Chelsea Barrentine
Mrs. Byrd
ENGL 1101
11 February 2015
Have you ever been told your child won’t ever be able to walk, talk, or live past a certain age? Well, my family has. On this chilly day, November 19, 2008, my little sister, Taylor, was born. She was born with a chromosome deletion which slowed her growth and ability. When she was about one and a half years old, the doctors told us that should would never be able to talk. At two years old, they said she would never walk. We received devastating news a couple of months after Taylor’s third birthday. The doctor’s told us that she wouldn’t live past the age of five, but she proved them wrong on everything. By this time, she is able to start prekindergarten. They started her off in the special education classroom because she wasn’t quite up to date with the other kids. With a speech and occupational therapist privately seeing her for a while, she was finally ready. She was ready to be in the regular pre-k classroom. My mom had a meeting with the board of education about her being in a “normal” class. Although they didn’t think it was a good idea, they agreed as long as she had a teacher in there just for her needs. She learned so much in that classroom such as her alphabet and colors. She set the goal of other parents having the courage to put their child in a classroom like that too. With her doing so well, it makes parents want better for their children. Children with mental and physical disabilities should have the same rights as children without mental or physical disabilities.
Children with mental disabilities are usually behind on the growth chart. Mental disabilities slow down the comprehension of the brain, and it could possibly mean the child lacks necessary skills for everyday living. Although children with mental disabilities learn slower, they are still capable of learning new skills. With the help of a paraprofessional teacher in the room, they will still be able to learn as efficiently...