There is a big difference between mental retardation and autism. Autism is not a form of mental retardation, although many autistic people seem to act like people who are retarded. In fact, autistic people are generally very intelligent. In contrast, people who are mentally retarded, by definition, lack the skills necessary for daily living and have below-average intellectual capacity.
Acoustic people have inconceivable sensory experiences. In many cases, they can react to situations in a sensitive way. It can also be difficult for them to interpret what they are experiencing. As a result, it is common for them to avoid being touched by other people. Their brains may have insufficient sensations for the rest of their body to know what is going on, ultimately leading to more confusion for an autistic person.
Hearing and vision problems in people with autism are also different. Many of the noises they hear hurt their ears because they can't process the sound properly. When people speak to them, it is difficult to understand what is being said. In a comparison of the vision abilities of people with mental retardation and autism, autistic people have a harder time recognizing different faces. Bright lights and flickering frequencies make seeing objects a difficult task.
The causes of mental retardation and autism are related to several risk factors. An infection such as meningitis that is present at birth or occurs later can increase the chance of mental retardation. Chromosomal abnormalities and inherited metabolic disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease, can also cause it. In autism, abnormal brain development or tuberous sclerosis may contribute. Autism is the end result of the many disorders that affect brain growth.
When looking at the differences between mental retardation and autism, variations of mental retardation fall into three general categories. People can have mild retardation, moderate to severe retardation, or profound mental retardation. Characteristics of mild delay include needing limited support and experiencing mild developmental delays. Severe mental retardation identifies the person as having the mentality of an infant or toddler despite being of adulthood. The deep level may require that the person be institutionalized.
Separate treatment plans are recommended for mental retardation and autism. The main goal in treating people with mental retardation is to develop them to their full potential. Lack of curiosity and continued childlike behavior are signs of mental retardation. In autism, there is no main treatment protocol. Studies have shown that structured behavior programs work best for people with autism.