Today is World Down Syndrome Day.
Down syndrome (also called Trisomy 21) is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 of 800 live births. It is the leading cause of cognitive impairment. Down syndrome is associated with mild to moderate learning disabilities, developmental delays, characteristic facial features, and low muscle tone in early infancy. Many individuals with Down syndrome also have heart defects, leukemia, early-onset Alzheimer's disease, gastro-intestinal problems, and other health issues. The symptoms of Down syndrome range from mild to severe.
Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has dramatically increased over the past few decades as medical care and social inclusion have improved. A person with Down syndrome in good health will on average live to age 55 or beyond.
But not in mental institutions!Kids live there more smaller...
According to official figures Ministries of Health in Ukraine in 2006-2008 the 1182 children were born with a Down syndrome. A birth of the child with a Down syndrome — huge stress for parents. Children with a Down syndrome pass the same stages of development, as usual children, but with some delay.
Doctors persuade to refuse children though should know perfectly that any child growing not in a family, and in children's home or mental institution lags behind in development the contemporaries growing in families, and refusal of the child with DS will simply break human life and will kill their future!
What should collide a mother who has made the decision to keep the special child? How he will grow, develop?
The big problem consists that we in Ukraine don't have such conditions which would allow children with disabilities to be integrated into a society and to take there a high-grade place.
This is words one man:
"In the newspaper column I have written that life of Downs ugly and other ugly - it is not sugar, to put it mildly. Also it would be more humane to narcotize such newborns under the decision of parents. It is difficult to disagree with this opinion, isn't it? And in a case when it has any defects are it is extremely desirable. What for to us the rust a little genetic material?"
What?! Children with Down syndrome are rust genetic material???!!! It is heartbreaking but it is thinking of many people...Oh, no, no, no!They are creation of God!Each person are creation of God!
This is rejection. Children of our society haven't got used to see children with Down Syndrome, for them they are strangers, they are exposed to sneers and mockeries.
Why in our country not all every tenth knows that such the Down Syndrome? Why we are so not inform? The first association which has people - not normal?
It is terrible mistake - to leave the child in children's home or a mental institution for the same children who never will enter into our society, always will be excluded people. Because when the child gets to such place, a bed with iron rods and meal are given to him. The aunty or caretaker whom speaks something sometimes, comes and never takes on handles. Such children have no possibility to develop and remain in the condition for ever.They since the birth are surrounded with another people who in good mood name them tenderly, and in bad mood...
When you think of it, your heart start to cower.
The main danger to the child suffering by a DS , are not from a condition of his health, but from prejudices, fear, indifference and... pity of associates. Because of them there are "barriers" in a society, interfering people with a DS to get support, which is necessary for them to participate in society life.
Unfortunately, our country with huge delay joins in world processes of creation of equal possibilities for disabilities, especially for disabilities with intellectual insufficiency.
Conclusions of our experts with DS as about sick defective people, are based on supervision over children in mental institutions where environment is extremely adverse for development of any child. Especially for those who has congenital infringements in development. For this reason unreasonable negative forecasts concerning possibilities of the child with are created with DS and their future.
In mental institutions children survive from the bad care and from illnesses. But most of all from feeling of the uselessness. Skilled parents know about indissoluble communication of the child with mother. Children with DS especially feel it.
Just 8-10 % parents visit their children in mental institutions.Not every day or every week but during months...
The statistics shows that children with DS, handed over to a baby house, lives only about one half to one year.
Each year about 7-15 children die in different mental institutions.
It is usual cemetery in Ukraine
This is unusual cemetery, because here buried children with special needs...
Some of them never saw a face their mommy, never heard warmly and tenderly words, never played, never felt mothers hands, never played any game or with any toy, never saw sunshine or even breathe a fresh air...
We believe they are in the heaven with Jesus Christ, Who loves them so much that died for them on the cross and arise from the dead to give a new life!
This article is calling or cry of soul about special children.Please, help them!We are very happy to know when any child with DS has find a home in foreign countries.The child will be lovely in this family and get everything he need. We know not each person can adopt for any different reasons.
Please, pray.Pray for these special and adorable kids we able to visit them and give them love, joy and hope! Please, if God gives you a wish, please, help them in their needs which they have many!
Yes, we know we can not change a world, we can not even a touch or play with each child when we visit mental institutions.We do what we able.We do how many strength Jesus gives us.We do how we understand and how many knowledges we have.We know we are not perfect.We know we need to learn much!We do not have any education for special needs children.We do what we can...Please, help us to bring a light and hope to those who most of all are forgotten.
