Thursday, October 28, 2010

31/21: Day 28!!

Well, it's October 28th and I haven't missed a post/day yet!! I had a busy day today, but what's new about that ;)?!?

I am not sure that I have ever shared the website called Got Down Syndrome. My sister Qadoshyah keeps it all updated (and really cute!). There's tons of info on there about Down Syndrome.

So, from the website, here is the FAQ (sorry, but it's late and this is easier than typing a whole long post :)).


Q: What is Down Syndrome?

A: Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is caused when there is a triplication on the 21st chromosome. People with Down Syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of 46, like people without Down Syndrome. This is the reason it is called Trisomy 21, being there are three 21st chromosomes instead of the usual two.


Q: Can Down Syndrome be cured?
A: Cured? No. But, can the processes and metabolic imbalances going on in their bodies be slowed? Absolutely! This is what Targeted Nutritional Intervention for Down Syndrome is all about. Please see our articles section for more information on that.


Q: Are there degrees of Down Syndrome?
A: No, there are not degrees to Down Syndrome. However some individuals with Down Syndrome may not seem as mentally retarded as others. Why would this be? This could be dependent upon the person's upbringing and what foods or vits they have had or not had. The individual may not be deficient in some things that DS people generally are deficient in. They may also be using TNI, or eating a diet high in anti-oxidants and foods that will help protect them from so much oxidative stress and the like.


Q: Are there different types of Down Syndrome?
A: There are 3 different types of Down Syndrome, they are - Full Trisomy 21, Mosaic DS and Translocation DS. Full Trisomy 21 is where all the cells have a third 21st chromosome in them. Mosaic DS is where there are two cell lines. Meaning, there are some cells that have the normal 46 chromosomes and there are some cells that have an extra 21st chromosome to them, making 47 chromosomes. Thus, that is where the mosaic pattern comes from. Translocation DS is where part or all of the third 21st chromosome is Translocated to another chromosome, usually chromosome 14. This only occurs in about 3-5% of the DS population.


Q: What does DS€ stand for?
A: Abbreviation for Down Syndrome.


Q: What does TNI€ stand for?
A: Abbreviation for Targeted Nutritional Intervention.


Q: What is Targeted Nutritional Intervention?
A: Please see our article, What Is Targeted Nutritional Intervention all about?


Q: I am expecting a child with Down Syndrome, what should I do?
A: First, start finding out all that you can about Down Syndrome and be ready to love that baby when it is born. You can see a lot of links with information on them on our Links page. You can also see a list of our recommended books on our Books page. We would also encourage you to look into Nutrivene-D and order the vitamins now, before your child is born, that way, when he is born, you can start giving it to him as early as possible!!


Q: I gave birth to a child with Down Syndrome, now what do I do?
A: Congratulations is the first thing to say!!! You have just been BLESSED with a wonderful Down Syndrome child. The very first thing to do is to love that child as much as you can. I would also highly suggest to research out all that you can about Down Syndrome. Some big things to look at are: Targeted Nutritional Intervention, Teaching Reading & Speaking to a child with Down Syndrome, Oral Motor Therapy.


Q: What are the first thing(s) you would recommend for someone who is new to Down Syndrome?
A: Targeted Nutritional Intervention would be the first thing. Secondly, we would recommend Oral Motor Therapy, not just Speech Therapy. See our articles section and links page for some more info on both of these.


Q: Are all people with Down Syndrome "retarded"?
A: In a way yes, but in a way no. In Down Syndrome, they have a progressive mental retardation. Brain cells start to die off earlier than individuals without DS. Individuals with DS also have more oxidative stress problems than individuals without. Thus, this is the reason for Targeted Nutritional Intervention (TNI) - to help slow down and prevent some of the cell death, oxidative stress/damage and retardation.


Q: Do people with Down Syndrome learn to talk?
A: Absolutely!! They can learn to talk, just like anyone else. They may have some difficulties, particularly because of their muscles in their mouth, but there are therapists who help with these issues. Sign Language and Cued Speech can also be helpful in this area.


Q: Do people with Down Syndrome learn to read?
A: Yes, they can learn to read just like anyone else. Again, they may have some problems with learning to read, but there is no reason they cannot. Sign Language and Cued Speech may also help with this.



Q: Can people with Down Syndrome live a normal€ life?
A: Yes, they absolutely can. There are quite a few who are. For a few examples of that please see the links below:
Erik Behnke
Chris Burke
Jane Cameron
Sujeet Desai
Karen Gaffney
Raymond Hu
Michael Johnson
Rachel Roberts
Ashley Wolfe
Carrie Bergeron

Q: Can Down Syndrome people get married?
A: Yes, they can. There are a few recent couples that have taken the step of matrimony. See the links below:
Sujeet Desai & Carrie Bergeron
Proposal ; Wedding Plans - Article 1 & Article 2 , Another link on Sujeet & Carrie , Wedding Photos
Josh Putnam & Bernadette Resha - Couple with Down syndrome Prepare to Wed
A Down Syndrome couple marry, from a mexican newspaper
Down's Syndrome couple celebrates their 2nd anniversary
Special Wedding For A Special Couple
- Jim Lindquis & Sarah Stanchfield - May I Have This Dance?
- Eric Neatrour & Christine Kurvits - Couple with Down syndrome win contest, exchange vows

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I hope all those links worked. . . !!


Goodnight!


Suriyah

1 comments:

Jennifer said...

Great post, with a lot of good information. Thanks for the links!