Children with mental retardation: stigma and stereotype images are hard to change
Waldman, H.B.; Swerdloff, M.; Perlman, S.P.
Asdc Journal of Dentistry for Children 66(5): 343-347; 294
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1945-1954 PMID: 10631891 Document Number: 511492
Societal attitudes and perceptions of children with mental retardation have stigmatized and stereotyped generations of youngsters. Deinstitutionalization and mainstreaming most of these children in our schools and general communities require that we recognize and reevaluate many long-held beliefs and how they serve as obstacles to implementing and ensuring needed health and social services. The background and current status of these attitudes are reviewed in an effort to 1) increase practitioner understanding of the population of youngsters with mental retardation that increasingly will be seeking the services of community dentists and 2) encourage legislative efforts and grass-root initiatives (such as the Special Olympics) to change/improve attitudes relative to children with mental retardation.