People With Down Syndrome Are Not Severely Handicapped

babies with Down syndrome

Julie is like many other 21-year-old women; she works at a restaurant, she plays soccer and swims competitively, she talks to her friends on the phone every night, she watches "Friends," she attends college, she enjoys art and music, and is planning to move out on her own soon. What makes Julie different is that she's one of the 800 people with Down syndrome in Canada. As a baby, Julie had heart surgery to repair a hole and ear surgery to widen her ear canals so she could hear. She came down with pneumonia and the common cold often and times were far from easy. Despite it all, Julie's mother Nette said if given the opportunity, she'd tell other mothers who've received a Down syndrome diagnosis for their babies, "You've got a rough road ahead, but it's worth every minute of your time."

People who are afflicted with Down syndrome encounter many physical challenges that others do not. Their motor skill development is slow, so they will learn to breastfeed, roll over, walk and talk, as well as teeth later than other children their age. This can be frustrating for both the Down syndrome child and the parents who are repeatedly confronted with their own mistaken expectations. Another physical risk is, of course, the associated health problems. Many babies with Down syndrome undergo heart, ear and eye surgeries before one year of age. There are later risks of epilepsy, obesity, heart disease, ear infections, thyroid disease, throat infections, pneumonia and osteoarthritis.

During school age, people with Down syndrome need constant attention and intervention in their daily tasks. Children with the disability will require the constant attention that a Down syndrome baby receives until they are typically six years of age. However, as the child ages, he or she will learn to understand more about the physical, mental and emotional changes that are taking place. Motor skills are still a challenge during these years since sudden growth spurts make the Down syndrome child feel like a stranger in his or her own body at times. As puberty hits, they will need to be taught how to care for themselves and the changes they are undergoing.

The National Down Syndrome Society website, at www.ndss.org, offers state-by-state resources for people with Down syndrome and their parents. Whether it's placement for educational services, enrichment programs, a weekly Down syndrome support group, links to occupational therapists or help finding a specialized, trusted doctor, this site has it all. While it may take those with Down syndrome a little bit longer to reach their milestones, it will be much more appreciated and celebrated. Perhaps they know something about life based on their experiences that the rest of the world forgets to slow down and consider.