Have you ever worked with mentally challenged children?

at camp.. we had this oppurtunity to be "buddies" with high school students who had some conditions (retardation, autism, etc) and i think.. no one signed up for that. personally, i just cant handle that kind of stuff. but why are ppl so afraid, or .. weirded out to be with them? and i thought about it a second time.. maybe it would be a new experience for me. how is it like?

My brother is mentally and physically handicapped. He is 22 but acts much younger and I myself am 13. He doesn't understand everything in the world but I love him to death! Some people just assume that if someone acts or thinks different, they are like defects that they shouldn't have contact with. Some people think they will "catch" whatever it is. I say you should DEFINITELY sign up if you ever can. It's fun to hang out with kids who have different abillities and disabilities. And when you make them smile or laugh, it's priceless. Make them feel not so rejected by society. Get to know them, I have met so many handicapped kids who are so much fun to be around. Don't be turned off by odd sounds or actions they might make. In their case it's normal and most of the time they mean no harm and don't want to scare you. Many of them will remember you if you ever see them again in the future, all they want is to be cared about. And with a little help from you they can acheive ANYTHING.

People fear what they don't understand. Education is always the answer.

I am a teacher, and we now have inclusion in our classrooms in Florida, meaning ALL children, no matter how smart, challenged, or whatever end up in the same class. I didn't major in special education and I was worried how I would handle severly retarded children and such. I have found it really enriched my life. They teach me more about life sometimes than I teach them, I think. Yes, I understand being "weirded " out, but just talk to them, and take cues from how they are acting and how the adults interact with them. I have a personal child with mild autism at home, and it hurts me to know that one day he may have difficulty coping with high school. Hopefully he ends up with a buddy willing to understand he is really just a person. GOOD LUCK, you can do this!!!!

At first it is really hard to adjust.. but it is really rewarding, because some of the conditions make them act like little lost children trapped in adult bodies. Giving an hour to them, an hour of friendship.. may be the only friendship these kids know. Just because they are different doesn't mean that you can not enjoy them for what they are. Try it out.. and see.. it's so hard to describe what it is like to know that you have everything in the world, and these guys have so little, yet they are happy....

I think it's heartbreaking, seeing how a human body could be so mutilated. Also, I don't have the patience to try and understand their speech. When my Grandma had brain cancer, I couldn't help but hold back the tears. One time she said, "The candy bar bus is coming tomorrow." I asked my mom what to say and my mom told me to ask what flavor it was. I did, and she said, "We won't know until it gets here." Some people, like my mom, are better at talking to those kinds of people than others. I don't know if you are, but I would definately give it a try. I hope that helps.

I have worked in a home and cared for mentally handicapped people. Its very stressful I'll admit. I took care of mainly 6 patients and 1 was a boy My own age, I had the hardest time caring for him because he was my age and its very challenging! Some people make fun of them and they are just normal people, most of which are in that situation by no control of their own. you need to learn to be sympathetic YET respectful to people like this! If no one wanted to do it, its because they are not mature enough to handle it! If you think you are up for it its a rewarding situation and you may love it.

Yes, I was a foster mom and had several children with special needs. They are so dear.Some have real issues that can be challenging. If you are skeptic don't try it. It can be a frightening experience.

I have an 11 year old daughter and she is autistic. She is nonverbal and we are just now working very well with potty training. Mentally, she is 2 years old. She and my 2 year old son are my life. (My son has no mental disability).

A lot of people can't handle what they don't understand. The way I like to think about it is that my daughter may not be normal but neither am I.

Working with a child with a mental and/or physical disability is the hardest job you will EVER LOVE.

I've never really been around kids with disabilities like this, but my mom is disabled. She's not really any different than anyone else. She craves the same things we all do, love, affection, devotion, friends, family. Unfortunately there are people out there who feel that people with disabilities aren't really people at all. Some people are cruel to them and treat them like they aren't even human. But mostly this is out of fear, I think. People are afraid of things they don't understand.

I think you should go for it. There's nothing to be afraid of, honestly. All they want is to be treated like a regular kid. It would definitely be beneficial to the person you;d be buddies with, but it could also be beneficial for you. sometimes people with disabilities like these can see the world in a way that most other people can't, you might just learn something from them while they're learning from you.
Whatever you decide to do, have fun with it :)

There was an article in People Magazine a couple of months ago about a similar program. Students were linked with other students with autism and acted as a mentor.
The girl, 15, mentored a boy with autism, 13. She did it for an "easy A" but found that she learned as much from the boy as he learned from her. She helped him focus in class, socialize with other children, and build social skills and he taught her about humanity.
I'm searching for the full article, but I can only find some summaries.

Maggie, I can tell you firsthand there is nothing as rewarding as loving and caring for mentally challenging children or adults. Although my experience is mostly with the young, I know why they call them special. They can love unconditionally, and are friendly most of the time. They can teach you to live, every moment is special for them. Some of these children tend to flip out at times, but I can see some things may be frustrating for them. They most of all need Love and Stability. There are group homes sponsored by the governmment,I believe they are the best. They have 4 children per house and three adult caregivers. The problem I have is with the government shutting these homes down for misallocating funds, and in such a way as to tramatize these children. The accountant should spend years in jail, if it was up to me I'd give him the death penalty, for taking from these children loving and caring homes.
Why punish the kids? Why not have government accountants in
these group homes? One accountant screws up and and the children and staff pay, so do their parents. This happened in a town in Pitttsburgh Pennsylvania. I personally spent every holiday with them after they had dinner at the home with their families. I can't get over the cruelty shown here. I don't think I ever will. My tears will forever flow for these children that the world deems a nuisance and threat, but I will always love them, and keep them in my prayers always. Maggie if you still have the chance take it, I know it will be one of the the best learning experiences of your life. *Joan

i am mentally challenged...well kinda...i have a learning disability and ADHD...

Its wonderful...its really sad to see many teenagers spendign time on the superficial things in life(i aint talking about u,i SHUDNT judge anyone whom i dont know)....at times u feel so sad andu can litereally feel the agony....and at times u feeel so lucky that ur perfect or atleast normal...it gets irritating for su idiots ......people think its waste of time or that they r freaks of nature...they dont realise is that these poor children are sufferinf for no fault of theirs and r deprived of soo much in their lives...u shud giveit a shot if u have the heart for it

Yes it is a wonderful experience and feeling when you know that in one way or another you have and can make any disabled/ mentally or physically person. I am disabled myself (physically) and knowing that a few years ago i took my disability to work and knew what it was like to the others helped me reallies that they are no different than you or I. I love working with anyone that has a disability and helping them gives me the high I love to feel.