Melani - Its too late to worry if the cause was preventable in Daniel's case. Yes, oxygen deprivation (even in small amounts) can and does lead to brain damage. This doesn't necessarily mean retardation. I have worked with many professionals and speech and language therapists are worth their weight in gold. If Daniel has had speech and language therapy, you are very fortunate. I'm so glad to hear that he is actively engaged in the community and has a special educational program.

Yes, the labels that schools must provide to obtain funding are inadequate. It means that children with a wide range of learning needs and abilities are often lumped together in one class. Then again, its better than the institutional programs of old. Its just too bad that when they closed the institutions, they didn't transfer the monetary savings to the school system. With adequate funding, the schools could be providing much better programs.