'Down Syndrome Awareness Day' World Down Syndrome Awareness D | Follow the Data with Dr Frank

"Down Syndrome Awareness Day"

World Down Syndrome Awareness Day was earlier this week, so I thought I would make you aware of some numbers.

First, DS is a naturally occurring birth defect across all races which correlates strongly with the age of the mother. The prevalence among younger women is about one in eight hundred, and for women in their early forties the odds are about one in ten.

In the most common form, an early, incomplete cell division ends up producing a child with an extra 21st Chromosome which interferes with normal development. In fact, about half of DS children are born with an underdeveloped heart, requiring surgery in order for the child to survive.

Some countries (e.g. Iceland) pride themselves in detecting children with DS in the womb and attempt to abort all of them. But before you get to judgmental, America aborts over two-thirds of its Down Syndrome children, despite the fact that there are thousands of families in waiting lists who want to adopt one.

In our case, Nellie is extremely healthy and high-functioning. She has never needed any surgery, although one of her shoulders remains slightly underdeveloped. Despite this limit, she is a world-class hugger. Her heart was physically underdeveloped when she was born, but it repaired itself during the first six months following birth.

DS males are typically infertile, but if Nellie were to someday marry and conceive, her chances of delivering a normal, healthy baby are about eighty four percent. After watching the way she cared for her two normal younger brothers, and her grandma who died of vascular dementia, I can assure you that she would be an amazing mother.

People often ask us if someday we would put Nellie in a home with other handicapped people. In fact, it is just the opposite. There are too many people in line who would love to include her in their family. She is full of joy and unconditional love, and gives her daddy foot rubs, head rubs, and snuggles every day (when I am home). She has an amazing memory, and takes care of her own daily hygiene.

Not all DS children are as well-adapted as Nellie, but it nevertheless boggles my mind that people would deny themselves the opportunity to have someone as wonderful as Nellie in their family.

DS children are an amazing gift from God, daily reminding us what innocence and unconditional love looks like.