Down Syndrome Myth Busters MYTH FACT DOWN SYNDROME
Down Syndrome: Myth Busters MYTH FACT
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Down syndrome is contagious. Down syndrome is not a disease, nor is it contagious. It cannot be cured by medicine or surgery. It is a chromosomal condition. People are born with Down syndrome, no one can “catch it” later in life.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Down syndrome is a rare genetic disorder. Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 800 babies in India is born with Down syndrome.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Down syndrome is caused due to nutritional deficiencies. Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder. The chromosomal anomaly that leads to this condition occurs during conception, so there is nothing the parents could have done to avoid the chances. Consumption of too few nutrients will not cause the disorder, nor will consumption of too many cure it.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Down syndrome is caused due to high stress levels in the family. While reducing stress during a woman’s pregnancy is always recommended, there is no direct relationship between stress and Down syndrome. There is nothing you did that has resulted in your child being born with DS. The chromosomal anomaly that leads to this condition occurs during conception, so there is nothing the parents could have done to avoid the chances.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Children with DS are born to mothers above 35 years of age. 85% of children born with DS are to mothers under the age of 35. Although the risk of Down syndrome increases with age, a child with DS can be born to a mother at any age. Although only 58% of pregnancies occur in women over the age of 35, they account for 20% of Down syndrome births. The reason there is greater risk over 35 is because there are not as many women having babies over the age of 35, so the statistics are higher in that age group.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? People with Down syndrome are always happy. People with Down syndrome have a wide range of feelings just like everyone else. They respond to positive expressions of friendship, and they are hurt and upset by inconsiderate behavior.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? People with Down syndrome cannot form relationships. People with Down syndrome are perfectly capable of forming all types of relationships with people they encounter in their lives, be it friendship, love or a dislike of someone.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Men and women with Down syndrome can’t have children. Women with DS can and have had children. It has been recorded that two men with DS have become fathers. The information about fertility in people with DS is very outdated.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? All people with Down syndrome will eventually develop Alzheimer’s disease (dementia). Although many people with DS do develop dementia in their later years, this is by no means inevitable. Research indicates that the incidence of dementia in people with DS is similar to that of the general population, only that it occurs 20 -30 years earlier.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? People with Down syndrome (DS) have severe cognitive delays. Most people with DS have cognitive delays that are mild to moderate. Children with DS fully participate in public and private educational programs. Educators and researchers are still discovering the full educational potential of people with DS.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Parents will not find community support in bringing up their child with Down syndrome. There are support groups in the country, namely, the Down Syndrome Federation of India (DSFI). Find more support from organizations all over the country, listed out on page 30 of the parent handbook compiled and created by DSFI. Also, send us at Nayi Disha an e-mail (contactus@nayi-disha. org) to join the DS parent community on Whatsapp.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Children with Down syndrome must be placed in segregated special education programs. Children with DS have been included in regular academic classrooms and integrated into specific courses in schools across the country. The current trend in education is for full inclusion in the social and educational life of the community. Increasingly, individuals with DS graduate from high school with regular diplomas, participate in postsecondary academic and college experiences and, in some cases, receive college degrees.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Adults with Down syndrome are unemployable. Businesses are seeking adults with DS for a variety of positions. They are being employed in small and medium-sized offices: by banks, corporations, nursing homes, hotels and restaurants. They work in the music and entertainment industry, in clerical positions, childcare, the sports field and in the computer industry to name a few.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? Most people with Down syndrome are institutionalized. Today people with DS live at home with their families and are active participants in the educational, vocational, social, and recreational activities of the community. They are integrated into the regular education system and take part in sports, camping, music, art programs and all the other activities of their communities. People with DS are valued members of their families and their communities, contributing to society in a variety of ways.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? LET US STEP UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME! Empower yourself with the facts about Down syndrome. Understand the medical problems that children with Down syndrome commonly have, and undergo routine evaluations. Children with Down syndrome have delayed development in certain areas. Seek early intervention services to help the child cope and meet their needs. The earlier the intervention, the more effective it is in improving the life of the child.
DOWN SYNDROME MYTH BUSTING: Fact or Myth? LET US STEP UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME! Note: The information in this presentation has been developed by the Down syndrome federation of India (DSFI), Chennai, and compiled into this presentation by Nayi Disha Resource Centre. The Down Syndrome Federation of India (DSFI) is a parent support group started by Dr. Surekha Ramachandran in order to help persons with DS and their families to come to terms with DS. http: //www. downsyndrome. in/about-dsfi. php Nayi Disha Resource Centre is an online information resource platform that supports the families of persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). http: //www. nayi-disha. org
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