A Downs question

[Elvis]

Thanks to all those who answered my last thread! A follow on question now.

My friend had a little boy last week who has Downs. In order to support her, I want to find out much as I can.

Her baby is feeding well (I know this can be a problem due to lack of tongue control?) and his heart is fine.

Are there degrees of Downs? I thought not as due to the extra chromosone you either have it or not. Obviously all children are individuals, but are some affected more than others? Not sure if that makes sense.

.

bump for you

cool name

Elvis I have no experience of Downs and hopefully someone who does will be along shortly. But meanwhile have a look at The Down's Syndrome Association which might answer some of your questions.

I think and could be completely wrong, that with most of these types of conditions there is a spectrum of how much an individual child is affected. You are a lovely friend trying to understand, I'm sure it will mean a lot to her.

yes there are degrees of downs as there are with many chromosome disorders, so some are less affected.

there are various websites with info - i'd google if i were you - which would prob have links to local groups

Congratulations to your friend.

Each child with Down's syndrome is diffrent and you don't know how they are going to be as people until later in life, there is no way of telling.

There is so much awareness and support around now that ther is no reason that everyone born with DS cannot reach his or her full potential. Most people with DS are able to live semi-independently, go to mainstream school, pass GCSE's, hold down jobs and so on.

SN's is full of wonderful stories but I've stopped being surprised by them as I now think, well yeah, why not.

Why can't someone with Down's syndrome, be an artist, in a band, a teaching assistant, an actress, a TV presenter. And I know people with DS who do all these things btw.

I hope he continues to amaze you all, I'm certain he will and make you all very, very proud

You're all very lucky to have him in your lives, but I'm sure you all know that already

Down syndrome can have a number of health issues that can impact on the overall development of children. EG - my dd1 has a heart defect - no biggy - just required open heart surgery - now heart as good as new. As you have said - his heart is fine - a biggy - as 2/3rds of children with ds can have heart conditions - he is feeding well - also a nother fab thing.

There is a spectrum of how people can be affected by this condition BUT generally with early intervention - as tc says - there is so much that people with ds can achieve and are achieving. Eg a young man on the European continent - sorry can't remember exact country recently gained a masters degree.

By and large people with down syndrome are able to live with some degree of independence. It is hard to say - only the future will tell how far that can be achieved through early intervention as the push for that is relatively new - last 10 years especially - perhaps a bit beyond that.

Having said that - any child is ablank canvas so to speak and we don't know their full potential at birth -w e jsut work hard to equip them and see what develops.