Medical Treatment

No medical treatment exists for cognitive deficits; however, the following may be indicated:

• Nutritional interventions may be required for some individuals with specific disorders, including phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and maple syrup urine disease.

• Medications are commonly used in children and adults with intellectual disability to treat psychiatric disorders and behavior problems.

• A doctor may pay special attention to the common medical complications associated with specific disabilities (for example, cardiac, ophthalmologic, endocrine, orthopedic, and hematologic complications in Down syndrome).

• Some children with cognitive deficits have an increased risk of other medical problems including seizure disorders, sensory impairments (particularly visual deficits), cerebral palsy, feeding problems, and failure to thrive.