Counseling approaches for parents of young retarded children are reviewed. Guidelines are suggested for helping parents as they proceed through stages of protective denial (in which they need clear information about retardation), expectations of a cure (in which their attempts to further the child's development must be realistically balanced), verbalization without actual feeling, a period of mourning (in which they acknowledge the difference between the child they wished for and do not have), anger, and the final stage of coming to terms with the tragedy and using their energies positively. Counseling goals are seen to include giving parents initial support, encouraging realistic expectations, and providing specific child rearing methods which take into account their own needs and the needs of their other children. (CL)