2 for 1

Since I was unable to get onto my blog yesterday here are yesterday and today's words of wisdom, LOL.

Today: 

It is very important when talking about a person with Down Syndrome to put the person first.  It is incorrect to say a Down Syndrome baby, child, adult, etc.  That is making their genetic condition more important than their own personality/being.  Also it isn't Down's Syndrome.  

We saw this incorrect labeling when People magazine did an article on a model with Down Syndrome.  The title was Down Syndrome Baby Model, to use first person language it should have been Baby Model with Down Syndrome.  

This may sound petty to others but to use who have family members is it important that you see our family as people first who happen to have a genetic condition called Down Syndrome.

While I'm on the topic of labeling it is also important to spread the word to end the word.  And what word am I talking about, well its the r-word ("retarded").  This is a very offensive word that has been used by many people even health care professionals as a derogatory term in their everyday lives.  Instead of using stupid or lame, they use the R-word.  I admit I use to use it before I had Reyna without thinking about how it would effect those with mental disabilities.  Now that I have Reyna I don't want anyone ever using that word to describe her or anyone else for that matter.  I cringe thinking about the day someone calls her the R word and then all the tears that will come along with that when I have to build her self-esteem back up.  Please save me that heartache and remove the R word from your vocabulary, its not hard to do.  

Yesterday:
Day #3 Myth Buster
MYTH: Down syndrome is a rare disorder.

TRUTH: Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome, or approximately 6,000 births per year. Today, there are more than 400,000 people with Down syndrome living in the United States. Down Syndrome is found in all races, socioeconomic classes and countries. Nothing you do can cause Down Syndrome it just happens.

Fun Little Fact #2

Fun Little Fact #2:
There are 3 different types of Down Syndrome.

There is Trisomy 21 DS (95%), where all cells in the body have that extra 21st chromosome.
There is translocation DS (3-4%) where a piece of the 21st chromosome is attached to the another chromosome, usually chromosome 14.  Translocation DS is the only type of DS that can be inherited and both parents need to have genetic testing to see if it was genetic or by chance.
And finally there is mosaicism DS (1-2%) where only a select few cells have the extra 21st chromosome.

Our sweet Reyna has Trisomy 21.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

So in honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month I will try to educate everyone on things you may not have known about Down Syndrome (DS). Something you can pass along to someone else and help spread the word and awareness.  

Every day of the month I am going to give you either a myth about Down Syndrome which I will tell you why its a myth or just a little tid bit of information about Down Syndrome that you may not have known already.  

So here we go with our first myth buster...

Myth #1: Babies with Down Syndrome are born only to women over the age of 35.

Fact: Well obviously I am not 35 yet, so that has to be false. In fact advanced maternal age does contribute to being at higher risk of having a child with DS. But what you haven't heard is that 80% of children with DS are born to women under the age of 35. Why you ask, its because women under 35 yrs old are more fertile and tend to have more children.