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Feral child

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A feral child is a child who has lived isolated from human contact starting from a very young age and who has remained unaware of human behavior and unexposed to language. A feral child is an extremely rare phenomenon, and there are only just over a hundred known cases [1], of which — apart from cases of confined children — all but three are disputed.

Feral children may be separated from society by being lost or abandoned into the wild. The category also includes children who have been purposely kept apart from human society, ex. kept in a room in solitary confinement. Sometimes abandonment is due to parents rejecting a child's severe intellectual impairment or physical disability, and some feral children experience severe child abuse or trauma before being abandoned.

Legends describe feral children as having been reared in the wild by animals such as wolves or bears or may become integrated into animal groups.

Many fictional stories and legends depict feral children and integrate the theme of adoption by animals. Perhaps the best known example is that of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan. Other famous examples in fiction are Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, the American tall tale of Pecos Bill, and the legend of the twin boys Romulus and Remus, reputed by myth to be the founders of Rome, who were abandoned at birth and raised by wolves. (See also Feral children in mythology and fiction.)

Fictional feral children are often depicted as growing up with relatively normal human intelligence and skills and an innate sense of culture or civilization, coupled with a healthy dose of survival instincts; their integration into human society is made to seem relatively easy. In reality, however, feral children lack the basic social skills which are normally learned in the process of enculturation. For example, they may eat with their hands at a great rate, be unable to learn to use a toilet, have trouble learning to walk upright and display a complete lack of interest in the human activity around them. They often seem mentally impaired and have almost insurmountable trouble learning a human language.

It is essentially impossible to convert a child who became isolated at a very young age into a relatively normal member of society. Such individuals need close care throughout their lives. As they are "discovered", feral children become the subject of lively scientific and media interest. Once the excitement dies down and their limitations in terms of learning culture and social behaviour become obvious, frustration can set in and they often spend the rest of their lives passed from one caregiver to another. It is common for them to die young.

Real-life cases

Of the approximatively 100 cases often cited, few have been confirmed or well studied, many lack detail, and many may have been exaggerated and embellished. Here is a limited list:

Case study: Genie

Genie is the name of a young girl discovered in Los Angeles, U.S. on November 4 1970, a lifelong victim of bizarre child abuse.

Genie was born in April of 1957; she was the fourth (and second surviving) child to unstable parents. Her mother was partially blind due to cataracts and a detached retina, and her father (who was 20 years the mother's senior) was mentally unbalanced, particularly due to a deep depression over a hit-and-run accident which killed his mother.

At the age of 20 months, Genie was just starting on the road to language when a doctor told her family that she seemed a little bit slow, possibly mildly retarded. Genie's father took the opinion into extreme, believing that she was profoundly retarded and subjected her to severe isolation as well as ritual ill-treatment (this was his idea of "protecting" her). Upon her discovery, Genie (13 years and 7 months) was tied to a potty chair and wearing diapers. She possessed no language skills and could only babble like an infant. It was also reported that her father would beat her every time she vocalized and would bark and growl at her like a dog to keep her quiet; he also even forbade his wife and son to ever speak to her. She was 13 years old and, for over a decade, had been completely restrained, left alone in her room without any sort of human interaction whatsoever.

The discovery of Genie occurred when Genie's mother finally gained enough courage to desert her domineering husband. She managed to successfully run away from her home and take Genie with her. Genie, her mother, and her maternal grandmother came into a welfare office in Temple City, California to seek benefits for the blind. A social worker at the office discovered Genie and thought that she was 6 or 7 years old and had autism. When it was revealed that she was actually 13 going on 14, the worker immediately called her supervisor who called the police. Genie was immediately sent to Children's Hospital for malnutrition and rehabilitation, and her parents were charged with willful gross neglect of a minor. On the day that her parents were to appear in court, Genie's father shot himself. The charges on the mother were dropped when it was revealed that she, too, was a victim of domestic abuse.

When released for the first time, Genie affected a strange "bunny walk", held her hands up in front of her like paws, and constantly spat and clawed. She was almost entirely silent. Through sleep studies, scientists were able to detect abnormal brain waves, so it seemed that Genie was brain damaged. They were unsure of whether this was the result of her years of isolation or if she had actually been born that way.

After spending a brief time in a rehabilitation center, Genie was cared for in a foster home and attended special schools. She developed relationships with many people and learned many different activities such as sewing, drawing, etc. She learned limited spoken and sign language as well. Though initially showing great progress, Genie soon hit a wall in her language acquisition. She never really learned language structure and only got so far as phrases like "Applesauce buy store" and repeating 'chunks' of language without realising the grammatical structure, much like that of a parrot. Linguists and scientists wanted to learn whether language could be learned past puberty (see Lenneberg's Critical Age Hypothesis), but because Genie was brain-damaged, the studies were not nearly conclusive enough. Upon a brain scan, the entire left hemisphere of her brain was almost totally inactive; it was nearly as if it weren't there. Oddly, though, on tests measuring the ability to recognize patterns and make sense out of chaos, she achieved the highest scores ever recorded. It is unclear whether her brain was damaged, or if it had simply come to be that way due to no social, and therefore no language-based interaction.

Susan Curtiss, to whom Genie always referred to as only Curtiss, got to know the young woman during a period of study on Genie's progress of language acquisition. In her book (see reference below), Curtiss reports of Genie's bizarre behaviour and tantrums, as well as the progress of her acquisition of English.

Much controversy arose as to the validity and usefulness of many of the research conducted on the girl, and funding was cut off.

While people did all they could to help Genie, Genie's mother was also given professional help and even had surgery which removed her cataracts and largely restored her sight. When Genie was 18, she returned to the care of her mother. However, after a few months, her mother found her too difficult to handle, and Genie was placed in a series of foster homes. In one of the homes, she was severely punished for vomiting, which caused her to be afraid to open her mouth for several months. Today, Genie lives in an adult foster home in southern California where she is secluded from the public. Her mother passed away ca. 2002–2003. Her older brother is also still alive today.

Further reading

Curtiss, Susan (ed, 1977) Genie: Psycholinguistic Study of a Modern-day "Wild Child". London: Academic Press Inc. (ISBN 0121963500)

Rymer, Russ (1994) Genie: a Scientific Tragedy. London: HarperPerennial. (ISBN 0060924659)


See also: film Mockingbird Don't Sing (2001) which is based on Genie's life.

[3] [4] [5]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ FeralChildren.com contains a list of 117 cases here.
  2. ^ "Boy Raised by Dog Found in South Siberia - NEWS - MOSNEWS.COM". 2005-12-18.
  3. ^ "FeralChildren.com - Feral Children - Genie, a modern-day Wild Child". 2005-12-18.
  4. ^ "genie". 2005-12-18.
  5. ^ "Cesarz.legacy". 2005-12-18.

Bibliography

  • Michael Newton (2002). Savage Boys and Wild Girls: A History of Feral Children. London: Faber and Faber. 284 pp. ISBN 0-571-21460-6.


Feral Chidren: A Growing Issue

Feral children are a result of poverty and abuse. Feral means wild or undomesticated. Some children suffer from brain defects or shrinkage because of neglect and lack of socialization. Children adopt the habits of whatever figures influence their lives. Winthrop Kellogg demonstrated this concept accidentally in an experiment with a chimp. Kellogg raised a chimp with his infant son in hopes that the chimp would become human. Kellogg’s chimp adopted many human behaviors, but at the same time his son was making little progress. His son was unable to speak and frequently used grunts like the chimp to communicate. Kellogg realized that children’s brains develop quicker and become larger when they are nurtured by a caring human family. Feral children on the other hand, develop slowly and have very limited brain capacity for speech and human behaviors after a long period of time in the wild. The first time feral children appear in history is in the legend of the founding of Rome. Rome’s founders, Romulus and Remus, were supposedly raised by a she-wolf. Feral children were once characters in similar legends of the past, but soon actual documented cases turned up across the globe. In 1731 a feral child named Mademoiselle Le Blanc wandered into the French village of Soigny (Steintrager). She appeared to find pleasure in killing and demonstrated this several times. For example, she was presented with a rabbit as a pet. Mademoiselle Le Blanc strangled her pet and then proceeded to eat it. The girl learned to speak and explained that she had not always lived alone. Another girl had been living with her for some time, but they parted company after a quarrel over a rosary. Mademoiselle Le Blanc eventually joined a convent (Burger and Gardner 31-33). One of the most famous feral children in history was Victor of Aveyron. Victor was discovered by two hunters near Aveyron in France. Victor was brought to Paris where he was placed in the care of a young doctor. The doctor, Itard, believed that he could make Victor human. According to Itard being human involved showing empathy towards others and most important of all, the use of language. Itard’s housekeeper served as a motherly figure for Victor. Just as Itard had hoped Victor grew to love his mother. Victor first showed empathy when Itard’s housekeeper cried because Victor set the table for her recently deceased husband. Realizing his mistake, Victor removed the extra place setting and hugged his mother. Itard invented games to teach Victor sounds and language. One of Victor’s favorite games incorporated a drum, a bell, and a blindfold. Itard would blindfold Victor and then play music with the drum and bell. Victor would then have to repeat this music. Next, Itard began to teach Victor speech. Victor however, made little progress linguistically. In fact, he only learned three words in his entire life. One of his words was milk as this was his favorite drink. Itard eventually abandoned Victor when he realized that he could not be helped. Itard’s housekeeper adopted Victor and raised him as best as she could (Candland, Wild Child). Another famous feral child is Kaspar Hauser. Kaspar wandered into Nuremberg and became a universal curiosity. Kaspar learned to speak fluently and became very artistic. He delighted in playing with toy horses. Kaspar later revealed that when he was a young child he had been locked in a tiny chamber with only toy horses to amuse himself with until he was released some years later. Kaspar was murdered soon after he began to write his memoirs. One of the popular theories regarding Kaspar Hauser is that Kaspar was the heir to the throne of Baden. Conspirators locked him up until they could install someone else on the throne and then released him once one of their own was in power. The conspirators became nervous when Kaspar composed his memoirs because they feared that he remembered their scheme and would expose them. Reportedly Kaspar didn’t remember anything about the coup and said only that his captors had only beaten him once because he was playing too loud (Burger and Gardner 47-60). In India, Reverend J.A.L. Singh raised Amala and Kamala, who had lived with wolves. Amala and Kamala managed to acquire some vocabulary, but were never able to adopt true human habits (Candland). For instance, in a photograph in John Burger and Lewis Gardner’s Children of the Wild Kamala and Amala are seen eating out of bowls with their faces in the bowls like pigs at a troth. In modern Russia and Ukraine feral children can be found amongst stray animals in industrial cities and rural villages. To understand why children in these countries have become this way we must first look at the political, economical, and social issues that affect the everyday lives of the people living there. “Russia is making steady progress in the fight against widespread poverty, but the country’s poor need better access to public services like health care and education” (UNDP Moscow, Klomegah). Recent figures show that there are roughly 25,000,000 Russians living in poverty. To improve conditions for Russia’s poor, Putin plans to “reduce taxes, lower gas prices (which are currently seventy American cents), build new universities, and make mortgages affordable” (Weir). The recent disbandment of the U.S.S.R. has left countries like Ukraine in shambles. Feral children roam the streets of Moscow. In Ukraine most cases are covered up, but a few have made it into the limelight. For example, in Mirny, Ukraine, a four year old boy was discovered living with stray dogs. The boy’s name was Edic. His parents were alcoholics and so he sought for nurture from the many stray dogs of Mirny. At first Edic refused to wear clothes or even be around humans. After a few months in a foster home Edic has begun to exhibit proper manners and will now wear clothes. Edic is now six and according to Doctor James Law has a chance to be normal. Law was amazed by the rate at which Edic was able to teach himself new vocabulary. Edic and Law visited the flat in Mirny, where Edic had lived with the dogs. The police and mayor arrived at the flat to ask Law to vacate the premise and accused Edic of lying to get national attention. However, Law was later stopped by a woman who said that she had often seen Edic enter and exit the flat with the dogs. Law believes that the dogs accepted Edic because he was a source of food and this gave him a boost in the social hierarchy of the dog pack. Unfortunately Law feels that Edic has a high risk of social vulnerability. Edic is now very trusting of humans. Later on, this could lead to a life threatening situation for Edic. Edic may not recognize someone as a sexual predator if he encountered one (Wild Child). Another more serious case was also discovered in the Ukraine. In the Ukrainian countryside Oxana Malaya was abandoned by her alcoholic parents. In an interview later on, Oxana said that her mother had thrown her out because she was hoping to have a boy. Oxana was three when she stumbled into the dog kennel near her house. She was breast fed by a female dog in the kennels and the rest of the dogs supplied her with food. Oxana lived with the dogs for five years. During this time she became more like a dog than a human. Oxana barked and clawed as though she were a dog. Although Oxana is now nineteen she still reverts back to these habits when she isn’t medicated. Oxana learned a few words and can speak in simple sentences, but she can never truly be normal because she is still more attached to dogs than people. Oxana currently lives in a mental hospital in the countryside far away from the real world. More cases of feral children turn up everyday in the war torn country of Uganda. Ugandans are currently fighting a bloody civil war. “President Yoweri Museveni does little to stop the Lord’s Resistance Army, which is responsible for the abduction of over 20,000 children for use as soldiers and sex slaves for officers” (Sheikh). In fact, Museveni amended the Ugandan constitution and then imprisoned his political opponent to win the upcoming elections (International: Going On and On; Uganda). Noah’s Ark provides shelter for children ages four to seventeen who make the treacherous two hour journey every morning to the safety of the military compounds across Uganda. The children are provided with tents at the compounds. The Lord’s Resistance Army is charged with rape, murdering innocent civilians, and mutilations (mostly the cutting off of ears and lips). President Yoweri Museveni proposed an amnesty agreement to supposedly end the civil war. Unfortunately the agreement allowed rebels to keep their weapons because Museveni did not wish to disarm his own guards. Thus, the civil war carries on still today (Sheikh). One of the first feral children to be captured in Uganda was a young boy named Robert. Robert was three when both of his parents were killed in the civil war. He had spent three years in the wild with green vervet monkeys when soldiers found him 1985. The monkeys attempted to protect Robert from the soldiers. Robert was taken to an orphanage. After two years in the orphanage Robert cannot speak or smile and only squats (FeralChildren.com). John Ssebunya is by far the most famous feral child of Uganda. John’s father killed his mother and then according to some stories hung himself afterward. After witnessing this terrible scene, John fled into the forests. Like Robert, John lived with green vervet monkeys. Doctor Debbie Cox explained that this is a key part of both boys’ stories. “Green vervet monkeys,” said Cox, “live in social groups and will accept and tolerate a lone individual of another species of monkey living alongside their group. Other monkeys will not do this  chimpanzees for example would simply eat a human child”. In a letter James Cutler (the producer and director of the BBC’s “The Boy who Lived with Monkeys”) expressed his and more of Cox’s views of John. John had lived in Kabonge, which is north of Kamala (the capital of Uganda). Cutler believes that John remained in the forest because he was terrified of his father, who had been an abusive alcoholic. John had no birth certificate when he was found, but he was probably four of five when he was found in 1989. Cutler also claims that John was malnourished and defecated parasitic worms that measured half a meter in length. John had also developed hypertrichosis. In other words, John was entirely covered with hair, which is typical of malnourished children. He lost this hair shortly after being captured. Ugandan’s have little appreciation for monkeys. Therefore, John has been isolated from monkeys as much as possible since his capture. Cox decided that John Ssebunya was not raised by monkeys. Cox said, “He lived alongside a group of green vervet monkeys who tolerated and accepted him as a peripheral member of the group but not a full member of the group with a place in the social hierarchy. John was unique in that he was able to interact and communicate with the monkeys”. According to Cox, John played with monkeys in ways that zoo keepers can’t even replicate after months of training. John is even more remarkable because he has learned to speak fluently. John is also a singer and he is currently touring with the Pearl of Africa Children’s Choir (FeralChildren.com). In conclusion, feral children are a growing issue. Although we may reintroduce them to society they can never be normal. We must make an attempt to improve living conditions across the globe in order to give every child an equal opportunity to grow up normal.

Dr. Marvin H. Rutherford

Bibliography

Burger, John R, and Lewis Gardner. Children of the Wild. New York: Julian Messner, 1978. Candland, Douglas K. “Feral Children”. Grolier Online Passport. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, 30 Nov, 2005 <http://go.grolier.com>. “International: Going On and On; Uganda”. ProQuest. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, 26 Nov, 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb/;did=932929811 &sid=I&Fmt=3&clientId=5739&RQT=309&VName=PQD>. “John Ssebunya, the Ugandan Monkey Boy”. FeralChildren.com. 1 Dec, 2005 <http://www.feralchildren.com/en/showchild.php?ch=ssebunya> Klomegah, Kester Kenn. ProQuest. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, 2 Dec, 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb/?did=909987881&sid=88&Fmt= 3&clientId=5739&RQT=309&VName=PQD>. “Oxana Malaya, the Ukrainian Dog Girl”. FeralChildren.com. 26 Nov, 2005 <http://www.feralchildren.com/en/showchild.phop?ch=oxana> “Robert, a Monkey Boy from Uganda”. FeralChildren.com. 1 Dec, 2005 <http://www.feralchildren.com/en/showchild.php?ch=robert>. Sheikh, Fawzia. “Uganda: Children Sent to Cities to Escape Army’s Abductions”. ProQuest. Mar 28, 2005. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, 2 Dec, 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb/?index=0&did=813517821 &SrchMode=1&sid=6&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1134093093&clientId=5739>.

Steintrager, James A. “Humanity Gone Wild”. ProQuest. Summer 2005. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, 29 Nov. 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/ pqdweb/?index=9&did=875321051&SrchMode=1&sid=7&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1134093410&clientId=5739>. Weir, Fred. “In TV 'town meeting,' Putin tips populist hand ; Poverty and services were the focus of the Russian chief's three- hour marathon.; [ALL Edition]”. ProQuest. 28 Sep, 2005. Madison Oneida School Library System, Ny, Christian Science Monitor. 2 Dec, 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb/?index=7&did= 903130411&SrchMode=1&sid=9&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1134093634&clientId=5739>. “Wild Child”. Television Program. Sliver Spring: Discovery Channel, 3 Dec, 2005.

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