Question: what's the current accepted term for the "mental retarded."

[Pab Sungenis]

I'm making fun of the Obama/Special Olympics flack in next week's "Queen Victoria," and not wanting to be offensive myself, I wanted to ask this question. And with the poutrage going on over the Special Olympics quote, I thought it might be a good time to ask the question.

What is the proper, descriptive, non-offensive, accepted term for what we used to call "the retarded" when I was growing up? The word has taken on some amazingly negative overtones over the years, and I'm sure there must be a better term that I'm not aware of.

This is a serious question, not aiming to start a flame war. What is the correct term to use to avoid causing unintended offense?

And if you're planning to post an offensive joke response, please piss off. Thank you.

[cwcwmack]

1. mmmm...

learning disabled?

[barbtries]

2. i think

developmentally disabled. special needs. ?

[napoleon_in_rags]

29. In many states, yes. It depends on the state.

Here in Washington its Developmentally Disabled (DD). In Michigan its Developmentally impaired, or mentally impaired (I can't remember, but it has impaired). Special needs refers to a broader class, that can hold people with mental, emotional, or physical disabilities, relative to a certain thing, like education. (a classroom for kids with special needs) its pretty broad.

The wording doesn't really matter, for DD people. They are pretty bad at picking up on language parsing and pretty good at picking up on hearts. I remember a girl who took care of a bunch of DD people who had a blog on their antics called TardBlog. It was really funny, and from reading it, I could see she was a good caregiver, she liked them. It was like having a blog about kids you were taking care of called "BratBlog". But people freaked out about it and got her fired, the kind of people who freak out about parsing language but would cross the street to avoid a DD person.

[appleannie1]

87. You hit it with your statement they are good at picking up hearts.

My son does not mind being called retarded but he can pick up a phony smile a mile away. And he instinctively knows who to strike up a conversation with in public and who to avoid. He has made many friends because of it. When we go to the race track to watch his brother's team race, people I don't know come up to him and call him by name because they remember him from passed years.

[napoleon_in_rags]

95. Its a great trait, picking up hearts.

I work with DD people on a daily basis, so my comment comes from experience. Its a huge gift what they bring to us in that... Some people think of it like an illness or something gone wrong, but I am convinced nature intended them to be with us as they are, they are an important part of the mix in that the bring us back to what's real, what's important. Really a blessing in disguise many times.

[tangent90]

3. I'm about ready to go back to the original

"IDIOT"

And watch: it will be about 34 seconds until someone will flame for that right between times they call various republicans the same thing.

[tekisui]

38. You want to call people with developmental disabilities idiots?

And, think that because we call repukes idiots, it's justified?:eyes:

[CreekDog]

52. yeah just like Faulkner did!

:eyes:

[tekisui]

54. Word usage changes over time.

Labels that were once innocuous become offensive. "Idiot" for a person with disabilities is an example.

[panader0]

4. No matter what you say, someone here will be outraged.

[jwirr]

18. The point is does the label demean the person? Idiot definitely does

and I do not think that label was ever really used by anyone other than those who hated them.

[tangent90]

27. Well, what you think bears no similarity to fact.

What a shame.

[mitchum]

47. Actually, "idiot","moron", and "imbecile" were classifications used by the scientific community

[Posteritatis]

64. Yep.. some terminologies from the thirties and before are kind of shocking (nt)

[Occam Bandage]

93. Well, they were appropriate and objective words at the time.

Heck, the word "moron" did not even exist before 1910, and it wasn't until 1922 that the first recorded use of the word as an insult appeared.

[Posteritatis]

94. Oh, definitely; I meant shocking in a modern context (nt)

[wtbymark]

5. I believe 'mentally handicapped'

but hell, who knows what, if anything, is politically correct anymore.

[cali]

6. developmentally disabled, mentally disabled

[msongs]

7. "developmentally delayed" is very popular in the trade nt

[SheilaT]

8. I'm not sure about mental retardation,

but those with Asperger's Syndrome (my oldest has it) call the rest of us Neurotypical. And they do think we're strange.

[Taverner]

9. I always used "slow"

But I understand that is subjective to an nth degree

[originalpckelly]

17. Retarded actually means slow.

I remember the first time I heard it as a kid in music class, I about died in laughed being a stupid kid who didn't understand tolerance as much.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+retard&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

[Taverner]

31. Retardando!

Music for SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!

[lob1]

10. Republican.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. ROTFLMAO!!!

[demmiblue]

21. Lol... that is just too funny!

:eyes:

Grow up.

[lob1]

44. BrklynLiberal was responding to my answer, #10,

and he/she was not making fun of the original post. No harm meant.

[BrklynLiberal]

68. TYVM for watching my back.

:thumbsup:

[lob1]

72. Any time.

[mecherosegarden]

49. LOL!

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Deja Q]

89. See #88

[WillyT]

92. LOL !!!

:applause::rofl::applause:

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[jwirr]

11. As far as I know it is developmentally disabled. This argument over

semantics although justified has always made me a little angry because it detracts from some real issues such as financing for the programs that we need. However, I think the change came when ordinary people started using the word retard. It was always used to demean people so the wording had to change. I remember changing the ARC from the Association of Retarded Citizens to just plain ARC. That was in the late 50s.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. Developmentally challenged

[lightningandsnow]

14. Person with an intellectual/developmental disability.

Developmental disabilities can also refer to things like autism or similar conditions which don't necessarily cause a low IQ. Intellectual disability specifically refers to having a significantly below-average IQ.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

41. wtf? huh, posted as it was deleted. Thanks mods.

[Demeter]

16. Differently Abled Is a Possibility

My daughter doesn't fit into any of the neatly labeled boxes, and her ability varies greatly from day to day; she is not neurotypical, she will never be able to live completely independently, but she's not a vegetable by any means.

She's an education, though, for everyone who meets her. And capable of great love and feeling and expression.

[maddezmom]

20. I like that, my son is Autistic

and you decribed his situation to a tee. :hug:

[Demeter]

22. My Daughter Is Also on the Spectrum

although she has motor and health issues, too.

[maddezmom]

28. my son is very healthy

but also motor and sensory issues but just like me and most anyone else he has good days and bad days. :)

[fascisthunter]

19. I Thought about This Sometime Ago...

and will admit to using the term retarded in numerous manners, unrelated to people but instead things. And yes, I've also called some individuals "retarded" as well. After thinking about it, I imagined myself being in the presence of a parent who had a child that was retarded, and asked myself if I would have used that word in front of that parent. Well, as you might have guessed, I couldn't, so yes it is wrong, and I know it's wrong, even if I didn't mean to insult the mother or her child.

Now what would be the proper term? I'll let someone who is a parent of a child that is retarded comment. I will wait and see what is said. I think you ask a good question.

[pengillian101]

51. Why label a person with a proper term?

"Now what would be the proper term?"

Labeling folks doesn't help anything.

[fascisthunter]

55. oh brother

[pengillian101]

56. Oh sister.

Helpful exchange.

[fascisthunter]

90. Here... let me help you then

instead of the actual quote, "accepted term" which is in the OP, I erroneously used "proper term". My post wasn't about labeling... or which "label" to use. It's about consideration and what possible description or term parents who have children with mental challenges prefer. My use of the word "proper" was wrong.

[unapatriciated]

80. agree my son has physical disabilities due to illness....

but his "label" is Michael.

[mitchum]

86. Actually, "labeling folks" with a proper term is necessary in order to...

access services available to those individuals

[49jim]

23. In New York State there are

13 categories that are used (specific disabilities) to identify a child. Typically, special needs is used as a general term. More specific terms are used once a child is identified with a variety of tests. Those terms would be, Mental Retardation, Hearing Impaired, Speech/Language Impairment, Emotionally Disturbed, Orthopedic Impairment, Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Other Health Impaired(includes ADD), Learning disabled, Visual Impairment, Multiple Handicapped (more than one of these conditions) Deafness and Deaf/Blindness.
These are terms we used in conjunction with the Committee for Education in my building. (retired elementary principal)

l












l

[Demeter]

24. Just Please, Don't Use "Special"

Or I may have to kill you myself.

[Caliman73]

25. The clinical term is still "mental retardation". The blanket term is developmentally disabled

I work with adults through the Regional Center system in California. The term blanket term is Developmental Disability, but that encompasses 5 categories. Mental Retardation, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Other Categories related to mental retardation. We still use "mentally retarded" to describe our clients with IQ scores below 75. Learning disabled is too broad. People with Dyslexia, or other focused deficits are also "learning disabled".

The word has taken negative undertones because people have a need to feel superior by putting other people down. The terms "moron", "imbecile", and "idiot" were also clinical terms until they were so corrupted that they were taken out of use and became insults.

I suppose the "retarded" will share the same fate, but currently there is not other term that is being used to replace it.

[CBGLuthier]

26. The term is Mentally Retarded

Sometimes abbreviated MR.

There is nothing wrong with that terminology.

What is wrong, is calling someone a "retard". Asking someone who does something you consider unintelligent if they are "retarded". Or any other obviously joking references.

But describing a person as mentally retarded, who meets that definition is an accurate and acceptable term no matter what all the hand wringing whiners say.

[omega minimo]

33. What's the current accepted term for "hand wringing whiners"?

You are correct and aptly point out the different use of the term and derivatives with or without respect. (Which is all "PC" is: respect)

And then you CLOSE WITH AN INSULT.

Nicely done.
:sarcasm:

:toast:

[Lorien]

85. That was used by psychologists in the 80's

when my father was still in practice. Didn't know that anything had changed since then. The phrase is either "Mentally retarded" or "mental retardation"; "mental retarded" is incorrect no matter what other position anyone has on the topic.

[LostInAnomie]

30. It doesn't really matter, honestly.

The context and meaning of any politically correct term is always so fluid that someone is bound to be offended no matter what you say.

I've always found that (in actual speech at least) unless you are using a blatantly offensive term, if it is clear that your intention is not to offend most people will accept any term.

[Taverner]

32. Although if you specify the exact malady, you get a pass for some reason

As if we are all expected to know every malady, and who has it

[The empressof all]

34. A Person

Honestly we don't call someone with cancer A Cancer. We don't call Michael J Fox a Parkinsons. Yet individuals with brain or learning challenges are labeled in such a way that they "become" their disease or condition. It's easy to say John is Schizophrenic, or Mary is Epileptic. I don't know how that turn in our language came to be but I do know it bothers many who suffer from such afflictions or challenges.

A person who has a low IQ that falls below certain levels usually is determined to have a developmental disability. Yet, not all individuals with developmental disabilities have low IQ's. It's not really that easy to pigeon hole people into certain labels. In some states individuals with epilepsy are automatically categorized as being developmentally disabled regardless of what caused their condition. I think it's just odd that we label each other in this manner.

[lightningandsnow]

37. I wish I could reccomend replies.

[pengillian101]

57. I think it's just odd that we label each other in this manner.

Thank you.

You phrased it best.

[Oak2004]

66. Hey, I'm "arthritic"

and I have no problem being "arthritic" or "asthmatic" or "dyspraxic" or for that matter a "twisted sister" (waving to the few who know what that means :)). Being disabled is a part of who one is. My disabilities affect every part of my life, in fact they do so more than a lot of things that are commonly seen as "is" items. For example I am a baseball fan, but knowing that I have widespread joint pain and use a foot propelled wheelchair tells you a whole lot more about me (it's a very safe bet I'm not an active skydiver, for example ;) ).

As if the above wasn't enough to make clear your original premise isn't correct that only mental conditions are spoken of as being who someone is: Like many of you I am nearsighted. And given my age, I am definitely presbyopic and in need of a new pair of bifocals. When I was in grade school, though my corrected sight is normal, because of the orthopedic crap I wore I was seated in the front of the classroom at a special table just like the kids in the class who were blind. But I didn't study with the kids who were Deaf, because they had separate classrooms where the lesson was taught in ASL. The other day I was in a friendly argument with my neighbor over whether we are crips or gimps.

All of the above is "is" language, none of it has to do with cognitive disabilities.

My disabilities are, by the way, not "afflictions" or "challenges". They are physical and cognitive attributes of who I am, a component part of me like eye color and personality type. Calling them "afflictions" or "challenges" is usually not liked by disabled people, just as the phrase "confined to a wheelchair" is neither true (The chair lets us move. Not having a chair would confine us.), nor liked. All language of that sort makes disabled peoples' lives sound tragic and pitiful, and pity is out and out offensive. When you pity someone, you're not seeing them as a full human being. To quote a fine disability rights slogan, "piss on pity."

For similar reasons the whole "people first" language argument is popular among non-disabled people, but aside from isolated individuals, is not liked by disabled people. It separates a big part of who we are and treats it as if it is, well, shameful. It's the verbal equivalent of hiding the disabled kid so that no one has to look at him or her. On top of it all, it makes for awkward grammer.

I don't like "people first" at all, but I don't usually see so much as an insult as someone who has picked up some bad ideas somewhere. However in some corners of the disability world, such as much of the autistic community, "People first" language is considered extremely patronizing and offensive.

But ultimately it's the attitude, not the language, that matters. Pitying or patronizing attitudes suck. Disdainful attitudes suck. And fearful or disgusted attitudes suck. Language that expresses or tries to conceal those attitudes suck. Language that isn't being used to that end, unless it is language (like "retard") that is hopelessly contaminated, is fine.

[Iggo]

70. Dayum.

:toast:

[terisan]

35. Developmentally Disabled is used. Try wikipedia for subsets and uses in other countries.

Mental retardation or cognitive disability or intellectual disability is used in different countries.

There are specific definitions of many categories of atypical development. For example, Down Syndrome is a type of developmental disability. A person with Down syndrome may be more likely to be mentally retarded than the typical person.


Developmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical or combination of mental and physical impairments, manifested prior to age twenty-two. The term is used most commonly in the United States to refer to disabilities affecting daily functioning in three or more of the following areas:
capacity for independent living
economic self-sufficiency
learning
mobility
receptive and expressive language
self-care
self-direction
The term first appeared in U.S. law in 1970, when Congress used the term to describe the population of individuals who had historically been placed in state institutions, in its effort to improve conditions in these dehumanizing facilities (P.L. 91-517, “The Developmental Disabilities Services and Facilities Construction Act of 1970”). The law has since been amended many times, and now calls for the full community inclusion and self-determination of people with developmental disabilities (P.L. 106-402).
Frequently, people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, various genetic and chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are described as having developmental disabilities. This use of the term is synonymous with the use of the term learning disability in the United Kingdom, and intellectual disability in Australia, Europe, Canada and elsewhere. Cognitive disability is also used synonymously in some jurisdictions.
Developmental disabilities are usually classified as severe, profound, moderate or mild, as assessed by the individual's need for supports, which may be lifelong.

[Fire1]

36. Cognitively challenged?

[tekisui]

39. Here's my rule of thumb.

It is better to not identify them by their affliction. They are people first, just like everyone else.

I know a person with a developmental disability. I have a friend with autism. Think of it as a person with an affliction.

[Posteritatis]

65. I heard an interesting take on this

Was reading something about the stigmatization of mental illness a couple of years ago, and one of the books I was referencing - pity it was that one, since it was kind of mediocre at best otherwise - said something to the effect of "we don't call people with cancer 'the cancerous,' do we? So why do we have 'the mentally ill' or 'the intellectually disabled'?"

[madrchsod]

40. "clients" is what my wife is supposed to say where she works

where i live we used to have the "dixon state school for the mentally retarded". in the 80`s half the population were dumped on the streets of chicago and others were turned over to the company my wife works for. their living conditions are far superior now than when they were under the state of illinois care.

[Stargazer09]

42. I always say "special needs"

When I refer to my son, who may or may not be mentally challenged (the jury is still out, he's only five).

It helps people understand that he's not quite "normal," while avoiding labeling him in a negative way.

[TheCowsCameHome]

43. "Conservative"

[Deja Q]

88. You know, when I first read the OP yesterday, I wanted to make a comedic comment. I did not.

Yours, and any other such response, were requested by the OP not to be made.

[mitchum]

45. An individual with an intellectual disability

[RayOfHope]

48. Yep. Special ed teacher here, its "intellectual disability" n/t

[mitchum]

50. A fellow one here...

(I'm much nicer in real life :)) and that is the term we use here

[KamaAina]

53. Correct. Indeed, an organization that once used MR in its name changed it

under pressure from self-advocates, who distributed fliers at a national conference, then started a chant of "Change the name! Change the name!"

AAMR is now AAIDD, the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/11-27-2006/0004480411&EDATE=MON+Nov+27+2006,+10:00+AM

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association on Mental
Retardation (AAMR), a 130-year-old association representing developmental
disability professionals worldwide, has changed its name to the American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD),
establishing a new standard in disability terminology and making way for a
more socially acceptable way of addressing people with intellectual
disabilities. The AAIDD is arguably best-known for officially defining the
condition of mental retardation for the world, and its successful advocacy
in abolishing the death penalty for victims with this condition in the
United States. The name change will take effect January 1, 2007.

"This new name is an idea whose time has come," says Doreen Croser,
Executive Director of AAIDD. "Individuals with disabilities and family
members do not like the term 'mental retardation' and their advocacy is
encouraging political and social change at national, state, and local
levels. Our members demanded that we keep up with times and they voted for
this name change." AAIDD members consist of faculty members, researchers,
and service professionals working with people with intellectual
disabilities in settings such as group homes, institutions, schools,
hospitals, private clinics, colleges, and university centers.

The name of the AAIDD has been an ongoing source of contention in the
disability community. While it is widely perceived that mental retardation
(MR) is a condition that exists, it was also recognized that the term is
prone to abuse, misinterpretation, and has devolved into an insult,
especially for people with disabilities and family members. Further, the
name AAMR was perceived as not in keeping with the progressive orientation
of the information, products, and services offered by the Association.

The applause from the community of people with disability was unanimous
once the name change was announced. "In taking 'MR' out of your name,
you've set a precedent for it to be taken out of the classrooms, the
doctors' offices, personal case records, and eventually out of the
vocabulary of people walking down the street," says Amy Walker of Illinois
Voices, a group working on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities.

[cali]

46. I want to suggest something: A person isn't simply mentally challenged

or mentally retarded or mentally disabled. He or she is someone with mental retardation or with a mental disability. This may sound like nitpicking but it's a way of not saying that the person is merely their condition.

[SidDithers]

79. I agree...

my wife worked in social services for many years, and to them it was very important to put the person first. When describing her job, she would always say that she worked with "adults with intellectual handicaps", rather than "intellectually disabled people".

I was going to post this point in this thread, but I'm glad you had already done so.

Sid

[LostinVA]

58. I haven't seen any "poutrage" about this

[LWolf]

59. If you don't want to be offensive,

why not just choose to NOT make fun?

That is, if by "making fun," you mean putting something or someone down in some way.

Disclaimer: I didn't hear or read, and am not interested in, Obama's comment. As a matter of fact, outside of thread titles, I've managed to avoid the topic at DU up until this point. :wow:

You could refer to it as a cognitive disability, or a developmental disability.

[pengillian101]

61. Why ignore this?

Disclaimer: I didn't hear or read, and am not interested in, Obama's comment. As a matter of fact, outside of thread titles, I've managed to avoid the topic at DU up until this point.

[LWolf]

75. It's not ignoring, exactly;

I'm aware that he said something to ruffle feathers.

The world of politics revolves around hyperbole, propaganda, and skillfully calculated, and manipulated, waves of outrage, attack, and defense.

Meanwhile, my family is sinking financially, my profession is under further attack by the Obama administration, we are still mired in the bogus war on terror, and universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care is still just a dream; one that probably won't be realized in my lifetime.


Why the FUCK should I dive in to wallow around in something like that while more substantive issues get shallow, two-dimensional attention?

[specimenfred1984]

60. "Insane in the Membrane" but you have to use the correct hand gestures

and grab your crotch while singing it.

[Posteritatis]

62. I see "intellectual disability" a lot...

Both in educational circles and in the local news and the like.

When possible I prefer to use the specific problem instead of the broad-brush stuff though, if just to use a slightly more polite brush. (Same way with mental illness; I'm more comfortable saying "so and so has bipolar disorder" than "so and so is mentally ill.")

I find more awkward workarounds like "differently abled" to be differently abled.

[donheld]

63. Rush Limbaugh

[Oak2004]

67. 'cept the DD people I know (aside from the occasional teen aspie into Ayn Rand) lean left

Most are Democrats. Some are out and out socialist. One I know is a recovering Marxist (ex- ISO of all things, but still well left of center).

Based on what I've seen, I'd very much rather have the voters be retarded than that voters be Rush Limbaugh.

[leftstreet]

69. Why are we labeling them at all?

There's something creepy about it.

Why can't we just say

"the guy at the grocery store"

instead of:

"the (black/gay/hispanic/asian/disabled/etc.) guy at the grocery store"

:shrug:

[Onceuponalife]

71. Oh man George Carlin would have a field day

in this thread.

[Eurobabe]

73. my daughter is an art therapist, and the use mental retardation

in their clinical notes, being mild, moderate and severe. So who the F knows?

developmentally delayed is something else I believe. Someone can be DD without being MR.

[LiberalPersona]

74. According to wikipedia

Developmental disability or intellectual disability.

[dem629]

76. If by "making fun of" you mean "satire" and/or "humor" attempts....

give it up. If you're already searching for the politically correct way to say something, you're not going to be funny.

Good luck.

[lumberjack_jeff]

77. As a clinical term, doctors use that to describe a patient with an IQ below 75

The overall preferred term is "people with developmental disabilities". Not developmentally disabled people. But that also describes people without cognitive impairment (such as people with high function autism and asbergers)

"People with an intellectual disability" probably captures who you are looking to collectively describe.

How you use this in a work of satire, I can't help you with, and suspect I don't want to read.

[malaise]

78. Bush

that is all

[L0oniX]

81. Political correctness is still running wild.

[No.23]

82. Speaking as a parent.

I'd like to offer my two cents as a parent, and not as a practicing clinician on this topic. For parents are often asked by their children to explain the differences that they see in other people.

One of the core premises that I use in talking about other people with my daughter is... we all possess gifts. Some people share the same gifts that we have, and some people don't.

When we run into people who don't share the same gifts that we have, I try to remind my daughter that they are otherly-gifted than we are.

They may not have the same, obvious gifts that we do. But they are, nonetheless, still otherly-gifted.

This has often translated into my daughter looking for their less-obvious other gifts.

Some of the gifts that she has found include: they don't practice mean-spiritedness; their actions and words are transparent and void of manipulation; and, they don't hurt other people.

As a parent, how we explain the differences that our children see in other people... has a significant affect on how they will treat them as adults.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[aikoaiko]

84. FWIW, the journal Mental Retardation changed its name to Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

That covers most situations.

[Critters2]

91. I have some parishioners who live in a sheltered group home and

work in a sheltered workshop. Staff who work with them use the term "developmentally delayed". So, I do, too.