New Era, New Worry

I understand the concerns many of the people on here are discussing, regarding their children with downs, however it seems to me that many of these people would like there to be more people with downs so that their children aren't forgotten and view their downs child as a gift. However, can you honestly say that if there was a medical treatment to cure downs then you wouldn't utilize it?

My Down's Syndrome daughter is 31. She is happy, outgoing and socially "appropriate". Her manners are impecable. She can read, write and do figures. She loves music, has a great sense of humor and radiates love. She has an inner beauty that most "normal" adults do not have. She worked for several years in a cafe and joined their groups on their retreats, one time a cruise another a train trip to San Diego. She is self sufficient. How sad that the general populace and the medical profession can't see the gift that these individuals truly are in this society.

When our daughter was born with Down's 24 years ago, my gynecologist also suggested we 1) let her starve (he said it would be kinder) 2) give her up for adoption (our marriage would not survive) and that she would be a "pet" if we decided to keep her, incapable of fending for herself, hopelessly retarded.

Since then, I've seen doctors at their worst: the psychiatrist who told me we were in denial because (when he saw her at the age of 8), we hadn't placed her in an institution. Then there was the pediatrician (who claimed to be an expert in Down Syndrome) who told us people with DS "are only happy among themselves" (i.e. put her in an institution). The doctor I took her to for a check-up who didn't want to touch her (DS is not contagious).

Our daughter's fine. She's happy, she's independent, she reads, writes, does maths, has friends and has held down a job as a classroom assistant in a primary school for the past 6 years.

My husband and I are still married.

Down syndrome it´s one of the most popular inside this type of disease, but there are other´s with more harder to takle and almost unkwon betwenn our colleagues. It´s a shame for me, the way the former pediatrician behave, but it is a painfull truth. Ten year´s ago begginin my medical practice I maded the same mistakes, With the growing experience (as a father of a little angel with Rett´s Syndrome) , finally became a better pediatrician. People don´t have a clue of how hard it is sometimes, and worts in my beloved third world country. Maybe going back to teach how to treat persons and not just diseases o cases could help. With time some of us, learn.