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Down syndrome is a disability that some people are born with that effects their facial structure and the way they communicate to people. It is when a baby is born with an abnormal cell division which affects the the genetic material of chromosome 21 causing it to duplicate.  Personally, I think that down syndrome children are the most happiest, and joyful people in the world. Whenever someone is upset they always want to make you feel better and I think that is one of the most important qualities a person can have. I know many people that have down syndrome and I don’t look at them in a different way. The only thing that is different from us and them is the chromosome numbers. My mom likes to say that she believes that kids with down syndrome are actually the normal ones and we are the ones that are different. They all have a specific outlook on life and that is to make people feel good and make sure they all feel loved, and that’s the way we should be like. I think that they are really special and people should change their view on them. Many people think of them as “weird” or “different” and I think the total opposite. After watching videos and doing research, families that have a sibling or child with down syndrome feel blessed to have them. Many parents at first doubted themselves and didn’t want the child however when you actually spend time with them, they never wanted to let them go. Many people don’t understand the love they have towards people and that all they want from people is a friendship that will last forever. Down Syndrome children are a blessing to this earth and they are what keeps the world a loving and caring place.

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These two brothers have gone viral on social media because of their love for each other. Turner is a boy that has down syndrome and he loves his brother, Biffin very much. This video shows us the love that down syndrome kids have for each other and how one person can make their day.

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I Used to Wish my Downs Syndrome Child Had Died but Not Anymore

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I Used to Wish my Downs Syndrome Child Had Died but Not Anymore

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This video shows us the struggles they are of having a child with down syndrome. The mother of the child did not want to have this down syndrome boy however, she finally noticed how wonderful they are and how they are full of happiness and joy. She explains many of her own experiences after the birth and what the baby also went through. It gives us a good understanding of what it is like to have a child with down syndrome however, it also shows us how grateful parents and families are with them.

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I Used to Wish My Down’s Syndrome Child Had Died but Not Any More | This Morning

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Subscribe now for more! http://bit.ly/1JM41yF Claire Farrington was horrified when she discovered her son Theo was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome at three weeks old, and wished that he had died. But last year, Claire turned a corner and loves Theo as an 'adorable, happy little lad'.

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What to Expect When You're Expecting a Baby with Down Syndrome

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What to Expect When You're Expecting a Baby with Down Syndrome

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Throughout this video, we are introduced to a family with children that have down syndrome. The mother of the children explains to us what it is like to have a child with down syndrome and the experiences of having one. She tells us the things she learns from them and how they benefit to her everyday life. She says that they made her feel happy and joyful throughout the day being with them and that she has learned so much from them.

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What to Expect When You're Expecting a Baby with Down Syndrome

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If you or anyone you know is expecting a baby diagnosed with Down Syndrome, there is much you should know. Here you'll find out the truth of what to expect from someone who knows first-hand.

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Mother of Toddler With Down Syndrome Shares Story

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Mother of Toddler With Down Syndrome Shares Story

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This video is about a blogger who has a son with down syndrome named Welles. The mother explains to us the reaction of finding out that her baby has down syndrome and how she decided to go on this journey and see the happiness that their child would soon bring them. This video is inspirational for any mother who is about to have a child with down syndrome and how they should be grateful for their new arrival.

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Mother of Toddler With Down Syndrome Shares Story

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Mom of 3-year-old boy with Down syndrome says, "I don't want people to feel bad for him...he's changed our lives to make it so the focus of every day is just joy and happiness."

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Throughout this video, we are given lots of background information of down syndrome and how it occurs in babies. We are taught the ways to help prevent or know sooner if your child does have down syndrome or any other type of disability. It also explains to us the number of babies that are born with the disability of down syndrome.

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Understanding Down Syndrome (Baby Health Guru)

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Down syndrome is a birth defect caused by chromosomal abnormalities. Learn more in this video! http://Baby.Healthguru.com/?YT

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This video shows us what it is like to be a parent of a child with downs syndrome. It explains the frustrations that parents go through daily. All they want is for people to not judge people their child by their looks and what they have read or seen about people with down syndrome, but get to know them from within and how unique and sweet they really are.

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down syndrome (disease or medical condition)

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John and Michelle Hibbs talk about raising their son Liam, who has Down syndrome, and their hopes for his future. The full story can be found here: http://www.knoxnews.com/knoxville/family/support-for-the-kids-maryvillebased-nonprofit-knows-babies-cant-wait_37883260

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Down's Syndrome Twins Are One in A Million

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Down's Syndrome Twins Are One in A Million

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Throughout this video, it tells us the experiences that twins with down syndrome go through. It shows us the relationship they both have together and also with other members of their family. We also are introduced to how they impact their family in good and bad, however, mostly good. They tell us that they are not a mistake however they are a gift given to them.

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Down’s Syndrome Twins Are One In A Million

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SUBSCRIBE to Barcroft TV: http://bit.ly/Oc61Hj IN MATCHING blue jeans, white smocks and suede boots, five year-old identical twins Abigail and Isobel are not only impossible to tell apart - they're also one in a million twins.

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This documentary tells us about the ups and downs a mother and father go through when they find out that their baby has down syndrome. It explains how families cope with the news and also how they prepare for the expecting child. It teaches us the process of having a baby with this disorder and the fears that come with it as a mother. It also tells us the dangerous life-threatening disadvantages down syndrome comes with for a newborn child.

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This video shows us the perspective of what people with down syndrome think and how they communicate with other people. They tell us what they think and what they want people to think of them. It also introduces us to how a mother reacts to finding out that their baby had down syndrome and how she handled it.

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During this video, it explains the things that you need to know about down- syndrome. It tells us how people are born this way and what is wrong with the structure of someone with down syndrome's, DNA. It also gives us basic information about our own DNA and how it differs to someone that has down syndrome.

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Are you a visual kind of person? Me too.

Here is a simplified version of What is Down Syndrome in just one minute.

What is Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome is the name given to a genetic abnormality in which a person has a triplicate of the 21st chromosome. Trisomy 21 is another name for Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome was first identified by the English Physician, John Langdon Down in 1866.

Down Syndrome occurs when a person receives an extra chromosome at conception. This happens in approximately 1 in 700 pregnancies in the United States. Down Syndrome is also the most common genetic anomaly known.

How Does Down Syndrome Happen?

People usually receive 23 chromosome pairs from their mom and 23 chromosome pairs from their dad.

Sometimes there is an error in cell division and when the chromosomes are doing their thing, one parent shares a bit too much genetic material and there you go, baby, gets a little extra chromosomal piece or strand. Nothing can prevent this. Down Syndrome is not as a result of the parent's lifestyle, drug use, diet, or any other factors that the parents can control.

Trisomy 21, the most common form of Down Syndrome, is completely random. This anomaly can happen to anyone of any race, any age, any background, and in any geographic location.

Trisomy 21, Down Syndrome, can happen for first time moms, it can happen to young moms, and it has a higher statistical chance of happening to older moms.

There are 3 types of Down Syndrome:

Trisomy 21: All copies of the 21st chromosome are in triplicate (95% of cases)

Mosaic Down Syndrome: Only some of the person's 21st set of chromosomes are in triplicate and others are completely unaffected These cases have a tendency to exhibit fewer of the physical characteristics of Down Syndrome and often it can be difficult to tell, at first glance, that they have Down Syndrome. (1-2% of cases)

Translocation: Extra genetic material is attached to the 21st chromosome but it may not be a full and separate chromosomal piece, it is kind of like a small hitchiker. This type can be hereditary but is the only type that is.

Down Syndrome is NOT a spectrum disorder, you either have extra genetic material on the 21 st chromosome, or you do not.

The ABILITIES of those with Down Syndrome ARE on a wide spectrum and can be greatly improved with Early Intervention.

Children born with soft markers (physical characteristics) for Down Syndrome will have a blood test to confirm the extra genetic material.

My Baby has Down Syndrome, now what?

Congratulations, first of all, you are having a baby and that my friend, is awesome. Down Syndrome is not scary, there are so many opportunities right now and perceptions are changing. The world is becoming a better place for families and individuals with Down Syndrome.

A few things that you should know. Babies born with Down Syndrome will have a number of screens performed at birth, or shortly thereafter. The life expectancy of someone born with Down Syndrome now is much the same as anyone else born. Often individuals with Trisomy 21, Down Syndrome, will live well past 60 years ....or more. Much is based on lifestyle choices and self care, like any of us.

Children who have Down Syndrome are more likely to have heart issues (40-60%). Some of these heart issues can lead to a need for surgery, the good news is, so many children born today thrive after their heart defects are medically repaired.

Children born with Down Syndrome should be screened for Heart Defects, Hearing difficulties, Vision problems, and sometimes other tests as deemed necessary by a Pediatrician.

When a child has Down Syndrome they are also at increased risk of infection due to a lowered immune system, this does not mean that you need to keep children with Down Syndrome in a bubble, but they do need to be monitored closely when they contract a virus or respiratory infection.

Having a child with Down Syndrome is a joy and children with Down Syndrome can learn to do all the things that typical children do.

Children with Down syndrome can learn to walk, talk, sign, read, write, and perform basic math skills. Some children with Down Syndrome will have the ability to go to college and live independently.

What about the heart?

Down Syndrome is an anomaly that carries with it the increased risk of heart defects. The heart defects commonly associated with Down Syndrome are:

ASD- Atrial Septal Defect

"In this defect there is a hole between the top chambers (receiving chambers or atria). Because of the higher pressure in the left side of the heart, oxygenated blood flows through the hole from the left to the right side of the heart, and back to the lungs, in addition to the normal flow.

There are three types of Atrial Septal Defect; the most common is when there is a hole in the middle of the central heart wall. Holes in the lower part of the septum, called the primum defect (partial atrioventricular septal defect), are often associated with a problem of the mitral valve that often results in a leak. Less common are sinus venosus defects or holes in the top of the septum. These are associated with an abnormality of the right upper lung vein." -Congenital Heart Disease in Children with Down Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2017, from http://downsyndrome.nacd.org/heart_disease.php

VSD- Ventricular Septal Defect

"In this defect there is a hole between the bottom chambers (pumping chambers or ventricles). Because of the higher pressure in the left side of the heart, this allows oxygenated blood to flow through the hole from the left to the right side of the heart, and back to the lungs, in addition to the normal flow." Congenital Heart Disease in Children with Down Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2017, from http://downsyndrome.nacd.org/heart_disease.php

PDA- Patent Ductus Artetiosis

"This defect is the continuance of a direct connection between the aorta and the lung (pulmonary) artery, which normally closes shortly after birth." Congenital Heart Disease in Children with Down Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2017, from http://downsyndrome.nacd.org/heart_disease.php

Tetralogy of Fallot
"This anomaly includes four different heart problems:

a hole between the top chambers and a hole between the bottom chambers

combined mitral and tricuspid valves (common atrioventricular valve)

narrowed pulmonary artery (from heart to lungs) or the area under or above the valve, or all three

thickening of the right bottom chamber (ventricle)" Congenital Heart Disease in Children with Down Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2017, from http://downsyndrome.nacd.org/heart_disease.php

Are there other health issues?

Children born with Down Syndrome do have a higher incidence of risk for other health issues that may not be as common in the general public. It does not mean that each child born with Down Syndrome will experience all, or even any of these health problems, but there is a higher incidence in the Down Syndrome population so they are monitored more closely. There is something about that extra genetic material that makes these children susceptible to health problems. A few of these can be:

Hypothyroidism - a condition in which the thyroid is doing its job and producing enough of the thyroid hormone. This can result in complications with weight gain, constipation, feeding issues and can manifest itself in other ways as well. This is a treatable condition and is often tested for in infants with confirmed Trisomy 21.

Leukemia- Children born with Down Syndrome have a 10-15% higher risk of developing the blood disorder, leukemia (white blood cell cancer).

Cervical Malformation - In approximately 10-20% of children with Down Syndrome there can be a slight malformation in the upper part of the spine which may not cause any issues unless surgery is needed or contact sports are engaged in. It is something that children should be checked for.

Hypotonia - This is the hallmark of Down Syndrome. One of the first signs that a practitioner looks for at birth is hypotonia, a fancy word for poor muscle tone. At birth often children with Down Syndrome have a "floppy" tone and will exhibit a lack of definition. This means that the babies are fantastic snugglers but also contributes to the delays in gross and fine motor skills that are associated with Down Syndrome.

It is important for parents to find a pediatrician who is very familiar with Down Syndrome, or find a children's hospital which has a Down Syndrome clinic so that the child with this condition can receive the most astute care possible. Some children with Down Syndrome have many health complications, other children have very few.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

There are many supports and sources of information from the national level to the state level, here are just a few:

NDSS - National Down Syndrome Society

DSDN - Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network
Global Down Syndrome Foundation
NADS - National Association for Down Syndrome

You also will likely find a local chapter of organized families by doing a google search using your county, state, and "Down Syndrome group"

Want to hear from other mamas? Download this free ebook of letters written to you from other mamas on this path when you sign up below for the email list.

"Hypothyroidism in Infants, Children, and Teens - Topic Overview." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 17 May 2017.

"What Conditions or Disorders Are Commonly Associated with Down Syndrome?"National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 17 May 2017.

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Down Syndrome 101- Everything you need to Know

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Down Syndrome is the name given to a genetic abnormality in which a person has a triplicate of the 21st chromosome. Trisomy 21 is another name for Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome was first identified by the English Physician, John Langdon Down in 1866. Down Syndrome occurs when a person receives an extra chromosome at conception.