And who wouldn't love her school? I was chatting with the principle earlier this month and she asked me to get some facts together for her for Down syndrome awareness month. This past Friday she put the facts in the school newsletter....
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that occurs in one out of every 691 live births.
Individuals with Down syndrome are born with 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. They have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. It is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder.
Down syndrome is diagnosed either during prenatal testing or shortly after birth. It is often thought that babies with Down syndrome are only born to older moms, but over 80% of these babies are born to moms under the age of 35.
Despite some common misconceptions people with Down syndrome are not always happy. They have feeling just like everyone else!
Children with Down syndrome have low muscle tone. This means that their muscles are weaker and don't have the same stamina as their peers. It also means that they have to work much harder to do everyday tasks. This low tone effects everything from coordinating all the muscles needed to speak, the muscles needed to do fine motor tasks such as writing, as well as their large muscles used to walk and run. With the help of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy children with Down syndrome will be able to do the same things that their peers do it just takes a bit longer to train those muscles!
A person with Down syndrome can have a mild to moderate intellectual disability but there is no limit to the potential of individuals with Down syndrome!
Many people with Down syndrome are going to college and have jobs. Never underestimate them!
Children with Down syndrome are more like other children than they are different. They enjoy the same activities that all children do. They take dance class, play on sports teams and most of all they love to be included!
I love it!!!!!
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