what might this girl have?
I used to work with a girl who was fairly similar to the one you have described... as well as a similar situation.
I remember it was when I was working at Burger King (fast food place) and I ran the drive through window. The managers would get on the intercom-the side that only connected to me and not the others, and would say things like "hey, on my monitor, ____ looks kind of like a sack of potatoes working". They would exclude her from the Christmas parties and such too. It was just a bunch of people who had been working there for a long time, acting like overgrown teenagers essentially.
The head of management would come in on some days and check the place-like when inspectors came in and all, and even HE would make comments too.
I finally realized that there really wasn't anyone to talk to about it, so one night they sent her out to take out trash by herself. It was really dark outside, and I told the boss I was concerned about her going out there alone and wanted to help since there was nobody coming through the drive-thru window (it was after that part had closed).
When I got out there, I apologized basically that she had been treated that way, and told her I didn't think any of it was right. I also told her to keep an eye on the people she works with during shifts, because a lot of them seemed really 2 faced and took advantage of her good nature in general.
I'm not sure it was the right approach, but I guess I figured if there was more going on with her as far as disorders or any of that and she was there through a placement, she could tell the people who put her there about it and hopefully have something done, or find a solution of some sort to it all, and it really wasn't any of my business to ask anything personal unless she just wanted to tell me.
I thought a heads up was about all I could do, because in general she seemed to be pretty trusting of all of our co-workers, even with being excluded from things. That way she could at least be aware and maybe not let them bully her around so much while they pretended to be nice to her face.
I'm not sure what happened after that to be honest, as I was fired shortly after... I was pregnant and unable to walk 2 miles to work in knee deep snow, so they fired me.
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Sorry about the incredibly long post...
"I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends." -Luna Lovegood
Maybe your should print a copy of this story (link) and leave it (anonymously) in a conspicuous area at your work place.
They might or might not care about the harm they are causing this person, but an awareness of the potential for consequences for themselves could cause a rethink. If you decide to leave a copy of this story lying around your place of work, be sure to highlight the fine the employer and the business in this case received.....and leave the story somewhere your boss is certain to find it.
Money talks.
Maybe your should print a copy of this story (link) and leave it (anonymously) in a conspicuous area at your work place.
They might or might not care about the harm they are causing this person, but an awareness of the potential for consequences for themselves could cause a rethink. If you decide to leave a copy of this story lying around your place of work, be sure to highlight the fine the employer and the business in this case received.....and leave the story somewhere your boss is certain to find it.
Money talks.
I'm pretty sure that the OP is still talking about the workplace all of this is going on in, so they haven't received a fine or anything-this is just what is still going on and what the OP has observed.
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Sorry about the incredibly long post...
"I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends." -Luna Lovegood
Yes, I am certain of the same thing (especially since the story I linked to is about events in Australia and the OP refers to the Mid West, which so far as I know usually refers to an area in the US).
If the people the OP were referring to had already been fined for their behavior (or subjected to civil suite) then it would be pointless leaving a copy of the article I linked to lying around the workplace...
OH! Sorry about that-I'm a dingbat and am super tired. I JUST noticed your link. I think I missed it because it shows up in smaller text so I must have overlooked it.
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Sorry about the incredibly long post...
"I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends." -Luna Lovegood
I worked at a CVS drugstore that had a lady much like that also.
Though my coworker wasnt mistreated like that. We all would chuckle about her occasionally, but nobody was hostile or exclusive towards her that I was aware of.
Physically similar: tall with a large bottom, and waddling gate.
She had a normal and even rather pleasant voice, but was developmentally stunted intellectually and socially, and she did the menial stuff-pushing a broom etc. She never did any task involving reading and/or writiing, so I assumed she was illiterate.
Though she was odd looking she did not look anything like a downs syndrome person.
So apparently your coworker isnt the only one with -whatever the condition is - that she has.
Oh, your comments make more sense now...I was wondering what you meant. I wish the links would show up underlined; they are very easy to miss.
the predominant characteristics are: a profound speech impediment with the inability to pronounce her r's, loud, squealy voice, short, waddling stature and very bottom-heavy, bad manners (gross table habits, face picking, tmi type talk), prone to depression and glumness (which can be attributed to workplace treatment, surely), quite dimwitted and simple, childlike spelling and writing. a tendency to glom onto anyone who will pretend to treat her nice or speak to her. i'm not being judgmental, just stating plain observations. i'm just curious as to what she may have becasue i get sick of people referring to her as 'ret*d'. i've even heard co-workers say they wanted to get her off to the side at the company christmas party, and beat her up. at first i thought perhaps cerebral palsy. like i said, facially, she looks non-downs. she does have a rather down-turned mouth. anyone have a clue?
why not ask her?
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Some of your greatest accompolishments are the direct results of your greatest failures. Some of your greatest failures are the direct results of your greatest accompolishments.......AnAutisticMind
Oh, your comments make more sense now...I was wondering what you meant. I wish the links would show up underlined; they are very easy to miss.
Yeah, lol, I missed the link and saw what you said about posting this story, then looked up and saw the quoting of what OP had said, and assumed you meant that story, lol. I was so confused as to what you might mean, and was actually thinking the same thing you said-something along the lines of "what would be the point of leaving the story of what was happening there lying around if no one has gotten into trouble?"
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Sorry about the incredibly long post...
"I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends." -Luna Lovegood
Katie_WPG
Velociraptor

Joined: 7 Sep 2008
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 492
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Callista's right- there is no way of knowing because many times someone with MR does not have any particular diagnosable genetic condition. And yes, this does include people with MR who look "a little odd." I know a lot about the different genetic disorders that cause MR because I am a speech pathologist, and nothing you've said has rung any bells. She probably does just have straight-up MR unassociated with a recognized genetic disorder. It's also fairly common for people with MR to be pretty social (sometimes inappropriately social), and to have a mild-moderate articulation disorder (not being able to say "r" would count as mild). Most of the genetic disorders people are suggesting here have obvious physical abnormalities that the OP likely would have picked up on. Cranio-facial abnormalities are particularly associated with most genetic syndromes resulting in MR.
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Not all those who wander are lost... but I generally am.
Maybe Williams Syndrome?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_syndrome
We should get a white board like Dr. House if we want to do this right.
All joking aside, regardless of her differential I would agree that the co-workers treatment of this woman is downright wrong. Whatever she may or may not have she is still a human being and should be treated with the same respect as everyone else.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_syndrome
We should get a white board like Dr. House if we want to do this right.
hahahahahaha! Instant images going through my mind of that one, lol.
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Sorry about the incredibly long post...
"I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends." -Luna Lovegood
i love how everyone's trying to help here. the wheels are turning as to what to do for this girl, either directly or indirectly, to get something done. part of the reason i'd like to know what she has is so i can set people straight, at least clinically, when they make disparaging remarks.
btw i doubt it's williams, as she doesn't have the "elfin" features.