Features

Hi, Sean here.

 

As you should know children with Down Syndrome have common facial features.

This features include:

 

Small ears

Small hands and Feet

Short in height

Flattened face

Flattened nose

Short Neck

A tongue that is almost always sticking out of their mouth

The most common feature is their eyes as they are almond in shape.

 

By reading these features on paper you may think that is some ugly baby. Well personally I find the features to be quite calm, soothing and cute.

 

There is a song which is sung by Luke Jones, and can be found on his album "The best of Luke Kelly". The song is called "Scorn not his simplicity."






See the child
With the golden hair
Yet eyes that show the emptiness inside
Do we know
Can we understand just how he feels
Or have we really tried
See him now
As he stands alone
And watches children play at children's games
Simple child
He looks almost like the others
Yet they know he's not the same
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no
See him stare
Not recognizing that kind face
That only yesterday he loved
The loving face
Of a mother who can't understand what she's been guilty of
How she cried tears of happiness
The day the doctor told her it's a boy
Now she cries tears of helplessness
And thinks of all the things he can't enjoy
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no
Only he knows how to face the future hopefully
Surrounded by despair
He won't ask for your pity or your sympathy
But surely you should care
Scorn not his simplicity
But rather try to love him all the more
Scorn not his simplicity
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no



I got this from http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/luke_kelly/scorn_not_his_simplicity-lyrics-1152743.html#ixzz3GyfnTbRT

                    
                         

inspirational kid

Hi, Sean here.

Guys I find this story unbelievably inspirational and also gives me hope for equality for those who have Down syndrome, you must watch, let this also help you get through the spots where you doubt yourself.

Got this from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI1K6x5CBEU

Down Syndrome Ireland

Hi, Sean here.

For this blog, I am going to discuss an organization that aims to support families and people with Down syndrome.

This organisation is Down Syndrome Ireland.

Down Syndrome Ireland has 3,500 members through their national teams and through their 25 local branches which are nationwide. Down Syndrome Ireland is completely voluntary, and all of the money they receive is from fundraising events and donations.

The aims of D.S.I are to improve the lives of those with Down syndrome, and helping them to achieve their potential. They also aim to make proper educational facilities available to children with D.S, they aim tom promote the research into the causes of D.S, they provide multiple forums where parents and other family members or guardians can come together to and discuss different views and opinions. However their main aim is “integration of people with D.S into the community with full citizen’s rights as laid down in European directives and the United States charter.” (Quoted from the D.S.I website)

D.S.I began in 1971 and is now the biggest single group concerned with the welfare of people with a learning disability in Ireland.

D.S.I has many local branch networks that are made available to those affected by Down syndrome. They help make people aware of what Down syndrome is like, I myself have attended events held by D.S.I to help me understand what is like to live with D.S, by attending these I have gained a huge insight into what the life as person with D.S is like.

Please help these volunteers provide better aid to those who need it.

 

Sean.

Photo from http://specialedpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/baby-down-syndrome-face-boy-smiling-9.jpg

                                                             

 

How Does it Happen

Hi, Sean here,

This post is for those of you that don't know how a child can be born with Down Syndrome or how it can be developed in the womb.

In the simplest way, a child with Down Syndrome was born with an extra Chromosome. Chromosomes are what determines how the baby's body will form and function during pregnancy. A typical baby is born with 46 chromosomes, however a child with D.S is born with an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, the chromosome that is copied is known as chromosome 21. A medical term for having an extra chromosome is called "trisomy," this is why D.S children can be called "Trisomy 21."

It is because of this extra chromosome that the child may have physical and mental difficulties.

Hope this post was of assistance,
                   Sean.

What is a Down Syndrome?

Hi, Sean here,



Some of you may be wondering, wait what is down syndrome? if this is the case then this post is just for you!



Down Syndrome is condition that slows the learning time for an individual, for example if it takes you and I to the age of 2 to walk, it could take a child with Down syndrome to the age of 4. (depending)



This is the most commonly known affect of D.S but there is lots more such as :



Hearing problems
Eye problems
Bone, muscle or joint problems
Heart disease
Seizure disorders
Developmental delays
Can affect different the immune system.

Studies show that 66-88 percent of children with D.S have a hearing loss of greater than 15 to 20 decimals in a single ear.

Children born with D.S can have crossed eyes and in rare cases cataracts can form

Many children born with D.S have development delays which delays the development of joint and or muscle. which means that some children when born can be very weak and highly fragile. This also means that they do not have a huge amount of control of their excretion system, which may lead to constipation.



What can make it hard for the family of a new born child with D.S is the fact that when only born it is impossible for a doctor to know what the child's mental or physical capabilities are.

However every person is unique and so it is not a guarantee that these problems may arise and if they do how bad they can become.

I hope this post is of help to you,

                                                         Sean.

My opinion

Hi, Sean here.

Before I begin I would just like to say that people that have Down syndrome, are in fact people like you and I. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses, it is what makes us human. And it is my pet hate the term “retarded” or the slag “what are you, Down syndrome?” People behave like having Down syndrome is a terrible disease, which destroys your life and stops you from achieving life’s goals. It really isn’t. When I see a man or woman with Down syndrome walking on the street or working in a shop, I can’t help but smile because these people manage to prove everybody’s expectations wrong.

I asked some friends what they thought down syndrome would do people, the most common response I received was, “that it makes you a little stupid”, and “due to how stupid they are, they will never be able to take care of themselves, or get a job, or be successful.” Well they were wrong! Down the road from my house is a large Centra store, and one of the employees there has Down syndrome. And she is one of the liveliest people in the area. Everyday another man who has Down syndrome goes for a walk, and whenever I walk by him I am greeted with a warm “hello!”

So I don’t see why people say that one is a Down syndrome, aiming to insult the person or even for laughs. It simply doesn’t make sense to me, just because a person has Down syndrome doesn’t make them unhuman. It shouldn’t even allow you to look down on them. In fact you should look up to them.

Every day, people make excuses as to why they can’t do this or that, why they don’t bother to get up off the couch or out of bed. Because it’s too hard to accomplish or too much effort is needed. But the people that people may look down upon. Don’t make excuses, these people have a learning difficulty, and in some cases physical disabilities whether it’s being deaf or blind, some have arthritis. Yet they still manage to have a go, try a new sport, get a job, they can wake up every morning and be happy for everything or nothing they can be happy for life itself. You may think your life is hard, and yes to some of you I accept that your life may actually be hard but I bet that you don’t have a learning disability too. As with a down syndrome the simple things become hard, such as having a conversation, walking up and down stairs, writing and drawing, or even knowing the simple life skills.

 

That’s the end of my rant, I hope you both learn and enjoy my blog on Down syndrome.

 

Sean

Hi,
My name is Sean Dunne. And I have decided that I am going to base my blog on a topic that is close to my heart. Down Syndrome.