How you spread the news is completely up to you. Once you can get past all those fears, you get to fall in love with your child.” Telling family and friends Before you have your own child in your arms, you’re focused on that label so distinctly. “Are people going to accept him? The fear is very raw. “I think my biggest fear was wondering how people are going to look at us as a family,” she says. Melody Jewitt, mother of two-year-old Myles, recalls the first weeks after she received her son’s diagnosis. Just remember, whatever you feel is completely normal. Other parents struggle a little bit more.” “There are some parents who are very welcoming,” says Nirit Bernhard, medical director of the Down Syndrome Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.“They know other individuals with Down syndrome and are thrilled with the joy of having a child.
My daughter has Down syndrome and I wouldn't change a thingWhether your child receives a Down syndrome diagnosis prenatally or postnatally, it’s often surprising and sometimes difficult news.
But prenatal screening (via blood test, chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis) may detect the presence of extra genetic material. In most Down syndrome cases, there is a third copy of chromosome 21 in every cell-a genetic variation called trisomy 21. What is Down syndrome?ĭown syndrome is a congenital condition that affects about one in 700 babies in Canada. If that’s the case, stop googling right now! But if you’re hungry for more-or looking for a quick guide that you can share with friends and family-start reading. You may feel inundated with all the information that experts are throwing your way. The first thing you need to remember? You have a brand new baby to love! Give your wee one all the snuggles and attention you can muster, and try not to stress about what can seem like an overwhelming diagnosis. Congratulations! If you are about to bring a baby with Down syndrome into your family or have already welcomed a little one into your life, you know what an exciting and overwhelming time it can be.