Feral Children Case Studies
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Isolated Children

    While some children are taken into packs with animals, some are left in the wild to fend for themselves.
Those that are completly alone, fight other wild life, have no social contacts and are considered Isolated Feral Children.

Victor, the Wild Boy of Aveyron

The most well known story of a child raised in isolation is from way back in France 1799 and is the story of Victor, the Wild Boy of Aveyron. He was taken in to a woman’s care for about one week; he then escaped back to the woods and was not discovered again until he came out of the forest in 1800. He was twelve years old and he could not speak at all, he had scars covering most of his body. Even though he could hear he was taken to the National Institute for the Deaf, he was given to the care of Jean-Marc Itard. Itard wanted to be the first person to fully civilize a wild child and tried teach Victor to speak. Victor did learn to speak and read a few words he eventually slowed down in his progress and Itard grew tired of waiting and quit helping him. Victor died in 1828 in Paris at the age of 40.

Sudam Pradhana

When Sudam Pradhana was thirteen years old he disappeared from his village, family and friends. He was found eleven years later on the outskirts of his village. He was dirty and scarred and he had lost his power of speech. He was from the village of Bargania in Orissa, India. It is believed that he may have managed to live alone for most of the time, but that he may have had help from the nomadic Mallar tribe that lived throughout the forest where Pradhana was found.

Feral children case studies
Created by Krissi Place Mpsmks2@aol.com
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last modified on November 14, 2004

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