Reflection on the History of Developmental Disabilities
Over the years, the way people have viewed people with developmental disabilities has drastically changed. In the early 20th century, people with disabilities were viewed as a burden. Their effects on society were often paired with criminals and they were known as defects in society. Many people thought that the disabled people could be eliminated with proper breeding among individuals. There were many offensive words used to describe individuals with disabilities. Throughout the 1900's up until around the 1970's, people with disabilities were automatically institutionalized. Although the severity of the disabilities ranged, all disabled people were held together, separate from the rest of society. The conditions of these institutions were inhumane. Pennhurst State School and Hospital was one of the many institutions of this time. This institution was very overcrowded and had very little staff to regulate the facility. The conditions of thi...