October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. My son, Nick is 26 years old and has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (DS-ASD). As a parent, writer and advocate, I strive to educate others to better understand more about Down syndrome and autism. Down syndrome awareness is about promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion of all individuals with Down syndrome.
FACTS about Down syndrome from National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS):
*Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.
*There are three types of Down syndrome: trisomy 21 (nondisjunction) accounts for 95 percent of cases, translocation accounts for about 4 percent and mosaicism accounts for about 1 percent.
*Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome.
*There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States.
*Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels.
*The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80 percent of children with Down syndrome are born to women younger than 35.
*People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer’s disease, childhood leukemia and thyroid conditions. Many of these conditions are now treatable, so most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives.
*A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees or not at all.
*Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades — from 25 years old in 1983 to 60 years old today.
*People with Down syndrome attend school, work and participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways.
*All people with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays, but the effect is usually mild to moderate and is not indicative of the many strengths and talents that each individual possesses.
*Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.
More information @ http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/
Here are a few simple ways to promote Down syndrome awareness:
*Post information and stories about individuals with Down syndrome on your social media platforms.
*If you are a parent of a child with Down syndrome, send updates, pictures and tell your story to your family doctor and OB/GYN. Consider becoming a Hope Advocate- where you will get a custom hope kit to distribute to your OB/GYN and family doctor. More information @ https://hopestory.org/sign-up/
*Many local Down syndrome support groups have promotional materials, like books and bookmarks that can be distributed at libraries and schools.
*Down syndrome support groups have public speakers available to talk with schools, businesses, community groups, hospitals, and other organizations.
*Support or volunteer for local fundraisers like the Buddy Walk in your community @ https://www.ndss.org/play/national-buddy-walk-program/ . This month The Down Syndrome-Autism Connection is doing a 3-2-1 Caring and Sharing fundraiser to directly help families navigating a dual diagnosis. I will be posting more about this on social media. Find out more about this awesome support group @ http://www.ds-asd-connection.org/
*Encourage your kids to volunteer for Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs through their school.
*Always use and promote “people first language” to respectively speak about a person with a disability. Individuals with Down syndrome should always be referred to as people first. Instead of “a Down syndrome child,” it should be “a child with Down syndrome.” Also avoid “Down’s child” and describing the condition as “Down’s,” as in, “He has Down’s.”
My book A New Course: A Mother’s Journey Navigating Down Syndrome and Autism is helping so many readers understand both Down syndrome and a co-occurring Down syndrome and autism (DS-ASD). It’s available on Amazon, plus there are share buttons you can utilize for social media to help spread awareness. Order and share @ https://amzn.to/2W3Un6X You can also order my book on other platforms and read chapter one for FREE @ http://www.teresaunnerstall.com. I appreciate the 70+ awesome five star Amazon reviews. Your support and sharing A New Course on your social media sites is spreading great awareness and understanding. I will be doing some more giveaways this month for everyone who shares my book on social media!
Thank you for supporting Down syndrome awareness this month! That’s what is in my noggin this week.
~Teresa 🙂
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Down Syndrome with a Slice of Autism 