Growing Pains for Parents, Kids

Re “Growing Up Different” (by Paul Ciotti, May 9):

As the mother of a developmentally disabled daughter who has been employed 10 years, and lives independently, I wish to state that to have allowed my daughter to bring a child into the world is about as logical as it would be for me, a 70-year-old, to become pregnant now.

While my daughter would make the most loving mother, my daughter still needs my help in many areas of living. When my husband and I pass on, we hope by then there will be a good support system that she can turn to for help.

Just because someone who is mentally retarded wants a child so they can feel “normal” does not make it right, for the mentally retarded (with few exceptions) are children themselves, in adult bodies. If one can discourage the mentally retarded from having children, that is the wisest avenue to take, for it is a child’s right to have competent parents.

JOAN SUGEL

Los Angeles