A patient with mental retardation and possible panic disorder.

The limited communication skills and varying behavior patterns of people with mental retardation make the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders a challenging task. The authors present the case of a patient with mild mental retardation and possible panic disorder whose panic symptoms were missed by clinicians until a structured questionnaire to screen for those symptoms was administered. In assessing people with mental retardation for psychiatric disorder, clinicians should be alert to the possibility of panic disorder if patients show avoidant behaviors and report vague somatic complaints. A simplified structured format for assessment may lead to more accurate diagnosis.