Mike, Ken and Kat,

Having worked with people with mental retardation (the politically correct
term is now cognitive disability or intellectual disability), I'd say that
there's as broad a range of intelligence among people with cognitive
disabilities as there is among people with supposedly "normal"
intelligence.  The "rub" is that a functional level may not become apparent
until a person with a cognitive disability becomes much older than an
"average" child.  One of the things that got me interested in
the developmental disabilities field was my cousin Matt.

Matt was born in 1957 with what now would be termed pervasive developmental
disabilities, including being non-verbal, and with a significant cognitive
disability.  In about 1975, one of the people who worked at the place Matt
lived knew sign language and decided to try teaching it to Matt.  Matt will
never be a Rhodes scholar, but he can now communicate his basic needs (hot,
cold , hungry, tired), and some more complex thoughts (preferences on what
he'd like to eat, what he'd like to wear, etc.).  He also works in a
supported employment situation doing janitorial work.  He is happy, he's
healthy, and doing well for himself.

His mother (my aunt) and dad were advised to place him in an institution
when he was about 6 months old, and did so, because there were very few
resources available then to support people with severe disabilities or their
families.  In the early 80's, my aunt and uncle divorced, and after that my
aunt went to work for the group home provider that ran the house where Matt
lived, although she only sporadically worked in the same location, and
developed a very close relationship with him.  My aunt passed away in 1994,
but Matt is still in contact with his siblings, and occasionally, with his
Dad, although none of them are involved in his life on a daily basis,
although three of the four of them live in the same metropolitan area.

This is a long way around to say that in only very rare and extreme cases
can it be accurately predicted in infancy how a well a person with a
disability will be able to function, and that's what really bothers me about
the statement by the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the
actions at the University of Washington.  These instances are becoming even
more rare, as advances in early intervention techniques and assistive
technology make it possible for people who were previously thought to have
little or no potential for cognitive development to function much better.

Since it's extremely "close to home," the Washington issue bothers me more,
as Wyoming is in a cooperative relationship with the University of
Washington for medical education.  A friend just moved to Seattle this
summer to start medical school, and has a daughter with a significant
disability.  She's much too young (about 2) to know how her disabilities
will play out, but I'd hate to think that the "ethics" board would approach
them about making the same decision the parents in Seattle made for their
daughter.

Kendall

An unreasonable man (but my wife says that's redundant!)

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress
depends on the unreasonable man.

-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950

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