DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF AGGRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH MILD MENTAL RETARDATION

Introduction. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of aggressive behavior in adolescents suffering from mild mental retardation given its nature of origin, which could either be a character trait and/or a behavioral pattern, or result from organic brain syndrome. Materials and Methods. The methods used in the study are the method of expert assessment (pedagogic assessment of disordered behavior with the Teacher questionnaire for identifying children with disordered behavior (E. L. Indenbaum); monitoring; psychological diagnostic method (the projective technique Children’s Apperceptive Test (S. Bellak) (Fig.7); analysis of medical history and documents regarding the micro-social environment of the adolescent development; and the mathematical statistics method. Results. Aggressive behavior in adolescents with organic brain syndrome is characterized by a severe disorder of emotional self-control, inadequate responses to an irritator of a certain degree, affective rigidity, and a long time necessary to return to a normal state. Distinctive characteristics of aggressive behavior in adolescents with aggression as an inherent character trait suggest that aggression occurs based on a specific situation and could be self-regulated or managed by exterior regulation. Conclusion. The findings indicate that adolescents with mild mental retardation show aggression differently depending on the nature of its origin. Keyword: aggressive behavior, aggression, adolescents with mental retardation, aggression as a character trait, aggression as a result of organic brain syndrome

The Effect of Citicoline Injections on Children with Organic Brain Syndrome Caused by Infection

Forty children with organic brain syndrome caused by injections were given Citicoline intramuscular injections. Twenty of these children were within 3 months postencephalitis, the other 20 children were over 3 months postencephalitis. There were statistically significant negative correlations between the length of time from recovery from encephalitis to the initiation of administration of CDP choline and the improvement of many of the symptoms of OJ'8anic brain syndrome. In other words, these patients who began receiving Citicoline (CDP choline) within 3 months showed greater improvement than those who began receiving CDP choline over 3 months after recoveries from encephalitis.

Clinical Processes and Symptom Management

This chapter describes what to do when a patient experiences severe anxiety and uncontrolled agitation that negatively affect care and the caregiving environment. Agitation and severe anxiety (panic) represent some of the few true emergency conditions in a hospice setting, so early recognition and prevention are critical. The discussion covers causes in depth, including psychosocial/spiritual and biomedical causes. The chapter details a tactical approach to evaluating and managing severe anxiety and agitation. An example of this is assessing if the patient has an organic brain syndrome due to advancing disease with either local or systemic manifestations and reviewing medications for adverse drug reactions. It then details appropriate processes of care, such as providing pharmacotherapy for acute and recurrent agitation.