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Down Syndrome - What Is It
 Although our children don't have Down Syndrome, I have associated with several families whose children have Down Syndrome, through both Special Olympics and my work at a sheltered workshop. These children have ranged in age from birth all the way up to adulthood. Even though their children don’t have the same diagnoses that our children have, we have found that these parents share the same feelings and concerns that we have. Talking with them, dealing with them, even counseling with them, I believe that we have been able to give them hope and encouragement they have needed to live more fulfilling lives.
"A Portrait of Down Syndrome Today"from the What's up with Downs? website
People who have Down syndrome live with their families or in the community, go to school, hold jobs, they have hobbies, have friends, love their families and have families who love them, they fight with their brothers and sisters and don't always listen to their parents, they have feelings and they have dreams! Today, people who have Down syndrome are leading happy, fulfilling, productive lives.
A Portrait of Hope
Because of inaccurate information in medical texts, health care professionals were led to to believe that the prospects for a baby with Down syndrome were bleak. Unless they saw patients with Down syndrome in their practice, they were unaware of the range of abilities and accomplishments of which people with Down syndrome are capable. Because of this, many new parents were advised to place their baby in an institution and try again. Little did parents who took this advice realize how much they would miss. Little did the doctors who gave it know what they were taking away.
Does My Child Really Have Down Syndrome?
Down Syndrome is a chromosome abnormality resulting in mental retardation and other abnormalities. It is sometimes referred to as Mongolism.
In most cases, Down syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome 21. Downs children have a widely recognized characteristic appearance. The head may be smaller than normal and abnormally shaped. Prominent facial features include a flattened nose, protruding tongue, and upward slanting eyes. The inner corner of the eyes may have a rounded fold of skin rather than coming to a point. The hands are short and broad with short fingers and often have a single palmar crease. Retardation of normal growth and development is typical and most affected children never reach average adult height. The average mental age achieved is 8 years old.
Symptoms include:
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