Disabled children.I wholeheartedly whole·heart·ed adj. Marked by unconditional commitment, unstinting devotion, or unreserved enthusiasm: wholehearted approval. whole applaud Jo McGowan's column on learning what it's like to be disabled ("Learning Curve," October 21). As a catechist cat·e·chist n. A person who catechizes, especially one who instructs catechumens in preparation for admission into a Christian church. [French catechiste, from Old French, from Late Latin for the past seven years to children with Down syndrome, autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. , and other mental disabilities, I have found that part of my ministry also includes their mothers, who appear so beaten down by our insensitive culture. These mothers have to fight hard to defend their children, and often they don't win. McGowan's column reminded me of the words of Dr. Howard Buten, a specialist who founded a clinic in France for autistic autistic /au·tis·tic/ (aw-tis´tik) characterized by or pertaining to autism. children. In his magnificent book, Through the Glass Wall, Buten asks: "What if in the end the opposite of suffering is simply learning what it's like to be each other?" LYN BURR BRIGNOLI Greenwich, Conn. |
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