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To the Editor: My prematurely born adult son is retarded and autistic. He has cerebral palsy, severe vision impairment, and hydrocephalus. He cannot eat, dress, use the toilet, or leave the house without assistance. He will need constant supervision for the rest of his life. Yet, according to the criteria of Dr Saigal and colleagues,¹ he is making a "successful transition to adulthood."

He became a high school graduate when he "aged out" of the relevant special education programs and is now pursuing his "postsecondary education" at a day school for the disabled. With the help of an attendant, he could enroll in community college classes and thus be counted as "in college." A sheltered workshop job would put him among the ranks of the "permanently employed." Group home placement would qualify as "living independently."

Saigal et al suggest that their data on transition to adulthood "should provide hope to . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Helen Harrison
helen1144@aol.com
Berkeley, Calif

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