Have you ever met a Downe's Syndrome child?
By ctrymuziklvr
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
United States
September 28, 2007 7:19am CST
My granddaughter is 14 years old and has Downe's Syndrome. She has been the best thing that ever happened to our family no doubt about it! When she was an infant she had more of the characterics than she does now. You woulnd't know she was a Downe's kid just to look at her. In fact she looks very much like my daughter. She even had all the usual problems as an infant and has none now. At just two weeks old she had surgery because she wss born with a hole in her heart. At 14 her mentality is that of a 9 or 10 year old and she seems to be "catching" up to her age more and more every year. She's a petite little thing which is not like most Downe's kids and we're happy about that because being bigger would cause her to have more medical problems. She is the most loving child I have ever come in contact with and I always look forward to being with her. I have her with me a lot of weekends and we enjoy that so much!
I also have a niece who has Downe's Syndrome and she is the total opposite of my granddaughter. She has all the facial features, is a lot bigger and has a lot of medical problems.
Have you ever met or come into contact with a Downe's child or adult? Do you treat them any differently than any other person?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@raychill (6525)
• United States
28 Sep 07
My cousin has Down Syndrome. He's related only by marriage. I saw him more when I was younger than I ever do now. I'd imagine he's in his mid thirties, but he has the mentality of a 6 year old. His mother (my uncle's wife) babied him his entire life. She took him out of school. He was in the special olympics one year and then she wouldn't let him do it again. She never really gave him the chance to learn and I always thought that was sad. Sure he's got a medical problem and he'll never be the smartest, but people with Down Syndrome can certainly function on their own.
I've also participated in the special olympics myself, well I helped out rather. When they do the Polar Bear Plunge in my state.
When I was in middle school, since I was in the gifted and talented (read:smart) classes they always had us interact with the special ed kids. Their teacher was always so mean to them and it always just made me sad to see that. Just because a child has a medical deficiancy doesn't mean they can't still be an amazing human being. Kids, "Special" or not are actually some of the smartest people in the world I think, because they're so innocent in their thoughts and it's nice that the "special" ones can stay that way.
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Sep 07
My granddaughter participates in the Special Olympics every summer. Because she's double jointed she's awesome at gymnastics and has been taking classes since she was 3. My daughter and I always volunteer to help and we both enjoy it...especially when my granddaughter gets medals and ribbons. We are always so proud of her as she is of herself.
@raychill (6525)
• United States
29 Sep 07
That's awesome. It really is amazing what some of these kids can do in the special olympics. You should never doubt anyones ability to be something great no matter what is wrong with them.
I wish your granddaughter lots of luck in all future special olympics. It would have been nice to see my own cousin continue in his pursuit.
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
28 Sep 07
I have a high school classmate back then, who has a brother that have Downe's Syndrome also. We don't treat him different, since he knows some sports we play and is also good in playing it. Whenever we go to our classmate's house, we play basketball and we always include his brother on the team. Believe it or not, the kid knows how to shoot and is more accurate in putting the ball in the basket than most of us!;)
Some families who have kids with these condition, treat their child "special." We also consider them "lucky" because they do bring goodluck to the family, they are always treated as the same as those normal ones..
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Sep 07
A lot of these kids do excel in sports and I think it's great. We never treated my granddaughter as if she was "special" except in the way that she is very special to us.
@sylvia13 (1850)
• Nelson Bay, Australia
28 Sep 07
One only sees them on the street, but I have personally never met any Down Syndrome child or adult. I believe that they have good feelings and that reminds me of the time a Down's youngster tried to help me bring my son's pram into the tram, when nobody else offered to be of help. Despite his limitations, this young boy still thought of others and volunteered to help!
2 people like this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
28 Sep 07
I've never come into contact with one. I've seen a child that had in it a crowd before but I've never known one. I wouldn't treat them any differently. I would probably be a little nervous I would do something wrong, but I wouldn't think anything bad or wrong about them. I think you sound like an incredible grandmother. I love to see/hear grandparents that really love their grandkids. My inlaws aren't like that. They rarely watch my kids or even see them. Now they have started to show interest in my daughter since shes older. Now my parents on the other hand babysit my kids overnight like once a month. They can't go a week without seeing them. If they are going on a trip for a couple of days they have to stop and see the kids before they leave. Enjoy your grandkids.
1 person likes this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Sep 07
My daughters in laws never see the kids and have no idea how awesome my granddaughter is. For some reason there always seems to be one set of grandparents who aren't as involved with the grandkids as the other. Yes, I totally enjoy my grandkids. I enjoy them more than I did my own kids...lol...
@cynddvs (2948)
• United States
28 Sep 07
I have a pretty good friend who has a little girl with downe syndrome. Her daughter is almost 3 years old and she such a sweet little girl. She has a really mild case but it has still caused so minor problems. They have to go through therapy a lot. Right now she is learning sign language since she can't speak like a "normal" child her age. And she is a little small for her age. But she plays just like any other child. Her and my 2 year old daughter love playing together.
I think it's great that your granddaughter sounds like she is well adjusted and catching up with other kids her age. And it's great that you are spending so much time with her. I'm sure she really loves that.
1 person likes this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Sep 07
Yes, my granddaughter loves playing with other kids and especially loves babies. At one point we thought she was going to need to learn sign language and my daughter and I took classes. It ended up that she started talking and didn't need it.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
28 Sep 07
I had a friend many years ago, ctry, who had a granddaughter born with Downe's Syndrome. She was a very pretty child who seemed to be quite pleasant. I lost touch with the friend many years later, so I don't know what eventually happened to this child, but I assume she went on to become an adult. I have come into contact with others who have Downe's over the years, and they seem about as normal as everyone else. Some are easily recognizable; others are not. I always react to people with disabilities in the same way that I would anyone else. I don't think it would be much fun to be singled out because you have a disability. I think it's great that your granddaughter is able to live a relatively normal life with her condition.
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
28 Sep 07
It's amazing how even some adults will treat disable children badly. When Vicky was an infant I had more than one arguement with people who would say stupid things about her.
@arriannan (169)
• United States
29 Sep 07
I have a cousin with down syndrom. He is the most wonderful person ever. I wouldn't say that I treat him any different, I do enjoy his company more than other's thought. He is a lot nicer and easier to be around.
1 person likes this
@toyboxer04 (353)
• Malta
6 Jan 08
Even though this discussion is quite old I just couldn't go by and not reply. I have a nephew with Downe Syndrome. He is 5. He does very well at school. It's just now that he is begginning to look different where mentality is concerned. For example last week they went on a school outing by bus, and he slept in the bus when all the other children were so exited watching this and that.
He is the cutest of the cutest downe's boys I ever met. His ways are simply lovable. We do not treat him any different except of course when talking to him you must make sure that he understood. Sometimes they can be very hard headed but with the proper talk I always got him where I wanted. I wish I can show you a picture of him!
1 person likes this
@spiderlizard22 (3444)
• United States
28 Sep 07
In matter of fact I have. I not only saw a child with down syndrome but I also saw a toddler with down syndrome. I also notice that some kids with downe syndrome are treated cruality by other kids. One kid even mock how the kid with downe syndrome looks like Jabba the Hutt. I didn't exactly have a conversion with the kid because he was far away from me and in a place where by the time I get there he would be gone. The toddler couldn't talk yet.
@laurika (4532)
• United States
29 Sep 07
Yes I came into a contact with child with Downe's syndrome.And I think they are such a lovely kids.I love how happy are they all the time and how easy is for them to give you a love.They are so cute, they would hug you and kiss you, they are just so natural.
When I first met with a kid like that, I was at first hesitate how to treat them, but later I find out there just as a other kids and we shoudl treat them same way.
