WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY' MARCH 14, 1979, PAGE 15 Public education is key to understanding retardation In this, the International Year of the Child, there is one institution in Whitby which is dedicated to work- ing with a special kind of child. The Durham Centre for the Developmentally Handi- capped, located on the grounds of the Whitby Psy- chiatric Hospital, is the home of 60 retarded children aged six to 16. This centre, established in 1972, services the Durham Region and children trans- ferred from other institu- tions. "The key of the centre is to make a child progress to a much more independent nature," says Elizabeth Gomes, co-ordinator of staff development, public educa- tion and volunteer services. Mentally retarded child- ren suffer from behavior problems, emotional prob- lems, a form of retardation called the Down's Syndrome, and are more susceptible to physical diseases of the lungs and respiratory system. Parents in the community can ask the centre for a psychological assessment of their child, and can apply for admission of a retarded child An admissions committee decides if the child would benefit from the programs the centre has to offer. "Based on the child's needs, we develop individual programs for them," says Ms. Gomes. The centre first indentifies the child's needs ard then makes up an individual pro- gram. A resource team of counsellors, psychologists, a social worker, speech and recreation therapists, nurses and teachers determines the kinds of programs needed for any child in the centre. The children's unit is only part of a centre for adults and children which employs 130 staff. There are 80 resi- dential counsellors respon- sible for 24-hour care of both adults and children. Most of the Children in the Durham Centre are chronic cases who will probably have to be institutionalized all their lives, but most will respond to varying degrees of programming says Ms. Gomes. "The key is to provide as normal an atmosphere and activity as possible," she said in a recent interview. Among the programs are a movement program for those who are not physically Carlos, a resident of the Durham.Centre for the Develop- mentally Handicapped, practices exercises to music, with the aid of teacher Joan Kostashuk. Music therapy can be very helpful to retarded children in aiding them to progress. The Durham Centre is.not part of the Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital, although it is located on the hospital grounds. It is operated by the Ministry of Community and Social Services, rather than the Ministry of Health. Free Press Photo fit, socializatio-programs, music therapy, crafts and fine motor co-ordination programs. Because a child is retarded, it does not neces- sarily mean there is no hope for his development. A good example of progress is the music therapy program which brought a boy from no speech to some speech, says Ms. Gomes. Physical education pro- grams can increase co-ordination skills, and some children are able to communicate better through special speech programs. One girl who could not make signs or speak worked with a speech therapist and now can communicate through pointing at cards with symbols on them, said Ms. Gomes. "Now she is increasing her vocabulary of symbols very quickly," she said. A number of the children require toliet training when they arrive at the centre, and the staff find that toliet training works. Other children who are not manageable at home are able to adjust to life with other children at the centre. A few are able-to return to their homes after a stay at the Durham Centre, and a few go to group homes in the province, butmany go on to the centre's adult unit. Some are able to move on to (ial programs for higher . .etioning teenagers and its. 'mmunity programs are very important to make sure the children are not confined to an institutional lifë, and also to acquaint then with the ,vorld outside the centre. The days out are very healthy for mentally re- tarded 'children," says Ms. Gomes. Community programs include swimming at Iroquois Park pool Mondays and Wednesdays, trips to movies, restaurants and shopping centres, and day campS~at Camp Samac in Oshawa and the Knights of Columbus Day Camp at Oshawa. The centre is constantly in need of volunteers to get the children to the day camps, and to assist in the pro- grams, says Ms. Gomes. This year the centre held its first winter carnival Feb. 15, with snow sculptures and sleigh rides. For five years the centre has had a carnival in June, when the fire de- partment ,brings down its truck for the children to see in operation. Some of the children at the Durham Centre go to a spe- cial school for the mentally retarded in Ajax, and there is a resident school at- the centre to prepare children to attend the Ajax school. Some children also attend the developmental day care centre in Aiax. "We encourage parents to visit as much as they possibly can,"' says Ms. Gomes. "We also encourage the community to get invol- ved as much as it can through visiting or volun- teering. The centre presently has 150 volunteers, but more are needed, especially for day- time programs. Ms. Gomes encourages service clubs to hold parties for the children, integrating children. from the com-. munity with the centre's residents. The Brooklin Oddfellows are negotiating to set up a party for the children at the Centre and the Whitby Lions Club and Brooklin Women's Institute help out at Christ- mas. The Whitby Jaycees and Jaycettes have also assisted the centre, and the Town of Whitby has given a grant, to the volunteer association. 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