Most people find it difficult to talk about mental health issues. Anyone can suffer from or is prone to developing a mental illness. Most of us cope with our lives fairly well. When our problems or emotions get “on top of us” to an extent that we cannot continue with our day to day functions and we become severely depressed, anxious or aggressive we are in trouble . When we cannot cope, become of these extreme emotions than we are suffering from some kind of mental health problem. Mental health problems are usually as a result of severe trauma, severe stress, or as a result of a chemical imbalance, which affects how one’s brain works. These conditions can be reversed, controlled and managed with the correct therapy and medication.

Intellectual Impairment
Students with intellectual impairment have limited intellectual functioning, which affects their learning. They have slower rates of learning and are challenged by complex and abstract tasks. They have the same aspirations and dreams as their friends and siblings, to become adults get jobs and lives full productive lives. Intellectual impairment can be caused by any condition which hampers (with) the development of the brain before, during or after birth this condition is irreversible and cannot be remedied by medication.

Some learners present with secondary multiple disorders, in addition to intellectual impairment. These conditions include the following:

Down syndrome
The following characteristics are usually symptomatic of Down syndrome.

• Low muscle tone
• Small skin folds on inner corner of the eyes.
• Broad hands with short fingers
• 40-50% born with heart problems
• short in statue(body)
• Learners are usually friendly and full of affection and they tend to hug everyone. Hey also have difficulty with speech.

Cerebral Palsy
Our brains control everything we do (breathing, sneezing, speech, movement etc). If the centre which controls movement is damaged or injured, then the child will have cerebral (meaning brain) Palsy (paralysis). There are different types of cerebral palsy:

• Spastic CP (Stiff muscles)
• Atheroid CP (Involuntary movement)
• Diplegia(only affects legs)
• Hemiplegia(only affects one side of the body)

Epilepsy
Tiny amounts of electricity can be found in the human body where it travels along wires called the nerves, to all the body parts including the brain. These brain impulses enable us to speak, write and think. Sometimes either too much or too little electricity is received by the brain, causing an imbalance in the brain. This causes an abnormal jerky-type movement called seizures (fits).sometimes these seizures can cause a short loss of consciousness. Epilepsy can be controlled by medication.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Mothers who drink heavily while pregnant are likely to damage their unborn child. A normal brain completely filled the cranial space. (In the head). A child’s brain which has been stunted by alcohol is smaller than the cranial space, which means it is underdeveloped. A child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome cannot be cured and is likely to be moderately to severely intellectually disable. Most children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome also display attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder. They tend to be impulsive and have poor judgement skills. Classical Features include:

• Small head and jaw
• Thin flat upper lip
• Flat cheeks
• Short, flat upturned nose
• Outgoing, lively personality, known as a cocktail personality.

Autism
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It usually appears between the ages 1-3yrs. Children with Autism usually have unusual repetitive behaviors. They have difficulty in relating to and communicating with others. They avoid making eye contact with others and they have poor interpersonal skills and social skills. They prefer solitary play.