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HockeyMom

(14,337 posts)

29. High functioning

Wed Oct 29, 2014, 06:27 PM

Oct 2014

The majority of the American do not realize that there are varying ranges of Downs. I have worked with some in their 40s in Group Homes whose functioning were that of infants. Their now elderly parents could not care for them, and themselves. While in years past most did not live past their 40s, today they can live into old age. That means they could potentially outlive their parents. Who is going to care for these people? They become Wards of the State.

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'I wish I'd aborted the son I've spent 47 years caring for' [View all] KamaAina Oct 2014 OP

I would not judge someone who expressed frustration, yet whose record was 45 years of care.... hlthe2b Oct 2014 #1

+1000, those who do have not had to experience it I assume. nt Logical Oct 2014 #12

i feel really bad for this person's situation. she is frustrated and understandably locdlib Oct 2014 #19

Agreed. Never in a million years. hifiguy Oct 2014 #18

Wow! Egnever Oct 2014 #28

You are both very wise and very empathetic. Scuba Oct 2014 #55

that's a kind thing to say.. hlthe2b Oct 2014 #59

I don't understand your smiley notation jberryhill Oct 2014 #2

The smiley is how I feel KamaAina Oct 2014 #4

I don't think she is saying her son's life is without value jberryhill Oct 2014 #5

Are you anti-choice? nt. Mariana Oct 2014 #10

I am not KamaAina Oct 2014 #11

People have said it about their kids without disabilities gollygee Oct 2014 #20

She didn't say it because he has a disability n/t kcr Oct 2014 #23

She was obviously stressed out to the max, people say things in that state. LawDeeDah Oct 2014 #26

My own grandmother aborted a fourth child because her third child was so hard to take care of... VanillaRhapsody Oct 2014 #51

That's not what she said... Oktober Oct 2014 #16

No, it's how the Daily Fail is interpreting it KamaAina Oct 2014 #21

you seem particularly active these days Sheepshank Oct 2014 #32

I, too, see a killing, dying theme going on KamaAina Oct 2014 #36

Yeah, it's ugly. But so is the world we live in. nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #3

I wonder if she would feel differently if she had had more support at the beginning of his life. Brickbat Oct 2014 #6

^^^ THIS ^^^ KamaAina Oct 2014 #9

And more support now. Dont call me Shirley Oct 2014 #30

That poor parent, to feel such frustration in dealing with their child. uppityperson Oct 2014 #7

I really feel for this lady. calimary Oct 2014 #8

So true. And not only that but some people can deal with it better. People are different. nt Logical Oct 2014 #13

That's right. If you're not a patient person who's tolerant of individual differences, you'll fail Louisiana1976 Oct 2014 #37

That article is heartbreaking. So sad. Shrike47 Oct 2014 #14

That parent needs to get help dealing with the stress. Not dealing with the stresses of liberal_at_heart Oct 2014 #15

A 45 year old man with Downs is not going to behave much differently. This is Downs, not autism. djean111 Oct 2014 #22

I understand. Been there, done that. It's hard. Dont call me Shirley Oct 2014 #39

She has done so, per the article. Jim Lane Oct 2014 #57

That is a horrible thing to say, but no doubt she meant it. Rex Oct 2014 #17

I knew several people with Downs Jenoch Oct 2014 #24

The incident at Heathrow doesn't sound like any of the people with Down's I know KamaAina Oct 2014 #25

The girl I mentioned with Downs would have been Jenoch Oct 2014 #27

I had a friend in England who has a 20 YO son with Downs. djean111 Oct 2014 #31

there can be d_r Oct 2014 #43

High functioning HockeyMom Oct 2014 #29

Thank you. Implying that people who cannot manage to control their Downs children are just not djean111 Oct 2014 #33

You don't know how functioning the child will be. LisaL Oct 2014 #35

Steve, the man I was describing, Jenoch Oct 2014 #38

Older parents have his problem, I learned. I worked for a nonproft organization that served CTyankee Oct 2014 #49

was married to a speech therapist who worked at a sheltered workshop dembotoz Oct 2014 #34

Yeah, it sounds horrible, but Jamastiene Oct 2014 #40

Context is everything. kiva Oct 2014 #41

Neither. KamaAina Oct 2014 #42

But that is not what that mother is saying. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #44

The tests were not available 47 years ago KamaAina Oct 2014 #45

In her story, the tests were available, they just would not give her the test because she was djean111 Oct 2014 #46

I would not want to burden any of my family like that for 45 years. JEB Oct 2014 #47

+1 nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #56

this gal is very brave indeed Skittles Oct 2014 #48

something someone said in the comments really made me think: renate Oct 2014 #50

Why did the Daily Mail even publish this? Ken Burch Oct 2014 #52

The Daily Mail can be pretty crappy. Rex Oct 2014 #58

What makes the Mail's decision to run this column this even more sickening Ken Burch Oct 2014 #53

Babs enid602 Oct 2014 #54