Paleo, I sent a friend request on IJ. Same username. I have plenty of issues but not nearly enough to qualify me as Atwat. 

I feel more comfortable with my clients than I ever have with my peers. I don't really like people in general, but I can be myself around my clients. My social awkwardness and general weirdness help me understand their perspective. My odd way of thinking leads me to outside-the-box solutions to their needs where conventional thought has failed.

It's other peoples' bullshit that make my clients' lives difficult. Rarely does anyone address my guy with CP as a rational adult. One time at Mcdonald's, the manager told me it was ok for him to go into the playland area to watch the kids. Hello?! He is a 26 year-old man...watching other people's kids play is not amusing to him. He is neither an imbecile nor a pervert. Would you just randomly tell an adult man it is ok to go watch the kids play? It's absurd. There was no reason to assume he had any such desire.

I'm far from neuro-typical myself.

I'd personally like to smack anyone who thinks a person with a developmental disorder is anything more or less than a person.

My present client has cerebral palsy. He has almost no control over his body and cannot even talk, but he is college educated, kind and a total smart ass. He is also a fervent activist for the rights of the disabled and I have seen him attack assholes with his wheelchair, pinning them into walls. I'm sure he'd love to hear how easy his life is.

I know I'm a bit late to the subject but I wanted to pop in about the children with disabilities conversation.

I assist adults with mental retardation and/or developmental delays. I love my job. My guys live in a duplex and I come in for 10-12 hour shifts and help them with whatever they need. I have worked with people with violent behavioral issues, severe autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions. We work to help them find purpose in life and pursue it.

I worked with a guy with autism. He didn't speak and was very easily overwhelmed by other people. We discovered that he loved crushing aluminum cans and sort of helped him start his own business. We got containers and started collecting aluminum cans at our homes. He'd come over to our houses to pick up the cans, take them home, crush them and recycle them for a small amount of money. It was never a lot but it was a real job that he enjoyed and contributed to society.

I'm rambling. I just want to reassure you that there are caring people out there who will enjoy working with your child when they grow up. They will help them and they can have a full and meaningful adult life.

Back to lurking....