October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

Fun Facts about Down Syndrome:

*Down Syndrome or otherwise known as Trisomy 21 occurs in approximately 1 out of 800 births a year.

*There are three types of Down Syndrome: Trisomy 21, mosaic, and translocation

*Trisomy 21 is when there are three copies of the 21 chromosome in every cell which occurs during initial cell division resulting in every cell having 47 chromosomes instead of 46

*Mosaic Down Syndrome occurs when there are three copies of the 21st chromosome at some point in cell division resulting in some cells with 46 chromosomes and some with 47

*Translocation Down Syndrome occurs when extra genetic material from the 21st chromosome is attached to another chromosome, typically the 14th.  This is sometimes caused from a parent carrier and other times spontaneous

*Carsten has 14/21 Translocation Down Syndrome

* Trisomy 21 is the most common

*Translocation Down Syndrome accounts for about 3% and mosaic 1-2% of children with Down Syndrome

*Many people with Down Syndrome can lead independent lives

*Some people with Down Syndrome get married and go to college

*People with Down Syndrome have hopes and goals and dreams just like any other person

*Many times people with Down Syndrome have higher receptive skills than expressive (meaning they can understand more than they can express)

*A typical stereotype of children with Down Sydrome is that they are so "loving", they are indeed "loving" and "special" however have different personalities just like anyone else does including temper tantrums, disobedience, and the ability to make their parents crazy just like as any other child :)

*Some things to avoid saying to a parent of a child with Down Syndrome (from my experience): "he is so lucky to have been given parents like you" (just the usual you are so lucky or blessed to have him will work:)  "God gives "special" children to "special" parents" (we are no more special than anyone else even though yes God has ordained Carsten to be in our family just like any other child is ordained to be in theirs) "well that's just the way the chromosomes fell", "they are kind of like dogs, you can yell or hit them and they'll still love you back" (yes, this was actually said to me!:) "is he mild or severe?"  (this question is okay however we don't really "label" anymore and the abilities of a person with Down Syndrome can not really be detected until later in life. "how cute his little tongue is sticking out" (LOL, okay, children with Down Syndrome have tongue protrusion because their mouths are weaker than ours so the muscles don't hold the tongue in as well, typically it gets better with age and increased muscle tone.  I write these from a heart of laughter not of bitterness just so you know:)

*"Rosa's Law" was just passed by Congress to officially change the wording of Mental Retardation from federal laws to a person with an intellectual disability!  So from now on please no "R" word, it hurts, this comes from a person that used to use the word probably everyday growing up.

Okay I have two hungry mouths to feed, more to come later.....