Blog For Down Syndrome

I had a huge grin the entire time I watched this video. It turns out this young man has a website/blog and is making a documentary with his brother. As I read through some of the information on Dan’s web site it turns out he must be local to us because he attended a valentines dance at my son’s school. Small world!

You can check out Dan’s blog site here http://dandrinker.blogspot.com/ or head straight to the videos here http://youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C77F474F643BC22D

An op-ed piece recently appeared in the Washington Post. Here is an excerpt that reflects my same feelings.

Here’s my fervent hope: that calls for universal prenatal screening will be joined by an equally strong call for providing comprehensive information to prospective parents, not just about the tests but also about the rich and rewarding lives that are possible with disabilities. If physicians and genetics professionals are willing to learn from people with disabilities and their families, they can disseminate the nuanced, compassionate message at the core of diversity and human rights: All people have value and dignity and are worthy of celebration.

It took us a few years to reach the conclusion that our son with Down Syndrome also has autism spectrum disorder. He was reaching developmental milestones up until 3-4 years of age and then actually seemed to regress in areas of eating, communication and socializing.

I wish we had seen an article like this one on the Kennedy Krieger web site back then 12 years ago. It really rings true for us and I hope others will find it useful.
Great article on the Kennedy Krieger website

(text copied from Yahoo Group web site)
The Down Syndrome & Autistic Spectrum (ds-autism) listserv is a discussion list for families, parents, and professionals interested in this dual diagnosis.Topics include medical, educational, and family concerns in a free, and open forum
(Click here to go the Yahoo Group Site)
The list is a program of Creating Solutions (www.creating-solutions.info) and managed by volunteers: Joan Guthrie Medlen, Donna Duffey, and Mary Beth Pilewski Paul.

The list is the inauguarl service of The Down Syndrome & Autism Internet Information Center. For more information about the Center, visit: http://www.disabilitysolutions.org/ds-autism_center.htm