British Expatriate Network

Look at the picture of this little girl Billie-Jo. Isn't she gorgeous?
If I was her dad I would be so proud to have a lovely little daughter like her.


I didnt realise until I looked twice that this picture that this little girl has Down's Syndrome. She leads a normal life, which to me is so encouraging. In an interview on the BBC News website her father, a professional photographer said that he had preconceived ideas about Down's Syndrome

"When she was born we had an image of Down's which was from people we saw when we were growing up."

I think I'm guilty of that, to be honest I wasnt sure what exactly caused Down's Syndrome until I read this article. I knew some things but not the exact cause. I just looked at the picture of this little girl and as soon as I realised that she had Down's Syndrome it literally wrenched my soul. I just literally broke down. I think in my case I'm a poster boy for the ignorance of society where we want everything to be perfect and our kids to be cute and beautiful, and if there are imperfections then they are shunned. I even wanted a child with Down's Syndrome to be gorgeous. As someone who is married and who hopes to have kids I dont know what I would do if my child was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome? Hopefully try to give my child as normal a childhood as possible and love my child unconditionally.

Photographers have taken pics of their children with Down Syndrome and those pictures are part of an exhibition at the Down's Syndrome Association. The exhibition has attracted quite a few visitors.

Has the perception of Down's Syndrome changed over the years? In the interview there is a claim of a stigma attatched to people who suffer with this condition, and there have got to be some misconceived stereotypes which certain members of the public have towards Down's Syndrome.

How has your personal experiences and perceptions changed about Down's Syndrome? Is it something you would rather ignore? I think in my case that thanks to this lovely little girl Billie-Jo Bailey and other children in this article my perceptions may have been changed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4685639.stm

When we were living in the UK there was a little girl who went to the same school as my older two children. Her name was Jessica and she was a pretty girl with a fiesty temper. My son was very matter of fact about her and my daughter didn't like her much because whenever they were sat next to each other at story time, Jessica would pull my daughter's hair. The teachers tried to tell Katy (my daughter) how to tell Jessica not to pull her hair, but all my daughter did was sit and cry which of course made Jessica do it even more because she got a reaction that wasn't being cross with her.

Jessica had been through our pre-school and I helped at school so worked with Jessica a few times. She was a middle child and you could tell by the way she would fight for her position in the family.

When we moved to the US, we hadn't been here very long and my older children were on their way home from school one day when Katy came out with a matter of fact point - "Mum, Jessica has Downs Syndrome, doesn't she". My heart missed a beat and I could feel the anger welling up inside. Now, Jessica wasn't that little girl who would pull my daughter's pony tails, she was a Downs Syndrome person who needs a label. evil

I believe, like many things in the UK, times are changing regarding peoples views of each other. By incorporating children who are different into mainstream schooling, each person is seen as just another individual where some might just need a little extra attention (Jessica had a helper go round with her for most of the day). If they meet another child who looks similar, children who are used to having a Downs Syndrome child around at school won't think about it twice and will see the individual rather than the condition. However, here, while they continue to label each individual and keep them seperate from mainstream schooling, children with Downs will just be a child with Downs Syndrome not an individual. We are fortunate in New York State that special needs children are beginning to be included in mainstream schooling. However, I know this isn't the case everywhere.

What an adorable photo!

Down's Syndrome is one of the easiest diagnosed but it seems every kid that doesn't fit inside a box is diagnosed with one condition or another. Take ADD for example. Is your child boisterous and does he/she not pay attention at school? Then he/she is a CHILD.

The less we start labelling kids the more likely they are to be what they have the potential to be.

My brother had a slow start at school. Whereas I was reading at 7-year-old level when I started school, I had to give my 6 years younger brother extra lessons at home. He wasn't labelled. He just took extra teaching and pulled his arse through school backwards. He graduated from a 4-year university degree a couple of years back. I managed 6 months of "optional" education before dropping out. Now who's the one with the disorder?

That is very true, Janj, and probably more of a worry here. I don't know how insurance companies work regarding children with special medical needs and I know some states help out but I'm sure what government help you do get won't cover all the costs. And of course one of the biggest issues is their heart. My sister's nephew, who has Downs, has been very fortunate that his heart is fine and his double jointedness is not severe so he can walk and play (although late developing) along with other children.

I have an uncle with Down's Syndrome. He's got a girlfriend, has a steady job and can cope with the hassles of modern life.

/more than I can do most mornings.