Your last prenatal scan may not have gone exactly the way you’d expected it to go. Learning that your child has down syndrome can be a scary thing for many parents expecting their little bundle of joy. It doesn’t mean that your baby isn’t still a genius or the light of your life. In fact, in many cases, it means that your little one may just be a bigger bringing of joy than you ever expected. If you find that you need a bit more down syndrome awareness than here are a few facts to help you settle into the new and unexpected turns that your life is about to take with the arrival of your beautiful baby.
What Is Down Syndrome?
Down syndrome is when a person is born with an extra chromosome. In fact, it is chromosome 21. This happens at conception and is not something that can be altered and changed at any time. It just means that your baby has a unique abnormality that makes them different and special. Every person who is bored with down syndrome has a different set of characteristics that is unique to their type of gene diversion.
Common Signs of Down Syndrome
In order to bring a bit of awareness to what Down syndrome looks like, here are a few of the common physical features that are obvious among children who carry this extra special gene. They are a bit shorter than your average adults and children, quite often they have a poor muscle tone, They typically have almond-shaped eyes that have an upward slant, and they have a little bit of a flattened face. All of these children and adults have their own unique features, just as you do.
Does It Make Childhood Difficult?
A kid with down syndrome is just as bright and outgoing as a child without. With a flair for playing and fitting in, your child will grow up with the same wants, needs, and imagination as any other child who may be in their class through the years. Raising a child with down syndrome may require a bit more hands-on care, but it is just as rewarding as a child who does not carry the extra chromosome. Down syndrome awareness should show that these kids have the biggest hears and the biggest smiles that will always feel rewarding and special. These kids are no different from anyone else.
Advancements In Down Syndrome Awareness
Thankfully, over the years many individuals have come to see that individuals who are born with this extra chromosome are just the same as everyone else. The stigma that was once carried through having a child with this disability has lessened a great deal over the years. Having down syndrome may be a hurdle that many parents worry about, but once they see that their child is no different from anyone else and is just as bright, loving, and individual as the rest of the child it shows that that is the most important thing.
Support Is Necessary
If you have just received this information and you have worries or any questions about down syndrome or would like to share in down syndrome awareness, than seeking out parents who have been taking care of children for years or even a support group that can help you adjust to this information could be one of the best steps you could take for your child and for yourself.
Embrace every aspect of your child and this beautiful time in both of your lives. Down Syndrome awareness shared among many can bring new light to these disabilities and show others that it is not something to stay away from but something to celebrate. These children are born with an extra chromosome to love, not one to be afraid of. It makes them even more beautiful and even more special than you might have thought possible. Embrace every wonderful aspect of your child, having a child with a disability or not.
Your child is counting on you to show them they too are loved, unique and just as special as everyone else.