Impact Of Down Syndrome On Family Caregivers

Down syndrome occurs in approximately 1 out of every 700 babies born in the United States (“Facts About Down Syndrome,” 2014). As a result, the level of awareness is not as high as that of disabilities that are more common. This campaign caters not only to the active publics, which would include parents and close members of someone with Down syndrome, but also aroused publics, who recognize and care about the issue at hand, but are not as knowledgeable about Down syndrome.

“Parents caring for children with intellectual disabilities (IDs; e.g. Autism and Down syndrome) often report higher depressive symptoms when compared with parents of typically developing children” (Cantwell, 2015). These children have a higher risk of poor health outcomes because of parental stress and lack of social support. Parents with children that have Down syndrome feel there is a stigma in caring for the child. Parent’s not caring properly for their child leads to negative child behavior. Children with low self-esteem and lived with parents who negatively viewed them, such as embarrassment in public places, concluded to have higher depressive rates. When children received high emotional support from their family members this decreased

The older person with Down syndrome has similar needs of those of the typical developing older adult. They tend to be lonely and may require supported living. They seem isolated from the world and may not receive regular contact with their family, co-workers or friends as they used because of loss of mobility. The older adult with Down syndrome commonly suffers from Alzheimer’s which can lead to stress on the family. Also the older adult with Down syndrome does not deal with bereavement loss very well because of the close attachment and bond they establish with people. Some older people with Down syndrome may continue attending the community centre, lunch clubs, church groups or other volunteering that may get them out into the community to interact with

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 700 babies within the United States is born with Down syndrome. This makes Down syndrome the most common chromosomal condition, and about 6,000 babies with Down syndrome are born in the United States each year. In 1866 down syndrome was described as a disorder but there was no evidence on what caused it. Later in 1959 it was discovered that down syndrome was a genetic disorder that it was mostly known for delays in cognitive development. Down syndrome can lead to mild or moderate learning disabilities, unique facial characteristics, and low muscle tone in infancy.” Although here is no cure for Down syndrome the way we can help is by giving them the education and proper care so that they will have endless opportunities.

While nothing done before or during a pregnancy can cause Down syndrome a diagnosis can be available as early as pregnancy. An amniocentesis (thin needle inserted through the mother’s abdomen into the placenta) performed by a medical professional can easily identify the chromosomal abnormality or after birth with a simple blood test performed on the newborn. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the earlier parents can begin processing and using all the available resources to educate themselves on raising a child with Down syndrome. Parents will be able to gain the knowledge needed so that their child can receive the appropriate therapy and participate in activities that have been designed especially for this exceptionality, activities, which are geared to expand cognitive, social, emotional, and intellectual capacity.

Speaker's Notes: Dealing with a child with Downs Syndrome is difficult for many families, but the Allen family has shown remarkable resilience in coping with their son Gary's challenges. One of the reasons that Gary has made such a successful transition from childhood to adulthood is the Allens' willingness to support Gary's independence. This willingness is still informed with an awareness of Gary's limitations. For example, Gary has a very carefully-observed structure and routine which governs his daily activities. He has a job at a supermarket within his capabilities that he enjoys and which gives him a sense of purpose. This job brings him out into the public with people other than his family. Gary is also capable of preparing his own foods and helping with household chores, although his parents do not require him to prepare extensive meals that could be complicated or dangerous if Gary was left in the kitchen alone. There are also contingency plans if Gary cannot be driven to work: he knows how to take the bus.

Normally, there are 46 chromosomes in each cell. While in DS case, 47 chromosomes are present in their cells, particularly excess copy of 21st chromosome (Down Syndrome Australia). The extra copy can lead to some degree of physical characteristics like hearing deficits, poor muscle tone or loose joints, developmental delay specifically language, and some degree of intellectual disability which affects learning (Tracy, 2011). The comparison of life expectancy is much longer now compared before. In 1950 the life expectancy for a person with DS was 15 years in Australia. However, by 2011 this had increased to 60 (Tracy, 2011). One barrier that will face of this man is the society’s attitude and stigma towards them. It is hard to be included in the community because they are already marginalised and often experience care in segregated settings (Down Syndrome Australia). Another challenge is living in a group home where the significant other is not available and self-management is difficult because of tight daily structure, with share meals and seeing people eating is likely to be a temptation for them (Cardol, Rijken, & Van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, 2012). This health issue is incurable and present in person’s whole life. This may have negative impact on psychological well-being and physical health of a person so acceptance and support inclusion in society are pivotal

(Heward, 2013) Additionally, Down Syndrome, one of the most known biological conditions associated with Intellectual Disabilities, accounts for five to six percent of all cases of ID. (Heward, 2013) The early detection and diagnosis of Down Syndrome has greatly improved over the past fifty to a hundred years. The invention of new medical technology throughout these years is key in helping families become prepared for a life with a child with Down Syndrome. Thus, families can use the coming months to educate themselves on what Down Syndrome really is and how they can help their child exceed expectations. Down Syndrome effects the cognitive, physical and social characteristics of an individual in a variety of ways. Additionally, the way someone with Down Syndrome is affected changes from person to person and from task to task. To dwell deeper, “Children and adults with Down Syndrome have greater difficulty with motor tasks that involve speech and language, while they sometimes display superior performance for activities that require visual-motor skill.” (Bunn, Roy, Elliott, 2007, pg. 247) The affects Down Syndrome has on cognitive motor skills is very prevalent in the earlier years of a student. Children with Down Syndrome show a weakened ability to do simple tasks such as read, write, problems pertaining,

Having a Down syndrome is such a difficult situation for an individual to have. They have slow physical and mental capabilities that lead them to discrimination. Physical features of having a Down syndrome. Including flattening of the head; slanting of the eyelids; a gap between the first and the second toes; a depressed nasal bridge; relatively small ears, mouth, hands and feet; short stature; decreased muscle tone and loose ligaments among others. Not every child with Down syndrome has all of these characteristics and some may have only a few. But other characteristic, if not appropriately can be including hearing deficits, congenital disease, eye abnormalities,

Finally, learning that a new born baby has down syndrome is not easy to face, the parents will face and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. While handles the diagnosis of a child with a disability. Some parents will experience fear and concerns. It is natural to experience denial, anger, depression, and other stages of grief as adjust the news that the baby has Down syndrome. Most importantly, there are many sources of support available for the new

Down Syndrome is mainly caused when a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome. People with Down syndrome usually have physical problems, as well slow learning, delayed speech, and short attention span. They may also have other health problems such as heart disease, hearing problems, visual, skeleton or thyroid. Every person born with Down syndrome is different, but should be treated like anybody else. There is no treatment out there that will help cure or prevent Down Syndrome but there are other alternatives for treatment. There are several types of treatment that can help them strengthen certain areas that they may be lacking. Treatment can include health professionals such as special educators, occupational therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists, social workers and

Imagine having to have someone help with everything. Never being able to be independent. Imagine having to rely on someone for everything most people can do by themselves. That’s what Down’s Syndrome does to people. These people have limitations in life. The limitations are different for all. Congenital heart disease/defect and Seizure disorders are only two of them. Down’s Syndrome has its limitations.

Studies showed that families of children with down syndrome generally experience higher level of stress than families with typically developing children (Sloper, Knussen, Turner, & Cunningham, 1991; Hedov, Anneren, & Wikblad, 2002; Lam & Mackenzie, 2002 ; Gau, Chiu, Soong, & Lee, 2008). A child that is having a communication disorder tend to have other accompanying disabilities as well. For example, they can have behavioural issues or also learning difficulties because of their communication disorder. As parents, there are many life hassles that they must face through in their daily life when they are raising children with a communication disorder. Parents may experience time and financial costs, physical and emotional demands and logistical

Nevertheless, each person with Down syndrome is a unique individual that may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all. Indeed, they are not clones, the physical features and medical problems associated with Down syndrome can vary extensively from child to child. For instance, while some kids need a lot of medical attention, others lead healthy unapproachable lives. For the mental abilities, those individuals find some difficulties regarding their development. Having said that, their IQ is less than the average one; it varies between 20 and 50. In some cases, the intellectual disability is more severe. In contrast, surprisingly, individuals with Down syndrome have better language understanding than ability to speak. “Between 10 and 45 percent have either a stutter or rapid and irregular speech, making it difficult to understand them”. (2) This syndrome affects kids' ability to learn in different ways, but most have worked on with the support of their families on moderating the intellectual impairment. In fact, they can and do learn, and are capable of developing skills throughout their lives. It is only a matter of time and it is really important not to compare a trisomic child with a typical normal sibling.

Self-reported mothers of children with Down syndrome. A link to the online survey was emailed to users of and posted on the message boards of regional and local Down syndrome support groups between October and December 2012.