The Link between Physical Deformity and Learning Difficulties

[orcopian]

Hello, This is my first post. My father passed away over 10 years ago at the age of 85 . As a baby a Medical Doctor / General Practitioner noted that he had "Bilateral Club Feet" . The GP therefore concluded - as I believe they did so many years ago - that he would be "mental subnormal/mentally handicapped" because it was thought in those days that physical deformity went with mental handicapped. Rather than write more about what happened to my Dad - Andy Rigler -can I ask if this topic has already been covered before in these posting? Best wishes -Malcolm Rigler

[ulrichburke]

Dear Orcopian.

I've got Cerebral Palsy, Hydrocephalus and Asperger's. I've been told almost every day of my life what an incredibly ugly S.O.B. I am (usually not quite that politely!) and I've got learning difficulties. There's a definite 'look' to Down's syndrome guys and they've got learning difficulties. So the two do go together to a point.

What bugs me hugely about England is that mental HANDICAP is lumped together with madness. I've been shoved in psychiatric institutions twice because I'm mentally HANDICAPPED, not because I think I'm Napoleon! Look up institutions for the mentally ill and you'll see they're lumped together with places for mentally HANDICAPPED guys, as though they're the same thing.THAT'S the bit I don't like.

The 'deformity' bit's perceptual anyway. To define deformity, you have to have a guy called Norm. Only by comparing others to Norm can you define 'deformed'. I mean to take it to a farcical extent, we're basically monkeys, right? Yet if we went and sat in a tree in a forest, any passing chimp. would go 'Sheesh, look at that one. Never seen anything like it. It's not even got any fur!' Hokay, so club feet and stuff, but why do we place so much importance on it? Why condemn the person because of it, instead of just accepting how he walks and getting on with what kind of person he IS?

I've never even had a job because everyone takes one look at me and assumes anyone that ugly couldn't possibly do anything, and makes it so by never giving me anything to do (Yes I've volunteered all over the place. And been turned down every time.) Why is physical appearance given so much importance in our culture?

Yours sadly

Chris.

[orcopian in reply to ulrichburke]

Hi Chris, Thank you for sharing your story with me. Although you have been turned away from the jobs and volunteering that requires you to be seen by others. Your literacy skills are great and you can clearly use the internet to share your story. Might you find a place in this world of work and volunteering that requires just you intelligence and your digital skills? I have one or two ideas and suggestions about how you might proceed however I would not like to raise your hopes if such a way of being and working does not appeal to you. Let me know what you think. Best wishes, Malcolm

[ulrichburke in reply to orcopian]

Feel free! I can fix computers - and have replied to many, many Quora enquiries - can type 120wpm, can correct English grammar on-the-fly, can write routines (out of practice but still can do this) in Visual Basic. Am learning Python, pretty good at it now but not professional standard. Am good at sorting software probs. And because I'm disabled, can think of things from a disability viewpoint and make suggestions to help other disabled people.

Something I've discovered, tell me if you think it's true. Able-bodied helpers to us disableds do it because we smile at them and say thanks and they feel useful. So they're feeding us fish. If I'm asked to help anyone, I'll try and find a way they can do stuff when I'm not around, so my attitude will be to teach them how to fish as well as possible, up to any point which isn't dangerous for them. It's amazing the gadgets you can make from stuff you'd usually chuck out. One example's wire coathangers. There's a LOAD of helpful gadgets you can make from old wire coathangers, a pair of pliers and some corks! And magnets, and Velcro.... I'll tell you that one.

The wonderful Velcro Finger. If you've got someone who has difficulty grabbing stuff off a table - things like TV remotes can be INCREDIBLY frustrating if you've got co-ordination probs - they slide away from you before you can grab them - you need a Velcro Finger. It's a fingerstall with a strip of velcro glued/sewn onto it. You put another strip of velcro on (say) the TV remote. You wanna pick it up? Slap your velcro finger on its velcro, that'll keep it still long enough for you to grab it. Same with cups, glasses, anything else skittery.

Wire coathangers (now I've gotten started!) Keyturner. Slice two circles of wine cork. Stick one on each side of the hole on the handle of a key. Small hole in each cork circle. Slide a short length of wire coathanger through the holes (might need a bit more cork on the end of the coathanger wire to help grab the key.) You can pickit up by the cork/wire, slide it in the lock then just drop your hand on the wire to turn it. Saves having to squeeze'n'turn the key which can be frustratingly fiddly.

Got a load more ideas where the above came from. Use 'em myself. Scared of scalding yourself making tea? Get a coffeemaker for £30 - price of a decent kettle - they dispense hot water, just put a teabag in the cup. That sorta stuff.

Last bit to make you laugh.... I used to be a hospital orderly. Blonde (for real!) nurse in the cleaning room, with a bowl full of false teeth, carefully sterilizing them. I went up to her. 'I take it each set's been carefully labeled....'

I'd never seen anyone's face go quite that colour before. As a hospital worker, that was fascinating to me!

Sorry to woffle on.

Yours respectfully

Chris.

[Lovea in reply to ulrichburke]

Hi Chris, it was fascinating reading your description of solutions that you’ve developed to help others. The Velcro Finger is genius. I’ve not seen anything like this commercially but it would be a huge help to people such as my relative who has uncontrollable movements due to Huntington’s disease. Perhaps you could patent it?

Best wishes

Gwen

[orcopian in reply to ulrichburke]

Hi Again, Please take a look at these links - below - because I am beginning to think that with all your Digital Skills you could find a role to play within "High Street Learning Centres"/"Digital Health Hubs" .

I am not sure what role you might play but they are all new and taking baby steps in all kind of directions. See-

65 High Street | NailseaTown.comnailseatown.com › 65-high-street

The video below, commissioned by Nailsea Town Council, promotes 65 High Street and the wider Nailsea Place project. Watch it here: youtube.com/watch ...

NHS Digital Health Hubs - Tomorrow's Caretomorrowscare.co.uk › technology › nhs-d...

65 High Street, known as 'Nailsea Place', is a digital health and wellbeing learning centre. The venue, which was established in 2018, has become a trusted ...

Digital health hub rolled out across more areas following pilot ...digital.nhs.uk › news › digital-health-hub-rolled-...

30 Apr 2019 — 65 High Street, known as 'Nailsea Place', is a digital health and wellbeing

Re: The Digital Nurse .

Macmillan Cancer Support launches its own digital nursedigitalhealth.net › 2017/10 › macmillan-ca...

30 Oct 2017 — A cancer charity has appointed a digital nurse to help combat 'fake news' online after it feared patients turned to Google for ...

Regards, Malcolm

Dr Malcolm Rigler -Retired NHS GP