain without harm to health.

Psychological characteristics

A child with mental retardation has features of mental development that differ from the symptoms of other similar pathologies. This is necessary to know to differentiate the diagnosis.

Differences from mental retardation:

• partial rather than complete impairment of cognitive activity;
• high potential for further development;
• It is not the mental functions themselves that suffer, but the prerequisites for intellectual activity (phonemic hearing, speech, attention);
• spasmodic dynamics of mental activity;
• ability to cooperate with adults;
• the presence of emotions in gaming activities;
• a vivid manifestation of emotion;
• often have a knack for drawing.

Differences from pedagogical neglect:

• lack of education and attention from adults is only one of the reasons, while in neglected children it is the only one;
• behavior is caused by deviations in the emotional-volitional sphere and cognitive abilities, and not by problems in moral and legal consciousness;
• are rarely distinguished by deviant behavior and rebellious character;
• know how to interact with adults.

The success of treatment and correction will depend on the correct diagnosis.

Diagnostics

The presence of mental retardation in a child can only be confirmed by special diagnostics. Specialists in the field can understand the nature and depth of existing violations during a comprehensive examination:

• psychotherapist;
• speech pathologist;
• psychologist;
• speech therapist;
• pediatrician.

All of them are included in a special medical and pedagogical commission, at which the diagnosis is confirmed or refuted, a final decision is made, and recommendations are given on the further development of the child. In addition to psychological characteristics, they carefully study dynamics (data are provided for the last 2-3 years):

• school performance;
• the nature of errors in mathematics and the Russian language;
• handwriting features;
• state of motor skills;
• pace of activity and many other aspects.

The commission is also provided with the results of a full medical examination and medical history.

Based on the data obtained, a conclusion is made whether the child has mental development delay. But, as mentioned earlier, a medical diagnosis of mental retardation has not been made since 1997. In conclusion, terminology from the following part of ICD-10 is used:

Causes

All causes of mental retardation are divided into two large groups.

Biological

Pathologies and complications during pregnancy:

• if the mother suffered severe toxicosis, infection, intoxication, or injury during pregnancy;
• multiple births;
• intrauterine fetal hypoxia;
• prematurity;
• asphyxia;
• Rhesus conflict;
• incorrect presentation;
• birth injuries.

Infectious, toxic and traumatic diseases leading to perinatal encephalopathy in the first years of a baby’s life:

• nuclear jaundice;
• operations under anesthesia;
• fetal alcohol syndrome;
• cardiovascular pathologies;
• minimal brain dysfunction, organic brain damage, traumatic brain injury;
• congenital visual and hearing impairments;
• low mobility;
• asthenia;
• malnutrition, neuroinfections, influenza, rickets, hydrocephalus, vegetative-vascular dystonia, epilepsy.

Biological reasons also include genetics. There are cases when deviations of this kind are diagnosed from generation to generation.

Social

These include:

• long-term limitation of life activity;
• social deprivation;
• communication deficit;
• unfavorable upbringing conditions;
• mild mental disabilities in parents;
• psychotrauma.

Among the unfavorable conditions of upbringing that lead to mental retardation, there are three most common ones.

Neglect

A child to whom parents do not pay sufficient attention from early childhood, do not engage with him, do not develop him, grows up to be affectively labile, impulsive and suggestible. Does not learn basic rules of behavior and has no intellectual interests. Successful learning requires a basic understanding of the world around us. Reminds me of Mowgli who found himself in civilization. As a result, abnormal personality development is diagnosed as mental instability. But this is not the same as pedagogical neglect.

Overprotection

A child who, from early childhood, is given too much attention by anxious and suspicious parents and is raised as a little “god” of the family. He does not know how to overcome difficulties on his own, or adequately correlate desires and needs with the necessary efforts. There is no willpower. This leads to emotional lability, lack of initiative, self-centeredness, and dependence on adults. As a result, psychogenic infantilism is diagnosed.

Authoritarianism

A child who is suppressed by authoritarian parents from early childhood experiences their aggression, rudeness, cruelty, and despotism. Physical violence is often used. Against such an unfavorable background, obsessions, indecision, phobias, neuroses, increased levels of anxiety, and autism develop. This is an emotionally immature person who is not aimed at achieving success. As a result, learned helplessness syndrome is diagnosed.

Education

Where and how can a child with mental retardation study:

• integrated education in secondary schools;
• correctional and developmental education based on a person-centered approach in general educational institutions;
• training in educational institutions of the VII type, where all the features of the educational activities of children with mental retardation are taken into account as much as possible.

In 2015, an important document was approved regulating the education of children with mental retardation in secondary schools. This is the “Adapted basic general education program for primary general education for students with mental retardation.” It is included in the “Special basic general education programs of primary general education of the Federal State Educational Standard”. This system has been implemented in regular educational institutions (not correctional) throughout the Russian Federation since September 1, 2016 in accordance with the Letter of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated June 7, 2013 “On correctional and inclusive education of children.”

From this moment on, children with mental retardation have every right to study not in a correctional school, but in a regular general education school, together with their normally developing peers. In this case, teachers and parents should take into account the following teaching features:

• they require more attention and individual approach;
• they study according to a separate, simplified program;
• Problems in mastering the material are not due to laziness and negligence, but to inability.

Educational psychologists insist that it is much more productive to send a child with mental retardation to a specialized correctional school or transfer him to home schooling.

What it is

Mental retardation is a mental retardation when the basic cognitive functions (thinking, memory, attention, emotional-volitional sphere) in a child are not as well developed as those of peers and differ from the norms established for a given age. Diagnosed only in children of preschool age or primary school. If signs of the disease remain at the time of transition to secondary care, more serious diagnoses are made - for example, constitutional infantilism or mental retardation.

The term was proposed by the Soviet psychiatrist G. E. Sukhareva in 1959. Widely used in psychological, pedagogical and medical practice and literature. However, at the end of the 90s of the 20th century it was considered too generalized and already outdated, so the question of its replacement was raised. In 1997, this diagnosis was withdrawn from use by order of the Ministry of Health. They have been replaced by new concepts corresponding to codes F80–F89 and F90–F98 in ICD-10. These include all kinds of psychological development disorders (but no longer mental disorders):

• expressive and receptive speech disorders;
• hyperkinetic disorders;
• dyslexia;
• dyscalculia;
• dyspraxia;
• dysgraphia;
• behavioral disorders;
• phobias;
• tics;
• enuresis;
• encopresis;
• stuttering.

Since 1997, the term is not applicable as a medical diagnosis and is not opposed to mental disorders. However, this concept continues to be widely used in Russian-language psychological and pedagogical literature and Russian educational institutions.

Classifications

Classification by Pevzner and Vlasova

M. S. Pevzner - defectologist, psychiatrist, psychologist, candidate of medical sciences and doctor of pedagogical sciences. Professor. T. A. Vlasova is a psychologist, defectologist, Doctor of Psychology, professor, academician. Years: 1972-1973.

• Uncomplicated psychophysical and mental infantilism

The emotional-volitional sphere corresponds to the development of younger children. Playful activity prevails over cognitive activity. This leads to inattention and learning problems.

• Secondary ZPR

The exhaustion of mental functions is caused by various biological factors that occurred during pregnancy or in the first year of the baby’s life.

Lebedinskaya classification

K. S. Lebedinskaya is a child psychiatrist and defectologist. Year: 1982. The basis is the classification of Pevzner and Vlasova, supplemented and expanded.

• Constitutional ZPR

Corresponds to uncomplicated mental and psychophysical infantilism according to the classification of Pevzner and Vlasova. Such children show bright, but superficial and unstable emotions. They are always in a high mood, they are mediocre and naive. They are distinguished by their gracefulness - an infantile body type. ZPR is caused by hereditary factors and complications during pregnancy.

• Somatogenic ZPR

Firstly, it occurs against the background of diseases suffered by the baby in the first year of life. Secondly, it is complicated by neurotic deviations. Such children are not self-confident, fearful, capricious, and feel their physical inferiority. All this ultimately leads to somatogenic infantilism - delayed emotional development.

• Psychogenic mental retardation

The main reason is unfavorable upbringing conditions, starting from a very early age and lasting for a long time.

• Cerebral-organic mental retardation

The most common type of ZPR. I. F. Markovskaya (Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor) identifies another mini-classification within this group (1983).

1. Mental instability. Manifests itself in the form of hyperactivity, excessive noise, loudness, rudeness and conflict. But these children’s emotions are short-lived, so within a minute they will be playing with those with whom they just quarreled or even fought.

2. Mental retardation. Such children are dependent, indecisive, timid, slow, and too attached to their parents. They do not participate in joint outdoor games with others, they quickly get lost and cry when something is demanded of them.

Kovalev's classification

V.V. Kovalev - psychologist, psychotherapist. Year - 1979.

This is a classification of mental retardation caused by biological factors:

• dysontogenetic - mental infantilism;
• encephalopathic - organic lesions of the nervous system;
• secondary due to sensory defects - visual and hearing impairments;
• social deprivation - hospitalism.

Today, Lebedinskaya’s classification is most actively used in practice. Although she will soon be 40 years old. In connection with new standards of training and the changed realities of modern life, experts have long been talking about the need to create a more relevant typology of ZPR.

Useful tips

In order for the exercises to bring maximum benefit, you need to follow several rules:

1. Don't expect results right away . You should start training by concentrating on one of the functions. You need to be patient, because the child may not succeed right away, he will be distracted. You shouldn’t pull the baby back, it will make it more difficult for him to concentrate. Only patience and effort will lead to a positive result.
2. Do not overtire or overstimulate your baby . It is necessary to periodically switch the child’s attention, changing the types of games, but not do this too often. It is also important to maintain a daily routine, ensure proper sleep, and a calm environment.
3. Install external frames . The child needs to be explained exactly what is possible and what is not. It is worth considering that a child cannot wait long, so rewards and punishments must be delivered on time. It could be a kind word, a small souvenir, but everything must be provided on time.
4. It is better to start classes individually . When the child gets used to it a little, you can introduce him to group games. If you immediately start studying in a group, the child finds it difficult to concentrate; he looks at other children and copies their mistakes.
5. While working, it is better to use several games at once : to develop attention, to relieve tension, to regulate the will, to consolidate results.

It is better to start a course of neuropsychological exercises with individual lessons with children.
Only by following all the rules, being patient and following the developed training program, you can achieve good results from the child.