Equal Rights for Persons with Developmental Disabilities No Walk in the Park

Only a short walk from my home is Brook Run Park , a beautiful green space that is a highlight of the city of Dunwoody. Kids play in the park. Teens defy gravity in the skate park. Families gather eagerly for Food Truck Thursdays where they break bread with their neighbors. It is a place my family enjoys. 

But, when I take a walk with my son, the irony does not escape me that we are treading the same grounds where people who share his same genetic disorder where once institutionalized (the park is the site of the former Georgia Retardation Center). 

On March 21, we mark World Down Syndrome Day. March is also Disability Awareness Month. In the past 60 years, we have made great strides to achieve equal rights for individuals with developmental disabilities. Because of early intervention programs, medical innovation, the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, my son will travel a much different journey than he would if he had been born 25 - 30 years ago. But the journey will not be without its struggles. We still have far to go. 

We haven't traveled very far from the mindset that sent thousands of individuals to institutions to live out their lives.

When it comes to persons with disabilities, we still see separation rather than inclusion, we still hear language that is hurtful and demeans and we still label individuals with disabilities as “less than” or “other."

We need to educate people with developmental disabilities based on their individual abilities, and not on stereotypical perceptions of a diagnosis or assumptions on what they “can’t" do.

We need medical schools to incorporate curriculum on disabilities, providing doctors and nurses with updated information so they can properly inform patients on all aspects of a disability diagnosis and allow expectant parents to make informed choices.

And we need our legislators to increase funding for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities budget to provide more supports so these individuals can lead more independent and meaningful lives in their communities. For example, we should be funding employment support programs that help them find meaningful work. Georgia sadly ranks last in the 50 states in this area.

The good news is that this is a movement in which we can all make a difference. We can support businesses who hire persons with disabilities. We can join together across the state and country to advocate for change in our communities, schools, medical institutions, and government. We can give to organizations that are leading the way in these endeavors. And most importantly, we can notice the families in our own neighborhoods who need our understanding, support and friendship. 

Our walk with Joey will, in many ways, be uncharted. We will have to work diligently to get the supports he will need to live an independent life. A life that includes the things everyone wants for their own children— a job, relationships, a home and hobbies. But as we walk in the shadow of Brook Run, we are reminded it is a journey worth undertaking. Will you join us? 

View of the Georgia Retardation Center the original site of Brook Run

Today it is a community green space called Brook Run Park

Master plan for the park which includes playgrounds, skate park, dog park, walking trails and community garden.

Joey having fun at the Brook Run playground

World Down Syndrome Day: Our Hopes for Joey

It's World Down Syndrome Day! A day to celebrate the amazing persons who happen to have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. This is my three year old. This sweet little guy had stole my heart. I'm so proud to be his mom and am so hopeful for his bright future.

While this developmental disability means that in some things Joey progresses a little slower than his peers, raising Joey hasn't been too much different than raising his sisters. Sure we take him to tutoring to make sure he's ready for Kindergarten. We have speech therapy, physical therapy and IEPs. But really, each of our children has their own issues, things we are working on and skills we are trying to develop. And they each present their own set of parenting challenges. 

For Joey, that means providing him the therapies and education opportunities from pre-K through college so that he can develop the skills and compentencies to eventually earn an appropriate wage doing something he enjoys, participate in hobbies and activities, live independently and have meaningful relationships. See, not really that different! 

Here's a glimpse at Joey's life now.

He is the first to wake up most mornings. 

He is learning to butter his own toast. He's so proud of himself!

He loves it when his Pop drives him to school.

He is learning his letters, to spell his name, colors, shapes and school readiness skills in his three year old Pre-k class. Our goal is that he will be ready to join Kindergarten with his typical peers.

He loves to help out, even sweeping up at the hair salon. He also helps switch over the laundry and empty the dishwasher.

He loves playing with friends at GiGis playhouse on Saturdays. 

He loves his big sisters and enjoys playing with them, chasing them, dancing with them, and currently, watching Frozen with them over and over.

Consider joining me in support of World Down Syndrome Day by donating $3.21 on 3/21 to the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta!

Walking for my Buddy: Real Super Heros Gather for Down Syndrome

Day 13: 31 Days The Real Super Heros Gather for Down Syndrome

Today, my family gathered with some 3,000 people at Centennial Olympic Park for Buddy Walk Atlanta bringing awareness of people with Down syndrome. It was a glorious Atlanta fall day and everyone had fun meeting Super Heros, enjoying Sonny's and Pollo Tropical, dancing, playing in bouncy houses and seeing all our friends in the Down syndrome family. It was a great day.

Here Joey meets a real Super Women.

What a day! J has the best seat in the house! 

Superwoman's Truly Super Kid

 Day 9 of 31 Days

Today, I am honoring Down syndrome awareness month with a video developed by the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta, of which I serve on the board. The purpose of this video is to highlight all the great things people with Down syndrome can do and to show that their wants, needs, hopes, interests, passions are the same as everyone else. My little guy is shown and I am so very proud of him.



With each passing month, I love seeing what new things my guy can do. We love cheering him on. You can join me by supporting our team Sheran Stars at the 2013 Buddy Walk Atlanta. Here is a link to my team page, we would appreciate your donation.

Day 3: Superwomen Battles Mommy Guilt

Day 3 of 31 Days in the Life of A Superwomen Sufferer

Tuesday, October 1 kicked off Down syndrome awareness month. I'm pretty involved in advocating for my son and others who have Down syndrome, which is the presence of a third copy of the 21st chromosome. In doing so, I serve on the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta board and mange it's online properties/content. So this week I needed to update the website, schedule posts, respond to posts, pitch local media on our Buddy Walk and secure more donations for my team.

Mix in a client crisis, recovery from travel, prep for upcoming travel, the launch of my daughter's Daisy Girl Scout program and you have the perfect scenario for supermom guilt and a dose of anxiety.

I got home after the kids had already had their supper and knew I would not have much one-on-one time with them before bedtime. My oldest put my little guy to bed and I was sad that I would miss that special time with him. As I went up to put my 5 year old to bed (who was diligently playing with little people on her bedroom floor), I could not resist peeking in on my son. His sister had left his closet light on and it illuminated his room. Needless to say, he had not yet settled down. So I scooped him up, grabbed his blanket and settled down in the rocking chair for some bedtime cuddles.

As I held him close a deep sense of peace began to wash over me. Raising this little guy brings me so much joy. I truly find it a privelege that God chose us to care for this sweet, sweet child. And I desire for him to have every opportunity we can offer. Along with that desire comes worry. I wonder if we are doing enough to help that little mind grow and develop as best it can. He is in special needs pre-K and has speech  and literacy training once a week. Should we be doing more? Should we get private PT, OT and ST in addition to what he gets at school? Are we doing enough at home to help teach language, words and reading. social skills and physical skills like jumping and balance? I worry if we are paying too much attention to his immediate needs, that we might miss the less obvious but just as important developmental, spiritual and emotional needs of our two daughters. I worry, I pray, I trust God to lead us. 

Yet, all those worries go away when I can sit and rock my guy as he melts in my arms cradling me back. I soak in the feel of his soft skin and kiss his head and he pulls back and signs "I love you" and my heart melts.

It is so worth it.

Honoring a Lifeline

Today I had the pleasure of introducing my dear friend Lisa Brown and honoring her with the

Lisa Brown DSAA
Volunteer of the Year

Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta's Volunteer of the Year Award.  I shared the story of the how a few weeks after my son was born, and we received his diagnosis of Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), Lisa became a lifeline for me as the first non-medical person I met with in this new world of Down syndrome.

Lisa's husband Russell and sweet son

I was uncertain, scared and completely in love with my new son and Lisa took the time to meet me for coffee and share her experience with her then two-year-old son who also has Down syndrome. She helped me to see that the future holds so much promise and she introduced me to a wonderful group of people who are walking this journey with us. Volunteers like Lisa, who go meet new families, organize mother's morning outs, playgroups, family socials and educational programs, facilitate Facebook groups and answer countless questions and phone calls are the heart and soul of the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta and I am so glad she was honored today.

About Me Letter for Your Child's Teacher

Last week I wrote about preparing an education notebook for children who have an IEP or 504 plan.

Another step in my back to school preparation this year is to create an "About Me" letter to my son's teacher so he/she can get to know him a little better.

I went to my local Down syndrome network to see what sort of templates they used for this type of letter.

This one is a more comprehensive letter: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/assets/0/78/1067/1395/1957/b2ea7ed3-d099-4fe0-8597-590b9e58f690.pdf

Another friend sent me to her letter: https://word.office.live.com/wv/WordView.aspx?FBsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdownload%2Ffile_preview.php%3Fid%3D399301396846565%26time%3D1374501547%26metadata&access_token=1622667183%3AAVK4s4EUUtwKka4Xfo8MNt3kX8P7DiL2rfHQqKRWFwFKhg&title=Get+to+Know+Me.docx

She advises that letters like these be no more than one page. I ended up creating my own based on the two templates above and sticking to the one page suggestion. The main thing I wanted the teacher to know is how much we love our son and that we believe in him and his abilities and will support him 100%as he strives to achieve his goals and his dreams.

Creating An Education Notebook

It's hard to believe, but in a few weeks my little guy will enter the public school system with three-year old pre-K. He will be attending at a nearby elementary school. This early pre-K is designed to help him be ready for Kindergarten because he has developmental delays related to Down syndrome. Our hope is that when time comes for Kindergarten, he will be able to be in an inclusion classroom at our neighborhood school. So, we are hopeful about this school experience.

Fairly new to the special needs community, I have heard a lot of horror stories about the school system and IEPS. I've heard I need to fully understand my child's rights and advocate and push for them. I've heard I need to be diligent about making sure my son's teachers are following his IEP. 

I don't know if all that is true, but I do know I'll need to be more involved with my son's education than I have been with my daughters. So to be prepared, I have put together an education notebook. One person suggested that I may want a new notebook for each year. Here are the dividers I included:

IEP/Eval - for his current IEP and any evaluations

Rights - to keep track of laws, etc

School - info from/about his school

Progress Reports - from his teachers

Class work - samples

IEP Prep - definitions, forms to prep for IEP

Resources - contact info re: education and support groups

Tomorrow, I'll share about the "getting to know you" document I plan on providing to my son's teachers.

What do you include in your child's education notebook?

World Down Syndrome Day - A Mom's Perspective

Today is World Down Syndrome Day, a day we recognize people who have an extra 21st chromosome - some call the love chromosome. We also advocate for opportunity, inclusion, respect, understanding and protection for people who have some extra vulnerabilities that stem from having that extra genetic material.

All persons with Down syndrome are cognitively impaired to one degree or another, but every one of them has the capacity to learn, be independent, enjoy hobbies, work and have meaningful relationships.

Persons with Down syndrome often have physical impairments as well. Most common, they have low muscle tone which makes it take longer for them to learn to crawl, walk, run, hop, and skip but oh can they dance! Low tone also affects the facial and tongue muscles so a delay in talking and speech issues are also common. Despite having a low tone, people with Down syndrome can be great athletes and many enjoy being on sports teams and participating in the Special Olympics.

Other physical issues common to persons with Down syndrome include heart impairments, hearing impairment, Celiac disease and an increase risk of Lukemia and Alzheimers. Science and medicine have come a long way in treating these conditions and there is much hope. People with Down syndrome are living longer and longer as new treatments are developed.

Research regarding how to improve the cognitive function of persons with Down syndrome shows promising results. However, research for Down syndrome, which occurs in 1 in every 700 births , is grossly underfunded.  As a mom, I am hopeful that one day, there will be treatments that will enhance my son's intellectual capabilities and give him the best opportunities life has to offer.

However, there is still a long way to go when it comes to inclusion and acceptance in society. When the "R" is used so casually, when we allow children and the vulnerable to be made fun of in our TV shows and by our celebrities, when police officers use force instead of patience to remove a confused and frightened young man from a movie theatre resulting in his death, when our little ones get left out of birthday party invites, when we have to fight for our right to the least restrictive environment in education and when scared moms-to-be are presented with antiquated information about raising a child with Down syndrome and are encouraged to abort. I hope for a day when persons with Down syndrome and other disabilities are seen for the beauty and value they bring to this world. For their abilities, instead of their disabilities.

I am so thankful for my little buddy. He has brought immense joy to our lives and is so happy and full of life. Last week, I went to a theatrical production of Grease put on by the Habima Theater in my town. The acting group is primarily made up of persons with developmental disabilities and included several actors with Down syndrome. The play was wonderful and I was so elated by their achievement and their expressions of pure joy as the performed! I know the possibilities for my son have yet to be imagined!

If you'd like to support Down syndrome, please visitwww.dsaatl.org

Previous Posts:
21 things to know about Down syndrome

Three Things To Know About Down Syndrome

How to Survive Your Child's Sleep Study

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  On Valentines Day, I had a date with my little guy at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for a sleep study. My dad had had one so I was somewhat familiar, but it was my two-year old undergoing the study and I was still somewhat nervous. I asked some friends in a Facebook group to which I belong for some advice. The following are their tips, coupled with a few of my own.

  • If this is your 1st sleep study, sending you lots of love
  • Make sure he is good and sleepy so he falls asleep fast
  • Your child will hopefully sleep, but you prob won't sleep a wink
  • Once you arrive and he's hooked up,  you stay in the room until he wakes the following morning
  • Some say don't let them nap the day-of, others say keep their routine
  • Take a DVD player to distract your child while they were hooking him/her up
  • You'll get woken up at about 5 or 6 pm to leave
  • It is always much worse getting everything off in the morning, it's hard to get the goop out 

  • You'll want to go straight home to a bath
  • If he flips out when getting the leads on, ask if they will wait until he falls asleep and then they put everything on him and hook him up.
  • Or Have the tech put all the leads and tape and such on you as well 
  • Wear warm clothes
  • Bring a glass of wine so you can sleep
  • Have your ipad so you can  dim it down and watch a Netflix movie with some earphones if needed
  • Their faces can react to the tape and glue remover so test a small spot before you wipe him down with it
  • Use tons of conditioner in your child's  hair, use a comb to get the glue off the hair and scalp
  • Bring your own snacks and drinks 
  • Consider going to sleep when your child does, you'll get woken up to have him or her lay down or fix a lead several times throughout the night
  • Arrive in sleepwear
  • Don't forget the favorite blanket or stuffed animal 
  • Bring a hat for your child to wear home over the sticky, goopy hair!
  • Good luck!

  Our sleep study went pretty well. We arrived at 7:30 p.m. and checked in along with a few other families. We were ushered to our room and went about the bedtime process. I  brought my iPad so my son could watch Cullens ABC videos while all of the leads were put on his head. I had to hold his arms and it took a few tries to get everything in place. He gave us the most trouble with the lead that sits right at his nose to measure oxygen. Once the leads were in place, they wrapped he head like a mummy. By that time, we were past his usual bedtime so he was ready to drift off to sleep.

  I got myself ready for bed and had planned on reading but decided to get some sleep in while I could. It was a good thing. My son moved all about his bed and sat up in his sleep a lot! Each time I had to get up and lay him back down. He awoke for about an hour and a half and I had to hold him some, which is not typical. Thankfully, we were the last of the sleepover patients to be processed so Joey got some extra sleep. It was 6 a.m. by the time we got all the leads off and I had used baby wipes to try to get as much of the goop off his head as I could. So we survived and I am hoping the results will enable to get the best care possible for our little man.

  If you have survived a child's sleep study, please share your tips!
  

  
  

Down Syndrome Awareness 21 Things to Know

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and in honor of that, I'd like to share 21 things about our two year old son and our journey:

1. We did not know we were going to have a son with Down syndrome.
2. It would not have mattered If we did.
3. The doctors suspected he might have the chromosomal disorder at birth because his PDA (in his heart) had not closed, the shape of his eyes and his low muscle tone.
4. Many pediatricians and NICU doctors are un-informed about the potential of people with Down syndrome.
5. People don't know how to respond to the news. (Hint, say "congratulations on the birth of your child")
6. We decided we would not treat or expect any differently from our son.
7. We could not predict the amazing love we'd possess in our hearts for him.
8. He brings joy wherever he goes with a winning smile and great earnestness.
9. He works hard to do what may come naturally to others (like walk and talk).
10. He is very curious.
11. He loves to swing.
12. He can feed himself.
13. He's learning to dress himself.
14. He can understand many words, but can only say a handful.
15. He uses many signs to communicate.
16. If he is not supposed to go somewhere, he'll figure out how to get there.
17. He is very tactile.
18. He has good fine motor skills.
19. He goes to preschool and has many friends.
20. He loves music and to dance.
21. He won't wear shoes!

As you can see, our son is like many other two year olds and we are very proud of him.

On Sunday, we walk in Buddy Walk Atlanta as team Sheran Stars to help raise awareness about Down syndrome and show people the great potential people with Down syndrome have!

Walking for My Buddy

On October 7, 2012 my family and friends will join members and families of the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta to gather at Centennial Olympic Park for the 15th annual Buddy Walk® Atlanta. This year promises to be better than ever. We are happy to be returning to downtown Atlanta because our kids and my team so enjoyed the festival-like atmosphere put on by the DSAA at Centennial Park last year. The Buddy Walk is a day of celebration that includes a half mile walk around the park, live music on the lawn, a raffle, characters, bounce houses, lunch from Sonny's Barbeque and many other family oriented activities.

The Buddy Walk® was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. It is a time when I feel privileged to be part of this special community. A community I might not have chosen to be part of on my own, but God gave to me knowing ultimately what a blessing it would be on our lives. The blessing came in the form of an adorable baby boy, now toddler, who fills us all with joy when he laughs, smiles and screams in delight over life itself. A blessing that has come in many new friends who have been a tremendous support and in an organization like the DSAA who helps us navigate the path of special needs.

So we hope you will support Team Sheran Stars as we walk to support The DownSyndrome Association of Atlanta and raise awareness about Down syndrome and acceptance for the amazing individuals who have designer genes! To learn more about our journey please read this post.

Remembering That First Year

As I mentioned last week, I was so excited to learn about Becky Higgins' new Project Life Baby Core Kits. I have been doing the Project Life scrapbooking system for two years now. I love traditional scrapbooking but had evolved to creating 2-3 albums each year for our family albums because I had so many stories to tell!

Now, with three kids, I had to come up with an easier system to produce our family album, as well as pages for each child's album. I knew would not have time to do everything traditionally. So, I now have a hybrid system. I complete a digital family yearbook as an overview of the year, a Project Life style album to capture the daily life of our family throughout the year and traditional albums for my children. In my Project Life album, I insert traditional 12x12 pages as desired to capture more of an event or story and in my children's traditional albums, I use Project Life and other collage-style page protectors to load in more photos without doing a lot of extra 12x12 spreads. it works, for now.

So, I was conflicted on just how to do my son, and final child's, baby album. Do I do it completely traditional? Do I use one theme throughout or just go as I was inspired? So many choices! But then I heard about the upcoming arrival of the Project Life Baby Edition and a vision for this album finally began forming.

Last weekend, I carefully re-watched Becky's introduction to the baby edition video noting the types of pages she created with the new products. I figured that since I had all the pictures and memorabilia laid out, I could begin prepping for the album while I am awaiting the arrival of the baby edition. Hopefully, with a little planning ahead, when the products finally arrive on my doorstep it will only take me a few hours to pull everything together.

Below is my process and plan. Hopefully, it will help you prepare for that baby album on your list.

Planning the album

Materials On Hand:

• Project Life Page Protectors (varies styles)
• Photos from son's first year
• Memorabilia from son's first year
• Planning pages
• Post it Notes
• Miscellaneous embellishments
• 12x12  pages already completed
• 12x12 page kits

Materials Needed:

• Project Life Baby Edition Boy
• Page protectors in new sizes: 8x10 v & h, 81/2x11 v & h, 5x7 v & h, Style G
• Album

Page Protectors

Page Topics: I laid out my album based on pages I had already completed or planned for, events in my life and the pages suggested on Becky's video as follows:

• Title Page
• 12x12 photo
• PL cover page
• Heritage - spread with a CM Family Tree insert
• The Story of Us - pictures of us as our relationship grew over years (need to find and print)
• Our Family - pictures of us, the girls, the dog and extended family
• Expecting You - prego picts, while we waited for you pics, sonogram pics
• Gifts/Nursery/Getting Ready - pictures of nursery, gifts received, items we purchased
• Day of Birth - hospital photos, me in labor, what I did while I was in labor, etc
• Your Arrival - being born and right after birth and of mom and dad holding for first time, include 8x10 insert of in isolette
• First impressions/First Visitors -
  
• First Days of Life - hospital stay, diagnosis, what is Down syndrome?
• Your Name - how we chose it, who you were named after, other people with your name
• Bringing You Home - Leaving the hospital (spread) and Arriving at home (2 spreads), include 8x10 insert collage
• Days at Home - (Several spreads including photos of our early routine, 12 x12 page about first trip to the pool
• Extra, Extra Read all About Me: Three personal stats and time capsul pages

• Each Month of First Year = include general spread plus pages on holidays or special occasions/activities

The star of the album!

1. Month 1 - general photos and visitors
2. Month 2 - (Several pages) Trip to Savannah, general photos and trip to NY, photos shoot
3. Month 3 - Going to work, general photos
4. Month 4 - General Oct. photos with 12x12 Halloween insert
5. Month 5 - Photo shoot with 5x7 and 8x10 inserts
6. Month 6 - (Several pages) General spread, Santa, Christmas and Cookie Bake, trip to Tampa
7. Month 7 - General spread
8. Month 8 - General spread
9. Month 9 -
10. Month 10 -
11. Month 11 -
12. Month 12 -

• Special Care - Helmet and therapy
• Baptism -
  
• Milestones -
  
• First Baseball Game  - 12 x 12 spread
• First Birthday -
• Wishes for You -
  
• Closing Page -

That is it so far. I am sure a page or two will be inspired as I delve into the creative process. I'd love to hear your thoughts? What am I forgetting?

Thank You Becky Higgins: Simplifying My Baby Album

So, my son--and last baby--turned two in July and I still have not completed his baby book. I started, mind you. I did a cute cover page inspired by Creating Keepsakes magazine and I did a spread from when he was 8 weeks old. I even created the page where I was going to put in all the details of his birth and the events of the world on the day he was born. However, I stalled because I had no cohesive theme for the album and I was uninspired. The pressure for this album to be "just right" was too much.

I wanted to capture all the milestones of that first year, the joy he brought to our family, and the surprise we had that he was born with Down syndrome. I wanted to do justice to the journey we embarked on in July 2010, a journey that is different, but even more special than we had anticipated.

I have several baby-themed products on hand. However, I could not decide if I wanted to stick with one color and paper theme throughout or just do each page as it inspired me. Finally, I laid every picture from that first year out in front of me determined to decided on a direction. I picked a color theme and decided I would include collage type page protectors, such as those in the Project Life system, along with traditional 12x12 pages and I would use other page kits as needed to tell the story. Next weekend, I decided, I would begin power sorting (planning pages and gathering supplies but not actually putting them together).

Then, I was given a gift. I read Becky Higgins blog and watched the video announcing her new baby line for Project Life! Eureka! Problem solved! This system is so cool and so simple, it is a must-have for anyone wanting to capture their baby's first year and a necessity for moms who have more than one child.

The only problem is now I have to wait until the product is available later this year, and be sure I have money in my spending account, so that I can order it as soon as it is posted on Amazon! Her kits have a history of selling out in minutes and I am sure these will be top sellers.

Three things to know about Down syndrome

Our son was born almost two years ago with Down syndrome (also known as Trisomy 21 because he has three of the 21st chromosome). His birth introduced us to a whole new world. We have met amazing people who are traveling their own journey on the same path. We are thankful for the support we have received from friends, Joey's daycare providers and his therapists who join us in cheering Joey on every step of the way. Most of all, we find immense joy every day in our beautiful son who, though delayed a little in walking and talking, is really not any different than our other two children.

The Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta (DSAA), of which I am a board member, has really come alongside us on our journey. It is through this group that I have made wonderful new friendships and that we have received valuable information to navigate the maze of therapies and services we will need and to equip us to be educated advocates for our son.

Three things I'd like you to know about Down syndrome:

1. People with Down syndrome have infinite potential that is waiting to be tapped and encouraged. They have the same wants and desires as we all do and they deserve our love, respect and encouragement.
2. Although Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic disorder, it has historically been the least researched. However, there is a growing interest in researching how to improve the cognitive function of individuals with Down syndrome with great progress being made therapeutically and medically. The DSAA helps fund Emory's Down syndrome clinic, which is participating in this research.
3. Sadly, most OB/GYN's have an inaccurate picture of what a person with Down syndrome's life prospects are and tend to advise abortion for those receive a prenatal diagnosis. Some 90% of those babies given  a prenatal diagnosis end up aborted. The DSAA is embarking on an awareness campaign with local OB/GYNs to help them present a more accurate and updated picture of having a child with Down syndrome.

This Wednesday, 3/21 marks World Down Syndrome Day, would you please consider showing your support for Joey and other people with Down syndrome by donating $3.21 to the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta. For less than a cup of Starbucks you can help an organization that provides advocacy, support, education and awareness on behalf of the Down syndrome community. Donate now at: http://www.atlantadsaa.org/what-we-do/world-down-syndrome-day/

I really appreciate your consideration.

Special needs kids don’t need labels | ajc.com

Over the past twelve months I have undergone a journey shared here in Special needs kids don’t need labels ajc.com. 

On July 2, 2010, our beautiful son was born and we found out he came with a little "extra" known as Trisomy 21 or Down Syndrome. At the time I did not understand what exactly that means, and I am sure I still don't really know. All I do know is I have an overwhelming love for a darling little boy who is pretty much exactly like my other children.

I delight in him daily and thank God for bringing him, exactly as he is, into our family.