The upside of Down syndrome

The upside of Down syndrome
Parents of Down syndrome children want others to know "the positives so outweigh the negatives"
By Shannon Mullen • STAFF WRITER • March 22, 2009


"Ninety-nine percent of the time, he's happy," said his mother, Joyce Wright, 52, of Holmdel.
Conor's life is a far cry from the bleak existence many expectant and new parents hear about from doctors when Down is diagnosed. Now, with support from a new federal law, advocates for those with Down hope to better inform medical professionals and parents about the realities of the genetic condition, which affects more than 400,000 children and adults in the United States.
Their campaign comes at what some see as a crossroads moment for Down.
Some 5,000 children are born with Down in the United States every year, but new screening guidelines and the advent of a new era in prenatal genetic testing could reduce that number dramatically. As a result, Down could become increasingly rare, some advocates say.
Already, about 90 percent of expectant parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate the pregnancy, studies show.

Read more here:http://www.app.com/article/20090322/NEWS/903220373/1004/NEWS01

Pin It