In response to:
This is really heart breaking because, it was not all that many years ago that if an adult had the comprehension ability of say a 4 year old, in many situations that "individual" would be treated in many ways, as you would a 4 year old child. And ALL OF THOSE caring for them would be reminded of their comprehension abilities.
Maybe that was not 100% wrong thing to do after all.
Nearly every evening, they are there at their neighborhood pool—a father and his nine-year-old son, Michael. The boy’s smile captures attention instantly. You can’t help but be drawn to watch the two of them as they paddle around, dive for rings, and play “Marco Polo.” Michael stands out from the other children in the pool for one reason: He has Down Syndrome.
We’ve become a culture both welcoming and deadly to people with disabilities. On the one hand, the law requires that they have special access to buildings, and employment opportunities, and children with disabilities are mainstreamed in our schools....
Navy_retiree 2001