The guide is intended to help parents talk to their retarded child about sex and to answer the child's sex-related questions. The term sex education is interpreted to cover all areas having to do with human sexuality, including attitudes, feelings, behavior, and relating to oneself and others. The position is taken that the better informed a child is, the fewer sexual problems he will have. Information is intended to help parents prepare their child to develop into an adult able to respond to love and affection when and where appropriate, whose sexuality is adjusted to his limitations. Topics covered include what parents should tell their children and how, preparation for puberty, masturbation, dating, sexual intercourse, venereal disease, birth control, abortion, marriage, and desire to have children. (KW)