Reply to Coming to terms with an intellectual disability

Forum Index » Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities

Reply to "Coming to terms with an intellectual disability"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]OP - The previous poster is right on in the extra support you will most likely need to provide DS, but they are reaping the rewards of a young adult with a hs diploma and skills to have a job beyond minimum wage.  I will say that your attitude and outlook will impact DS whether you are aware or not so do get some counseling to help you work through the sense if loss, fear of the future etc.

Since you mention behaviors, I would ask if itbis due to lower expectations on behavior.  The best thing you can do is to have thesame expectations on behavior, manners , home tasks etc. for all your children.  Why -- because DS will have to make his way I the same world as his siblings.

Since we have three young adult daughters with a wide span of IQ and the youngest has a solid 55 IQ, I speak from experience.  We always had the same behavior and social skills expectations for all three.  While she was never on the diploma track, we found out her academic strengths and chose the program best suited to developing reading skills.

Today, she has held a part-time job for 12 years earning now $11.66/hr. three days a week during the college year. She has also learned volunteer skills in three different settings and volunteers weekly at the senior center one day. She takes piano lessons as a continuing "intellectual pursuit" as well as personal interest.  She reads for pleasure on grade level 3/4, but she could also skim this post and understand it skipping some words.

Hsving said that I can also say there are daily living tasks she needs to master as I let them slide.  There are also many skills beyond her cognitive range so she will always need some sort of direct support in her life.  Hearing test results the first time is upsetting and can lead to low expectations, but find a way to move beyond.  Enjoy DS dor who he is.  Also encourage activities outside of school to build confidence and a peer group such as through scouting, a sport - but not necessarily super competitive, skills as through programs rather than "therapies" if not needed. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics