Reply #179: That's OK, cause likely no one cares about helping the boy's parents... [View All]

[colinmom71]

Either. And it has nothing to do with sexism.

But yeah, in a way, it *IS* 1955 all over again. Except that parents today no longer have the option of institutionalizing their kids without losing custodial care, thanks to the late 1980's "de-institutionalizing" efforts "for" parents of disabled kids (which was really just a Republican afront on social program spending with little forethought into the long-range consequences upon state actions a decade later).

Taking care of a child/adolescent with severely impairing disabilities is full-time and exhausting work. And our public moneys for aiding parents with such a crises in their lives have been slashed by our "compassionate conservative" Republican buddies for the last decade or so... I'd be willing to bet the mother of this boy has been "running on fumes" for ages, since getting skilled respite care for developmentally disabled children is damn near impossible these days. Priority goes to kids with trachs and other medical disorders requiring full nursing care, then everyone else has to wait it out on a list. And almost all other parents of kids with cognitive disorders/disabilities are left in the cold insofar as receiving health aid and support.

I'm willing to bet the parent(s) of this boy are torn up about their son's actions, but without help and support, what can they do? Even the strongest of persons has a breaking point and speaking only for myself, after more than 10 years of raising and caring for a child with far more serious impairments than this boy in question, I can only offer compassion for his parents in knowing (somewhat) where they are mentally and emotionally, and knowing that there are few choices for them in promoting a better life for their vulnerable child (who will forever be a child albeit in a grown-up body in a few years)...

For just a small taste of what raising a child with cognitive impairments is like, please read the following... http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/01/05/kelsos/index.html Keep in mind, this only a short taste of what this parent's life is like. And she actually had helpful and understanding neighbors to help her out!