[Etiology and prevention of severe mental handicaps].

In a group of 124 children with mental retardation, a study showed 21% of chromosomal abnormalities, 26% of perinatal causes and 33% of undetermined causes. Current preventive measures are well adapted. They might be usefully completed by mandatory ultrasonographic examinations during pregnancy and promotion of birth of at-risk children in well-equipped centers for perinatal medicine. In cases when in utero transfer is not possible, transfer by specialized pediatric emergency care services should be generalized. A better supervision of families where retarded children are living would be advisable. The detection of bacterial meningitis should be improved. Finally, an active research should be undertaken in order to better dissociate and understand the as yet unknown causes of mental retardation.