Down syndrome is a genetic disorder resulting in a third chromosome instead of a pair on the 21st chromosome. Chromosomes are small pairs of genes in the body. This genetic code determines how a person’s body forms and functions as it grows during pregnancy and after birth. With Down syndrome often there are speech, intellectual, and motor fine motor delays. As well as impaired eyesight or hearing.
It is said by many that people living with Down syndrome are always “happy”. This is true from a mother of a beautiful, kind, and funny 4-year-old who just so happens to have 47 chromosomes.
You could say it’s like an inherent talent of tuning out the negative. This is so refreshing and something I think the rest of us could learn from.
Happiness aside people living with Down syndrome are so much more! Kind, funny, empathetic, charismatic, thoughtful, smart, and so much more!
The theme for this years World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is ““With Us Not For Us”
See the following below quoted from www.worlddownsyndromeday.org :
“The message of “With Us Not For Us” is key to a human rights-based approach to disability.
DSi is committed to moving on from the outdated charity model of disability, where people with disability were treated as objects of charity, deserving of pity and relying on others for support.
A human rights-based approach views people with disabilities as having the right to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities as everyone else, working With others to improve their lives.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for everyone to have the freedom to make their own choices.
But people with Down syndrome often have poor or controlling support. Often their supporters do things For them, not With them.”
It is refreshing that inclusion is happening more often now than it ever was. For example, Google has asked for people who have Down syndrome to volunteer their voice so that the voice recognition software can better interpret their voices. This is incredible, it not only facilitates inclusion but also independence! I know most of us with 46 chromosomes wouldn’t survive without our smart phones. So why should those with 47chromosomes get treated any differently?
The Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation raises money to in order to supply children with disabilities opportunities that other children have. For example, bikes with special adjustments etc. to accommodate children so they can be active and play independently. They also supply learning tablets ( Ipads) to help facilitate communication. They simply tap the object or point to what they would like to get across. This repetition helps dramatically to learn language. Not only does it help with learning speech it facilitates their communication with others. Thus facilitating independence.
Companies are hiring more people living with Down syndrome more then ever before!
If you would like to get more involved and SPEAK UP WITH US. Please visit the www.worlddownsyndromeday.org and sign up to hear from the WDSD team. They will let you know what you need to do to advocate!
The world would be a much better place if everyone supported inclusion! #seetheabilitynothedisability #differentisbeautiful