When someone says Mentally Retarded instead of Mentally Challanged does that bother you?

Question

I know by the ADA standards you can no longer say mentally retarded which is good. I prefer mentally challanged it is a much better word. Yes I do get offended when I hear Retarded children are mentally retarded, because I find it HIGHLY offensive.

What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

Mentally challenged does not explain the disability. Mental retardation deals with low IQ. The word r****d means to slow down/be slow, therefore mentally retarded refers to a low cognitive ability.   "challenged" could mean anything. It could mean mental illness!

Mental retardation is not the same as learning disabled.  

It is necessary to have different categories so that students receive the services that the deserve.

I agree with the posters who say that the fact that you are taking offense  to this word is the direct result of  fools who use a clinical label as a insult.

Answer 2

people need to get some tougher skin. Mentally challenged.. mentally retarded.. its the same thing. It shouldnt matter which phrase people use.

Answer 3

After reading your question I went to see if the term had been changed from mental retardation to mental disabilities, but couldn't find evidence of it. Maybe I didn't look in the correct area. Currently the state I am residing in recognizes mental retardation per state rules and regs for certification purposes.

Other states use the term mental disabilities and such but the critierion is the same, significantly delayed cognitive skills and significantly delayed adaptive skills. There are some rule out activities involved prior to certification and it is required that a licensed professional render the certification, but right now it looks like mental retardation is the correct term in a number of states.

Mental Retardation is a diagnosis or certification, it doesn't tell anyone how loving the child is, his or her talents, capabilities or hopes and dreams. Don't get too caught up in the terms, they are vehicles for funding and understanding.

Focus less on the words and more on the child. Recognize it for what is.

Personally, I would rather understand what the words mean.

I have seen parents from other states move in with labels like mentally challenged or mentally disabled and it is very difficult for them to hear the terms mentally retarded. Often times they feel duped by the people who had used the words mentally disabled and so forth.

Love the child for who they are, help them progress and focus on acquiring as many skills for independent living as possible. That seems most important to me.

Answer 4

You can use mild mental retardation this way but not saying retarded and I am okay with someone saying.

She has mild mental retardation which i Have mild mental retardation and was diagnosed with it at age 4.

I am allowing other to use mild mental retardation which is a better term. thanks . I hope everyone has a great day.

Thanks for asking these questions and  not being scared to ask.

:)

Answer 5

I think the politically correct term these days is " a person has Learning Difficulties".  Mentally retarded seems insensitive because at one time that was how people were labelled and people didn't like it so it was deemed inappropriate. Mentally challenged, to me,  is between friends joking around but not  for labelling anyone. I think we should always be sensitive to how we label people. My children have come home saying "that is retarded" and I don't like it and explain why I think it is offencive.

Answer 6

I think mentally retarded is a clear term wich explain what kind of "challenge"  or disorder the person has. Mentally challenged doesen't really tells you what kind of challenge that person has It coulbe a lot of things. Just because people missuse the word retarded to offend other people doesen't mean people have to come up with another word to make those people feel better. Its the word that has been used for hundred of years and to me It doesen't have to change. To me "retarded is a medical term" It depends on who is using It.

Answer 7

I don't like it when people say "r****d" to label someone negatively.  I haven't thought about it otherwise; however, the district I work for states that the students are Intellectually Disabled and have gotten away from the MR acronym.

Answer 8

No. I don't believe in rude or bad words, because that is all they are: words.

I say mentally retarded. That's who they are: people with Mental Retardation, which is the name of the disease.

Answer 9

I think the phrase " mentally retarded" has started to offend people because SOME ignoramuses use it as an INSULT to others...they have adpoted this phrase and it is almost a curse word now.  It used to be a medical diagnosis.  Language changes constantly...and sometimes we do have to adopt a new word, because the "old" one has been misused so badly.  It is like using the word "g*y " to refer to homosexuals.  I think it is much better to just use the word "homosexual' instead of a euphanism...a word which has now lost its original meaning...but , as I said, language changes constantly.   This happens in other languages too, not just in English.