Deficits in intellectual functioning may be the result of several factors: Genet

Question

Deficits in intellectual functioning may be the result of several factors: Genetic abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome or uncontrolled PKU; problems during pregnancy, such as in cell division if the mother consumes alcohol; problems at birth, such as insufficient oxygen reaching the baby’s brain; and health problems after birth, such as extreme malnutrition or contracting meningitis.In the United States, about 3 out of 100 people are intellectually disabled.Thankfully, about 87% of this population is diagnosed as mildly disabled while only 13% have IQ scores of 50 and below (The Arc, 2001).Your task in this discussion is to examine intellectual disability from a social perspective. Think about it…The large majority of intellectually disabled people are classified as trainable or educable. This means that they work, get married, and raise families. Typically, these individuals marry those who have similar intellectual skills. The most likely outcome for the children born to these couples is that they too suffer from some degree of intellectual deficit.

Should society limit the rights of mentally retarded people to have and raise children? Does what is good for the society override the rights of its intellectually disabled members? What are the ethical concerns --- for the society? For the individuals? Should the current social practice of non-interference stay? What may be some other less radical alternatives for society to consider?

At least one cited reference

Explanation / Answer

Mentally retarded individuals have a very high likelihood of having mentally retarded child. Therefore, we have to limit the rights of mentally retarded individuals to have and raise children. Some people may argue that this might be a violation of their human rights.

Ethically and morally, this will do good for both the individuals and the society. Mentally retarded individuals for themselves need a person to look upon for their daily needs. Bringing and rising up the children is essentially very difficult for them. If the child is also mentally retarded, the occurrence of which is very high then the task becomes extremely difficult.

The current social practice of non-interference can be slightly modified. Social stigma and discrimination against mentally retarded individuals needs a monumental change. Strict laws should be enacted to prevent the exploitation, physical and mental abuse of mentally retarded individuals. Some provisions can be made for some mentally retarded individuals to adopt and raise children.

Reference: Eastman N, Starling B. Mental disorder ethics: theory and empirical investigation. J Med ethics, 2006, Feb; 32(2): 94-99.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse D
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.