To think you don't see many people with Down's syndrome anymore?

[Neonoen]

When I was a school there was a boy with downs syndome in my class. At secondary there was the first boy and then another one too.

I worked with a man with Downs syndrome at my first job (he taught me how to use the photocopier the first day after I wasted a whole reem of paper ). At the same time there was a woman who travelled on the same bus as me with Down syndrome and another who worked in McDonald's.

Yesterday on the TV they were interviewing that man who has the lead role in a new film (he has downs). DS asked why he spoke like that, I explained and then realised none of my children know what Down's syndrome is or have ever encountered anybody with it. There's no children with downs in their schools, no families with any members who have downs and no businesses that I can think of who employ anybody locally with Down's syndrome.

Other than the SN session at the local pool, I can't remember when I last encountered anybody with downs.

Is it just me? Is it a result of advanced ante natal testing?

In fact thinking of it I'm surprised at the lack of any experience my DC have of people with disabilities.

I really don't want to offend with this and hope I've used the correct terminology.

I get where you're coming from OP.
I haven't come across anybody with Downs Syndrome recently, now I come to think about it.
It's something I haven't thought about, but now you mention it. You're right.

Youngest person I know with DS is 16. She was a very social bubbly child. We see less of her now, she struggles with social interaction.

As a proportion of the SN population, the number of children with DS is decreasing. Sadly, I think mainly because the vast majority of the children in special schools have conditions you can't screen for prior to birth. Yet some of them are far more profoundly disabled than the children I know with DS. So it is a complex subject.

I'm 36 weeks pregnant with a baby with downs (and a linked heart problem). Receiving the news, I realised I didn't know anyone with, or a family member with, downs syndrome.

There are plenty of kids with DS on cbeebies though, on My Family and Something Special. Which has been positive in helping dd to prepare.

The Sally Philips documentary was interesting, but very biased and her son is clearly on the more mild end of learning and health difficulties.

I only realised I realised that the DC couldn't recognise somebody with DS. As children we could, but can this generation of children? We don't watch live tv, mostly on demand so they haven't seen any of the CBeebies stuff. I'll check it out although the eldest are way past that stage now.

SP is not a typical mother with a child with SN (many who have to give up employment to be a full time carer) and her son is fortunate not to have any health issues. It would have been more balanced if she had interviewed a family with a child who was on the other end of the spectrum of her son, who were on the breadline as a result of having to give up work and run ragged with frequent hospital appointments.

But that would have just perpetuated the myth that it is all like that, stressful and sad and awful. It's not. I'm no tv celeb, I work full time, we aren't run ragged with appointments. Of the families I know with DS most mums work, and cope with any extra appointments.

I find this really sad. I identified with the sally Phillips doc, when I was pregnant my lo was diagnosed with a condition that they strongly recommend termination for as the survival rates and long term issues are hefty. I chose not to, my lo is perfect, a few issues due to her condition but meeting her milestones no bother. As it happens I know loads of children and young people with DS, but I teach SEN and used to be a care worker and that's where I've gotten to know most of them.

It may have been due to editing but the mother who was interviewed that terminated her baby with DS seemed so matter of fact about it.

Should she have been wailing, gnashing her teeth and beating herself up?! Often the easiest way to cope with a potentially difficult choice or situation is to be matter of fact.

My friend has a relative with ds, they said he would only live a few months, then when he made it to a few months said he would probably make it to 3yrs at the most.

His now in his 30s and doing fine. It's amazing how things have changed for ds from 30 years ago when they really had no clue about the condition.

It is a thought provoking thread.

I know one adult woman with Down's syndrome- I think she's early 30's, she's the sister of a woman I know locally so sometimes stays with her sister to give her parents a break, and friends of DH in Ireland have a boy with Down's syndrome. I haven't met any children with downs in England and I've met hundreds of children since having my 2 dcs.

Oh I also see a lovely man with ds usually weekly on the school run, I think he volunteers at a local cafe in a community centre or goes to a club there. He always asks how I am and what I'm up to, his absolutely lovely.

I've seen him trying to say hello to other parents with their children before and they have completely blanked him. Brilliant example they were setting to their kids.

There are 2 girls with ds in my dd2's year (mainstream).

But there Are many children with learning disabilities just not downs. And Children with autism. Surely you don't have to look very hard or very far to find some people with learning disabilities... I am attuned as my ds has a syndrome which is not down syndrome but frankly there are people with ld all around...
I am sure you can find some in ypur dc school just ask the senco how many are on her caseload... it's nice you want your dc to be aware but remember some won't "look" disabled...
Fewer people with down syndrome has not cut out lds...
..

Partly ante natal testing and partly the massive change in our labour market, I'd have thought.

Since we pooled our labour supply with the EU, one of the less positive effects has been that those who are 'marginal' in the lower part of the jobs market are less likely to get taken on.

I've reregistered to introduce you to my son. He has Down's Syndrome, he is nearly seven, he is adored by family and friends and fully included in his school community.

I'm not really sure what I want to say really, so much but sometimes the audience here on MN feels all wrong and it's difficult to be heard. Not this thread, so far... But we've had so many posts lately where posters don't seem able to understand the lives of people with disabilities...my son is just like your sons

I'm not really sure what I want to say really,

No, you just wanted to show off your handsome boy

I only know one person with Down's, my gorgeous 7 mth old niece. Early intervention activities to support her started when she was very young. Her health is great and at three months, she had met and exceeded the milestones of a baby without Down's. We don't know what the future holds for her but that applies to all of us and all our children. As someone remarked, GOSH is not full of kids with Down's. Ill health can happen to anyone. Our world is brighter for having her. I occasionally see people with Down's but not very often. Probably as often as I see someone with Dwarfism. My niece was born in Ireland. I'm not sure what screening my sister had apart from scans but she did not know baby had Down's so was unexpected and has been hard for her.

I know two children with DS. One is in my DC class at school the other lives in the next village. I'm glad my DC learn that we are not all the same.

Yes!
He isn't an idea of a life that's too much to handle (for us, I am pro choice). He loves life, he has a zest for everything that encourages all of us in the family. He is a happy, chap; he reads, he does maths, he loves sport and PE. He's great at art, he's a fabulous brother, a good friend and a splendid son!

Perspective21 what a beautiful big smile he has! His happiness really shines through him doesn't it. Absolutely beautiful photos.

Have you considered it's because many people have a reduced life expectancy with Down's syndrome so as you've got older the number of people the same age as you has reduced? Ie you might go to school with some people with Down's but at the age of 40 you really are less likely to come across them in your day to day life because you probably associate with people of a similar age.

But yes I agree, in more catholic countries you see more people with Down's. However abortion aside this is also because contraception is used less, and the older you get te higher your chances of having a child with Down's.

Op, and others, is the subtext that 'more people are terminating pregnancies identified as DS, and we feel that's wrong/sad/a shame'?

I have two extended family members (not related to each other) with down syndrome and they would be at a reasonably similar point on the spectrum. Both have significant learning difficulties and could never live independently, but both work and have good social lives. Their immediate families treat them very differently though, one having far more independence than the other, going to respite, taking long haul flights alone, etc. The other has been very much sheltered all his life.

In terms of my dc, there is a child with down syndrome in dd's school and another in ds's nursery.

Agatha, you are choosing to be rather misleading too...

"According to statistics given in Icelandic parliament last winter, all pregnancies during the period 2008-2012, in which Down-Syndrome was diagnosed, were terminated" and that is apparently correct for the next 4 years as well.

I know three children with DS living in my area, and have come across other children and adults too. So in my experience, this isn't true.