Developmental Disabilities in the 1800's

At the beginning of the 1800's, science began attempting to replace religion. Society was encouraged to view the world scientifically, and communities began to hospitalize and medically treat the intellectually and developmentally disabled. The early medical practices towards the disabled were by no means satisfactory and led to several new humiliating experiments and malpractices. Although flawed, this was the first step towards change and a view that developmental disabilities could potentially be a manageable disease rather than a sin.

Developmental disabilities were less looked at as a sin, yet it was still considered to be genetic. Standard thought of the period viewed disabilities as the root of almost all social evils, including alcoholism, prostitution, poverty and violent crimes. For this reason, disabled people, especially those labeled as mentally retarded were sterilized, usually forcefully, in an attempt to control the spreading of disabilities from one generation to the next.

The modern book of the time, called "The Almosts: the Study of the Feeble-Minded," referred to disabled individuals as "almost human." In spite of this disgraceful term, the book was instrumental in understanding the condition of the developmentally disabled and trying to provide them with medical treatment. Mental hospitals, also then referred to as "Institutions for Idiots," were established throughout the United States; one of the first being in Massachusetts in the year 1848. Unlike earlier institutes, where the disabled were humiliated and mocked, the hospitals in the early and mid-1800's showcased empathy and respect towards the developmentally disabled and mentally retarded patients. It was believed that with the correct approach, disabled people could be trained to take care of themselves and that their disabilities could be managed considerably. For the first time in 1878, Down's Syndrome was recognized and treated as a separate disability. Studied by Dr. John Langdon Down at the Royal Asylum for Idiots in England, he termed people afflicted by Down's Syndrome as "Mongoloid Idiots" or "Mongols". A hospital for epilepsy was created in Ohio in 1878 and the "State Asylum for Unteachable Idiots" was created in New York in the same year. It is evident that terms such as "feeble-minded", "idiots" and "unteachable idiots" was commonly used to refer to developmentally and intellectually disabled individuals.

While the 1800's started out as a promising time for the disabled, the treatment and care at hospitals and institutes rapidly degraded and worsened. As an attempt to study severe developmental disabilities were made, the optimism that disabled people could be treated and cured waned. By the late 1800's, it was widely believed that no proper treatment existed for the disabled and such people were again subjected to ridicule and abuse. Institutes turned into asylums for the mentally retarded; the only place they could find shelter in but also a place where they were mistreated and humiliated. Often the disabled were chained to their beds all day in these asylums and any medical treatment they were initially provided, was soon given up on.

 

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The Rise of Medication for Treatment of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The treatment of intellectual and developmental disabilities has a long history that is glaringly characterized by abuse, torture and malpractices. In the ancient era, the developmentally disabled were simply left to die. Caging them, isolating them and abandoning them were common practices since it was widely believed that there was no treatment for such individuals. Later, the concept of institutionalization and hospitalization came about but there was little change in the way people mistreated the developmentally disabled and were repulsed by them. For a long time trepanation and blood letting were considered effective treatments, but patients undergoing such treatments often died. It wasn't until the 1900's that the world was truly exposed to the plight of the disabled and attempted to better their situation. The scientific and medical community spent more time and money researching developmental disabilities, and this was especially noticeable after the Civil Right Movement and the Disability Rights Movement during the 1950's. Psychotropic Medication for Developmental Disabilities is a concept that was deeply researched after the mid- 1900's and today is perhaps the most widely accepted and effective method for treating a wide range of developmental and intellectual disabilities.

The 1950's are considered the decade of development of antipsychotics. The 1960's were the decade of the antidepressants while the 19070's was the decade of anxiolytics, used for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Mood Stabilizers and Stimulants were successfully created to address a wide range of disabilities including bipolar disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia and narcolepsy. Psychedelics and hypnotics refer to a group of medical drugs that had strong effects on the patient and are consumed only under strict medical supervision. Today, the medical community is researching and working towards a new kind of psychotropic medication; commonly referred to as "second generation" drugs. These drugs are developed to treat specific types of illnesses. Modern Science and technology has allowed scientists to create "second generation" drugs that are much more effective and have fewer side effects than the ones that were earlier administered to the developmentally disabled.

The hard truth remains that even the most advanced drugs and medication cannot completely cure developmental and intellectual disabilities. Psychotropic drugs are administered for two reasons: either to better a medical condition or to prevent it from getting worse. They cannot be expected to cure a severe developmental disability or illness, but it must be remembered that this is still a giant leap from the medical treatments that were being practiced only a few decades ago. Science has been progressing at a fascinating rate, and maybe sometime soon an accurate and effective treatment for severe and sometimes debilitating developmental disabilities will be created.



 

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The Present: Better Times for the Developmentally and Intellectually Disabled

The lives and times of developmentally disabled people began to change for the better during the Civil Rights Movement in 1960. What started off as protests by groups of headstrong and determined individuals, demanding rights for themselves and for others eventually turned to be the ultimate turning point in the long history of torture and ill-treatment of the developmentally disabled. A significant change that this movement brought about was awareness among people that the developmentally and intellectually disabled were capable of living life on their terms. They did not require constant medical attention and neither did they have to be institutionalized. Adaptive technology was used to create a world that was better-suited for disabled individuals- one in which they could study, work, travel and care for themselves independently.

History has shown us that the abuse and disregard for developmentally disabled or mentally retarded individuals in the past largely stemmed from ignorance. The world today heavily depends on education, science and technology. Education has allowed us to understand disabled people and treat them with compassion instead of looking down upon them with fear or revulsion. Science has allowed us to set up medical treatments for the developmentally and intellectually disabled that are humane and legally appropriate. The disabled are no longer tied to beds, locked up in cellars or treated as guinea pigs for medical experiments. Numerous laws exist that not only protect but also work towards bettering their dignity and health. Technology allows us to create a world that is suited to the needs of disabled individuals so that they don't need to look for assistance for little things like moving from one room to another or simply using the bathroom.

The world that has spent years thoughtlessly abusing the developmentally and intellectually disabled has in the last few decades come a long way. Over the last few years, we have also been witness to the miracles that equal opportunities can do for disabled individuals. Several of disabled people have attained extraordinary heights of success and are paving the way for a future where the developmentally disabled are respected for their strength and confidence instead of pitied for their condition.

Today, people with disabilities live in normal communities with other people of all abilities. The intellectual and developmentally disabled person works at some of the same places and completes the same task as any other person. The disabled are working diligently each and every day to overcome stereotypes and barriers to be recognized as valued and important members of their community.









 

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Reach for the Stars: Making Dreams a Reality in Human Services

Early in my career as a Case Manager for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, I had the privilege to play a part in turning someone's dream into a reality. The person, we will call Joe, was a huge fan of cooking shows, especially Emeril Lagasse. Each year Joe wanted to see Emeril as he was Joe's favorite Chef and TV personality. During a planning session, Joe and I discussed hs desire to see Emeril. I posed a question asking Joe "What is it about Emeril that you love so much? Joe replied; "Emeril is a star, and everyone loves him." The wheels began to turn in my head, and I had an epiphany. I then ask Joe if he would like to have his very own cooking show and be a star himself? Bewildered, he replied; "Can I do that"? I responded that anything is possible and made a commitment to helping Joe's unimaginable dream become a reality.

The first thing that we worked on was developing a plan. Joe's home had an open layout with an island between the kitchen and living area. So we settled on this as a perfect location for the show. Next I ask what materials and supplies we would need. Joe committed to making a list of supplies he would need. Joe also said he would come up with a set of menus for his episodes. I had recently purchased a camcorder, so I committed to filming and editing the episodes.

Joe's direct support staff was in attendance at his meeting. After the meeting had ended, she approached me and asked how I was going to make Joe a "Star". I responded that I could not make Joe, a star alone. I explained that to make Joe's dream a reality we would have to have confidence in him and ourselves. I further explained that being a star was relative to Joe. His version of being a star was what he wanted to accomplish.

At our next meeting, Joe was prepared. He had his menu planned out in detail. He had his materials list ready to go. Joe was very excited. His direct support staff also expressed excitement. Joe said that he wanted to get a new apron and a chef hat to wear during his show. So we added these items to the list of supplies. I ask Joe to make a list of audience members he would like to attend his taping. We finished the meeting by scheduling a time to purchase the materials, supplies, invitations, and practice. Then we set the final show date.

Different task was divided out among Joe and his team. All materials were purchased, and invitations and flyers were sent out. Joe was so excited, and he stated that he could not believe he was going to be a star, just like Emeril. Joe and his support network finalized his script and practiced on delivering his message and preparing his dishes. Our trail run was a success, and Joe was ready to tape his episodes in front of a live audience.

The day of the taping Joe was nervous. He said he hoped that people liked his show. Guest began to arrive and take their seats in the audience section. Taping had begun. Joe's Pecan crusted tilapia had turned out fabulously. As he plated the dish, he turned to the audience showing them his masterpiece. He then said, "BAM, It's Done." The audience stood and erupted in applause. Joe was now a star, and it was all captured on video.

Close to a decade later, Joe still has his video series of cooking shows. It has become a right of passage to see his shows for any new support staff. I have long since moved on to other roles and am no longer Joe's Case Worker. To this day, every time I see him he says there is the man that made me a star. I always remind him that the star was always within him, and I just captured a glimpse of it on video.

There were many people that made Joe's dream a reality. His direct support professionals were key in helping him stay motivated and providing the support and encouragement he needed. Support staff at first was reluctant, but soon realized that dreams can come true. Especially if we are willing to think outside the box and try. This fond memory is one of the many that I cherish. It reminds me that anything is possible and how much I love being a part of the human service field.



 

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The First Mental Asylum's for People With Intellectual Disabilities

The first Mental Asylum can be traced back as early as the 5th century in the Middle East. Prior to that, families who had members suffering from mental health disorders just kept their ill relatives at home. Even after the advent of the mental asylum, it wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that urbanization allowed for greater access to these facilities. Blackwell's Island Lunatic Asylum, built in New York at the beginning of the 19th century, was the first municipal mental hospital in the United States, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The rise of institutional psychiatry began with the emergence of the lunatic asylum, its gradual transformation and eventual replacement by modern psychiatric centers. Previously there existed institutions where the mentally ill or insane were kept, but the invention of the concept of institutionalisation as an accurate solution to the problem of lunacy proved to be an event of the nineteenth century.

At the turn of the 18th century, the amount of special institutional care and other provisions for the mentally ill had been extremely limited. While lunacy was viewed majorly as a domestic issue, families and parish authorities were central to regimens of care taking. Parish authorities provided various forms of outdoor relief to such families, which included the provision of parish nurses and financial aid. In cases where family care was not possible, the family member was often "handed over" to other members of the local community or sent to private mental asylums. The parish authorities would also meet the expensive costs of confining such lunatics to charitable asylums such Bethlem, and other correction homes if they were judged to be specifically disturbing or violent.

Although the names and conditions of these Asylums were horrific, change was encroaching. The age of science and reason would soon lead to many more changes in treatment.

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