SEXUAL EDUCATION FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Abstract

Abstract Possibilities for intellectual and movement development of children with disabilities are part of the research that is provided within special education and rehabilitation. But we think that the forgotten component of this research that must have appropriate principles and methods of its work is the sexual education. Our experience shows that this is not just a problem in Macedonia, but wider in the Balkan. We must have in mind that people with disabilities are intellectually and movement disabled, but their body hormonally develops as in any other individual. Thus, disharmony appears that causes even more problems when these people maturate. The need to satisfy the sexual urge must be appropriate and developed properly. They also develop a need for self care and life and need some decisions and activities to be involved in without their parents' support. In their development when they are mature they want their one company that is not their mom and dad. This usually happens in the puberty. Parents often make mistakes in not recognizing their children's needs and behave over protectively, and take care for their children more than it is needed, and they not let their children make their own decisions which can help for their inclusion in the society. The basic idea of this paper is for children to learn how to take care for themselves depending on their remaining possibilities and to be partly independent from their parents in some activities. In addition to the above mentioned the following research has been made. Key words: Sexual education, persons with intellectual disabilities, sexual development, sex (ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.) Normal sexual development When we talk about sexuality in children with MR, we point out their level of intellectual functioning which is lower, and often forget for the basic lows of sexual development (1). Even the sophisticated parents and professionals have problems with the knowledge on the sexuality of their children. But still, children experience their first knowledge by questioning their parents, teachers, and all people that are involved in their life (2). They are related to these: * Interest for sexual intercourse, * Sexual exploration, * Sexual behavior. These questions are always used to determine children's behavior that is typical and expected, or to see the facts that children are sexually abused and have personal problems. In order to understand these questions properly, professionals must have appropriate knowledge for normal sexual development. It's crucial to say that sexual development begin with birth, even in some children it is present during the intrauterine maturation. For example, it is a well known fact that fetus can suck their finger or toe. Sexual education of children with mental retardation Every person has a need to explore his sexual nature. That's noted in context of achieving basic human rights of every individual, and this increases the importance of knowing their sexual development, which is in correlation with the behavior in social places. That is one of the basic segments of life that is every person's goal in life. Opinions of the parents are different and related to the gender of the children (male, female), that they leave in institutions. Parents of male child agree that their child should be educated in this subject. But, parents of the female child oppose this opinion and are opposing every sexual contact of their child. That's why institutions do not have any criteria on this mater. This is specific for a country such as Macedonia because in the developed countries this issue is resolved, and people with disabilities are allowed to satisfy their sexual urges. All this is based on how they will be integrated in the local community, as their approach is different and irregular, and their behavior is unacceptable. …