Mental retardation is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and social skills, and any tpe of physical ability. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Children with mental or physical retardation may take longer to learn to speak, walk, and take care of their personal needs such as dressing or eating. They are likely to have trouble learning in school. They will learn, but it will take them longer.
As many as 3 out of every 100 people in the country have mental retardation (The Arc, 2001). Nearly 613,000 children ages 6 to 21 have some level of mental retardation and need special education in school (Twenty-fourth Annual Report to Congress, U.S. Department of Education, 2002).
Being mentally disabled can be very hard to cope with. There are several types of handicaps all over the United States. It can be very challenging for children or even adults with disabilities to go out into the community. It wasn’t until around 1970 that you heard of disabilities becoming part of our population. Why were they sheltered for so long? Our society never understood why children were being born with some type of physical or mental handicap. They didn’t know how to cope with it so they were put in an institution and kept a secret. Many families lived their lives as if they didn’t have children with handicaps or they would start a new.
There are many signs of mental retardation. For example, children with mental retardation may:
· sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children;
· learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking,
· find it hard to remember things,
· not understand how to pay for things,
· have trouble understanding social rules,
· have trouble seeing the consequences of their actions,
·.
Many of these children born with mental retardation or physical disabilities were not allowed into public facilities. There was an organization that started out with five children in a classroom at St. Mark’s Church to help educated these children. The organization was known as St. Mark’s Inc. out of Charlotte North Carolina. By the end of the year, their attendance more than doubled. St. Mark’s believed in making a difference for these children and their families. Now more than 30 years later, many organizations have formed in alliance to do the same deed as St. Mark’s. St. Mark’s has since changed their name to Lifespan, which has organizations in several locations.
ills that they deserve. Here are a few places in North Carolina that you can contact
Albemarle
LifeSpan Enrichment Albemarle
2000 West Main Street, Albemarle, NC 28001-5422 phone: 704-986-0820 fax: 704-986-0822 contact:Amy Hudson
Alexander Graham Middle School Bruns Avenue Elementary School David Cox Elementary School E. E. Waddell High School Merry Oaks Elementary School Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology Sedgefield Middle School Walter G. Byers Elementary School
LifeSpan Enrichment Kalynne Street
3127 Kalynne Street, Charlotte, NC 28208-3125 phone: 704-393-5916 fax: 704-393-5917 contact:Carolyn Graham
LifeSpan Enrichment Providence Road Elizabeth Lee Senior Center Providence United Methodist Church
2810 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211-2243 phone: 704-367-0499 fax: 704-367-0427 contact:Panchita Hutchinson
LifeSpan Enclave Greensboro
Automotive Fasteners
2111 South Elm Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27406-2800
High Point
LifeSpan Employment High Point LifeSpan Enrichment High Point
940 Beaumont Avenue, High Point, NC 27260-3412 phone: 336-883-0111 fax: 336-883-0031 contact:Patti Huggins
LifeSpan Employment Enclave High Point Harris Teeter 263 Eastchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262-7716
Huntersville
LifeSpan Education Services Huntersville phone: 704-333-7107 fax: 704-333-7734 contact:Angel Lee
LifeSpanEnrichment Mt. Airy
Jones Family Resource Center
215 Jones School Road, Mt. Airy, NC 27030-2456 phone: 336-786-7091 fax: 336-786-7962 contact:Marsha Shaw
Statesville
LifeSpanCircle School Statesville
302 W. Broad Street, Statesville, NC 28677-5260 phone: 704-872-8579 fax: 704-872-5272 contact:Mary Montgomery
