WHat happens to the mentally challenged after grade school?

And I sympathize, and I am not saying you don't deserve help and assistance in your needs. And every person deserves an equal chance to succeed in this life. It's in my nature to want to help my self before I help others. Believe me if I had a million dollars I would gladly give some of to those who needed it more than I do. But understand that I would take care of my self first.

Its just like being in an airplane, If you have a child in the seat next to you who can't put the oxygen mask on themselves, you need to put on yours first before you put on theirs.

I am just saying, not to you personally lucifer, but to the IRS, give me a chance to put my oxygen mask on before you crash my plane.

 

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i would put the childs mask on first!

 

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So just to recap, what do retards do after grade school? If I'm right they pretty much live with their parents, right?

 

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We already said. They come to SciForums.

How dare I sir!!!

 

In grade school the mentally handicapped can "keep up" enough to be in the same room, especially if held back a few years. By high school, the material you're studying is so far beyond them, they're segregated to "slow class". And you don't see them much.

Ultimately they get jobs, live in homes, or stay with their parents. Often a combo.

I wonder how many of them reach the point where they realize they're not normal? That they will never be able to do the things their brothers, sisters, and friends can do?

Has anyone seen Flowers for Algernon? This retarded guy is given a treatment that increases his intellegence to genius level. Suddenly he realizes that all his "friends" were just patronizing him and making fun of him. While he was happy as a retard, he is depressed as a genius. Ultimately, the treatment's effects turn out to be temporary and he becomes, once again, retarded. The implication is that he is once again happy.

But wouldn't he still have the memory of what his temporary intellegence revealed to him? Wouldn't it be most cruel of all to take an oblivious retard, give him great intellegence just long enough to know what he's missing, then take it away. So now he's retarded, but has lost the innocense and blissful ignorance that previously made him happy.

 

LOL. I always thought doctors were meant to use 'politically correct' language when referring to the disabled.

 

I guess having a child that is mentally disabled makes one pretty immune to such labels.

 

Flowers for Algernon was a good short story. Hypothetically, I think if he does retain a memory of what his temporary intelligence revealed, it would make no difference, as he could no longer understand what the memory was about. Thus, it would be forgotten or suppressed.

 

You are correct, handicapped people can have typically developing children, Mentally normal people can have children with mental and physical disabilities.

I agree with your first statement. I am not sure if you are trying to say that retardation due to mothers taking drugs during labor. Have you been through labor? Whether you have or not is another matter.

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I welcomed whatever they could give me.

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My kids are both A students. There is no evidence that pain killing drugs administered during child birth cause retardation. Most mental retardation is caused by genetic problems or mismatch ie, trisomy 21, fragile X etc. Obviously substance abuse is no good in pregnancy as it will cause at least some damage to the child.

As for people with disabilities, many autisitics live and work among us living very productive lives. Some marry and reproduce like everyone else. It is thought by many that Einstein was autistic. Many people with mild or moderate retardation are gainfully employed and have children and manage just fine. There is no reason why their children would necessarily too be handicapped. They may need some assistance from time to time but that could be true of anyone.

You could become brain damaged in a car accident or stroke. You can't always expect family to jump in and manage the cost of your care so that the rest of society is relieved of the burden. There are no guarantees in life.

Mentally handicapped people can have a lot of potential and much to offer if they are given the chance and proper education. They are capable of much more that we have traditionally given them credit for. There is a man with Down Syndrome in my city who drives a city bus. Many are willing to do jobs that no one else wants to do but are still very essential. No one has the right to write them off and let them stagnate in mental institutions, which by the way, is much more expensive than giving them life skills and job training.

 

I wonder how many members here took the SHORT bus !

 

That is most peoples instinct but even the flight attendants tell you to put your own on first. You are no good to your child if you are unconcious.

 

So what you're saying is that, unless their given special consideration, special education, special attention, they don't have much potential?

I'd agree with that. But then we have to question what the potential of a regular, normal kid would be if we also gave him special consideration, special education, special attention. Or don't you believe in equal opportunity?

Baron Max

 

Good point. There is always room for improvement in the education system. More and more parents and educators are very conscious of this and are working hard at making changes to improve the learning potential of all children including those with disabilities. Education is a big issue where I live and there continues to be stiff competition between charter, public and private schools to attract students. Having a greater choice in how your children are educated is a bonus.

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Sure ...for all children equally. But not special education or consideration for mentally defective children ....that's discrimination and should be a no-no in the public education system.

Baron Max

 

If it leads to them becoming productive members of society as opposed to becoming leeches, why not? In my opinion the extra amount of money involved for special education is worth it in the long run.

 

The education system should then discriminate against gifted children in the name of equality. This already happens of course.

 

having three children with mental illnesses no you are not immune to labels like that, we hear it every day, and it still cuts us deap to here them. I ust wish people would understand these illnesses first.

 

Why would you be immune to it Sam? Anybody with feelings would be hurt no matter how many times it happens. How can you even understand what a parent or child goes through unless you are in that situation yourself.
I feel for you Angel, it must be tough. I can't even imagine what you have to go through.
I feel lucky to have 2 healthy boys.

 

I agree, and I apologize for my use of the word and my humour involving it. Clearly this was insensitive.

In my defense, I suffer from an incurable mental illness myself: total bastardy.

 

Don't get me wrong when I say drugs I mean like crack-cocaine, marijuana

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m: WOO!), and oxycotin (not prescribed). Not like, drugs that induce labor or Advil!
I bet advil could cure cancer that thing is the shit!

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And in reference to the equal education thing, I just want to say that bush's "No Child Left Behind" program sucks balls. Much like Canada's Healthcare, everyone gets the same crappy education as everyone else.