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Conference quark::human_relations-v1

Title:	What's all this fuss about 'sax and violins'?
Notice:	Archived V1 - Current conference is QUARK::HUMAN_RELATIONS
Moderator:	ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI

Created:	Fri May 09 1986
Last Modified:	Wed Jun 26 1996
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1327
Total number of notes:	28298

505.0. "Dealing with the retarded" by DANUBE::B_REINKE (where the sidewalk ends) Thu Apr 28 1988 21:52

    This is the second topic that we discussed. The immediate
    issues were what kind of medical care is appropriate to
    give to a mentally retarded new born baby. We both agreed
    that any type of intervention is valid with Down's syndrome,
    and that on the other extreme an ancephalic baby (no brain) should
    not be operated on to correct a digestive flaw.
    
    But what about the mid range of problems? Is it medically
    ethical to sterilize a retarded child who will grow up to
    be nearly normal in function, and able to live in a semi-sheltered
    enviroment? (Given that the child will have normal sex drive and
    any child so conceived will be environmentally retarded without
    heavy intervention.)
    
    Again there are a wide range of problems that face the parents
    of retarded/handicapped children and adults...and these are
    issues that are not easily dealt with.
    
    Inputs?
    
    Bonnie

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
505.1	Special People	HPSTEK::POIRIER		`Wed Jan 04 1989 18:40`	15
	I know this is an old note but it caught my eye and I felt Like replying. Mentally retarded people are quite simply put, human beings like you or I. Why would you want to sterilize a handicapped individual? I realize there are special concerns put on people close to handicapped individuals and I do not profess to have any "canned" answers. Just show them love and treat them as human beings.
505.2	let me try and explain	WMOIS::B_REINKE	Mirabile dictu	`Thu Jan 05 1989 22:48`	24
	Well since I entered the base note... I wasn't talking about physically handicapped, that is not the same as mentally retarded. The reason the question could even be raised is that the mentally retarded have quite normal sex drives (as do the physically challenged for that matter). If however, they are not mentally an independant adult this creates problems for any children which are engendered. Even mentally challenged adults who are normal genetically will have children that, due to the environment they grow up in, will be mentally challenged. A Down's syndrome adult will have a Down's syndrome child. As the mother of a physcially challenged child I would feel responsible if he were to have a child, that such a child would have every opportunity to grow up into a healthy adulthood. This is a very complex question to consider. One that there are no easy answers to. Bonnie
505.3	I agree, not an easy subject	SSDEVO::YOUNGER	Carob is a form of Chocolate Control!	`Fri Jan 06 1989 22:41`	21
	I agree, there are no easy answers. The problem with a retarded person having children is that they are mentally children themselves, regardless of age. The children would need to be taken away or to put another adult in the home to care for the child. Either way, it wouldn't be a good thing. Either you have to take the child away, and retarded people DO FEEL like anyone else, and having your child taken away is a very hard thing to deal with emotionally. Otherwise, the burden of raising the child goes to someone else, which isn't fair to that someone else (most likely, a parent or sibling of the retarded person). Other forms of birth control are often out of the question because you have to remember to use them and understand how to use them. In many cases these reasons make ordinary birth control impractical. Physically handicapped is another issue. Since they are adults who can make decisions as adults, they can make their own decision with the aid of their doctors. Elizabeth
505.4	Thanks	WMOIS::B_REINKE	Mirabile dictu	`Fri Jan 06 1989 23:29`	17
	Thankyou Elizabeth for your insight. Obviously, from what I have said, one of the reasons that our oldest son and I were discussing that subject (in context of a paper he had for college) was because of our youngest son. The only answer we have come up with so far is to talk to our youngest about the subject when he is older. (He is only mildy retarded, so he is capable of understanding and making many decisions for himself.) But for parents of more severely mentally challenged children, this is an even harder issue than it is for us. One thing that we lack is a community of parents who have raised 'special kids' who we can ask how they handled such issues. Bonnie
505.5	A VERY SPECIAL PERSON	NRADM::PLAMONDON		`Wed Jan 25 1989 21:54`	17
	My brother Peter is mentally retarded, I have no input as to an answer to your problem but, yes the sex drive is there for my brother. He is 27 years old and well, we just let him do his thing ( if ya know what I mean ). As far as children go, I have 2 kids and since the day they were born he has been so close to both of them, I think maybe because they are kind of on the same wave length. Kids will play kid games and most adults will not participate in some but Peter plays, and they love hime for it, they have another Uncle but I can see the difference and they are alot closer to Peter. He shares everything he has with them without any questions whereas If I were to ask him for something that they might he would tell me to go scratch. He always asks when there coming over again and when are they going to spend the night and so on..... I could go on and on but I just wanted to tell you a little about Peter......