October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

October is a special month for our family for a lot of reasons. Our wedding anniversary is in the month of October, as well as Dane's birthday. Several family members and friends celebrate their birthdays during the month. It is hands down my favorite month because the weather begins to change, the leaves turn and the crispness, sights and smells of fall is upon us. Hence the reason I got married in October! Another very special reason I love October is that the entire month is set aside to celebrate Blake and Down syndrome! There are several ways to support Blake and individuals with Down syndrome in your community. Virtually every town has their own alliance that sponsors various events to benefit the Ds community. This time of year the Buddy Walk takes place on various dates nationwide. It is a great venue to show your support and raise money for education, research and awareness of Down Syndrome. It is so important to educate others about Down syndrome and the wonderful contributions those with Down syndrome have in our communities. We need to educate neighbors, co-workers, church members, and yes, even teachers. Individuals with Down syndrome have SO much to offer, and should be celebrated not just in the month of October, but everyday! I have listed some factoids below about Down Syndrome. All were taken from the National Down Syndrome Society website (http://www.ndss.org/)...

• One in every 733 live births is a child with Down syndrome resulting in approximately 5,000 births each year in the United States alone.
• The majority of children with Down syndrome (80%) are born to mothers UNDER the age of 35 because younger women have more children. They are not always born to "older" mothers.
• Children with Down syndrome have been included in regular academic classrooms in schools across the country. Increasingly, individuals with Down syndrome graduate from high school with regular diplomas, participate in post-secondary academic and college experience, and are employed at a variety of places in the community.
• Researchers are making great strides in identifying the genes on Chromosome 21 that cause the characteristics of Down syndrome. Many feel strongly that it will be possible to improve, correct or prevent many of the problems associated with Down syndrome in the future.
• Most individuals with Down syndrome have an IQ that falls in the mild to moderate range of intellectual disability, not the severe range as often assumed.

In the final bullet above NDSS uses the wording "intellectual disability." This is fairly new terminology that is replacing the horrific word, "retarded." The NDSS, local Down syndrome organizations, professionals working with people with Down syndrome, parents of children with Down syndrome, and those who have Down syndrome are working VERY hard to remove the word "retarded" from everyday language. Also know to us as the "R" word. I personally feel it is important for all of us to draw attention to those who use it, adults and children alike, and make them aware of it's hurtful, inappropriate nature. We can use those opportunities to educate those individuals and introduce the terminology "intellectual disability." Nothing is worse than having your child be called "retarded," but it also horrible to hear it used in slang.

And my favorite statement from NDSS..."Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community enable people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives."

Thanks to all of you for supporting Blake and us in this journey. It has been a rollercoaster ride so far, which I am sure will not change. I have had to fight and advocate like crazy sometimes, but I have also had opportunities to sit back and smile and just enjoy watching him grow and learn like any other child. Isn't it unbelievable to think he will be 4 years old in four short months!