Hello friends!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it is also
Down Syndrome Awareness Month. You may not know me, but my name is Everleigh
Gilbert and I have Down syndrome. My mom made up this little fact sheet for
you! I am currently in the infant room, but should be moving up to the toddler
room soon.
·
-Down syndrome is medically called Trisomy 21. It
is a third copy of the 21st chromosome. Although the chances of
having a child with Down syndrome increases with maternal age, 80% of people
with Down syndrome are born to mothers under 35
·
-John Langdon Down was the man who characterized
the condition, but he did not have Down Syndrome, and therefore there is no
apostrophe in the name (such as Parkinson’s or Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
·
-There are 3 types of Down syndrome;
non-disjunction, mosaic, and translocation.
·
Mosaic and translocation are more “rare” and can
be genetically passed down. Non-disjunction is the most common kind and does
not have a genetic link. 90% of people with Ds have non-disjunction, just like
me!
·
-People with Down syndrome are more alike than
different.
o
We like to run and play.
o
We like to colour and read.
o
We like to sing, dance, jump etc.
o
We can attend and graduate from high school and
college.
o
We can have a successful career.
o
We can fall in love and get married.
·
-People with Ds can do most (if not all) the same
things you can do, it just may take them a little longer to do things like sit
up, walk, talk, write, read etc. They will learn to do it on their own time.
·
-People with Ds have a higher probability of
being born with heart defects, gastrointestinal problems, eye problems etc. But
with advancing medical care, we are able to live almost as long as a typical
person.
·
-Fundraising efforts called Buddy Walks are held
all over the world, and all monies raised go towards the local region where it
is held, with a portion going back to the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.
·
-Although the word ‘retarded’ is still used in
medical terminology, it is no longer socially acceptable to use as a synonym
for stupid, silly, etc.
·
-Spread the Word to End the Word is
(www.r-word.org) is a website with an online pledge, and lots of information on
how using this word affects people and families dealing with a disability.
