Is That Extra Chromosome Heavy?


You'll have to pardon me while I step on this soapbox and get a few things off my chest. I've been mulling this over for quite a while now and I've decided to just say what I want to say and let the chips fall.

Down Syndrome is second only to Cerebral Palsy when it comes to birth defects and yet, it is still so misunderstood. For far too long people have been made to believe that Down Syndrome is something horrible that only happens to other people's kids. The truth is, one in every 500 to 800 babies born in the U.S. has Down Syndrome. In other words, you don't have to look too far to find a child or adult with Down Syndrome in your community.

So, as common as Down Syndrome is, why is it I'm still being confronted by perfectly intelligent people who think I must be either crazy or stupid to have so much hope for my daughter? These people have been so completely blinded by stereotypes and ignorance of this disorder that they can't conceive of anything positive coming out of these kids. It wouldn't take them long to research the facts about Down Syndrome and see that, thanks to medical advances and early intervention programs, these kids are making remarkable progress. Each generation of kids with Down Syndrome has more advantages than the last and the possbilities for people with Down Syndrome are many and far reaching.

You know what? I don't think raising my daughter with Down Syndrome is any more difficult than raising my daughter without Down Syndrome. It's just two different kinds of difficult, that's all. I know that may sound corny or cliche` but it's the absolute truth as I see it. It just so happens that I like my daughter just the way she is and I wouldn't change her even if given the chance.

Furthermore, I am thoroughly sick and tired of people who try to convince me that I'm the exception to the rule because I view Down Syndrome with a positive attitude. These people are completely convinced that there must be something wrong with me because most of the books about Down Syndrome paint such a bleak picture and either I haven't read them or I must be in denial. They absolutely cannot fathom the idea that a mother would hold a child with special needs in such high esteem and further, have such high aspirations for her. Obviously there must be something wrong with me, right?

The copyright of the article Is That Extra Chromosome Heavy? in Parenting: Down Syndrome is owned by Rachael Smith. Permission to republish Is That Extra Chromosome Heavy? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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