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Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska has been selected as Republican John McCain�s vice-presidential running mate. Governor Palin recently gave birth to a second handsome son, Trig Paxson Van Palin, who has Down syndrome. Todd and Sarah Palin knew before their son�s birth that he would have Down syndrome. He is their fifth child, joining four wonderful older siblings: lovely, accomplished sisters Piper, Willow, Bristol, and big brother Track, scheduled to be deployed to Iraq on 9/11/08.

Below are tips for the proper use of language for stories about Down syndrome. Advocates from the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) encourage all media to use the below language:

� Down vs. Down�s: Down syndrome

The NDSS and NDSC use the preferred spelling, Down syndrome, rather than Down�s syndrome. While Down syndrome is listed in many dictionaries with both popular spellings (with or without an apostrophe s), the preferred usage in the United States is Down syndrome. This is because an �apostrophe s� connotes ownership or possession. Down syndrome
is named for the English physician John Langdon Down, who characterized the condition, but did not have it. The AP Stylebook recommends using �Down syndrome� as well. In Great Britain the preferred usage is Down's syndrome.

� People with Down syndrome should be referred to as people first, rather than putting the diagnosis first. Instead of �a Down syndrome child,� we prefer �a child with Down syndrome.� Also avoid �Down�s child� and describing the condition as �Down�s,� as in, �He has Down�s� or worse, "She is Down's." Some writers use "baby with DS" or "child with D.S."

� Down syndrome is a condition and a syndrome, not a disease. Other children cannot 'catch' Down syndrome; it is genetic.

� People �have� Down syndrome, they do not �suffer from� it and are not �afflicted by� it. Children are partially disabled by or deal with the challenges of Down syndrome, but are more like their mainstream peers than they are different.

� It is clinically acceptable to refer to �mental retardation,� but advocates prefer the less clinical, more socially acceptable terms, �cognitive disability� or �cognitive impairment.� Some advocates refer to Down syndrome as a "developmental disability" or "intellectual disability" and refer to babies as having developmental delays.

Down Syndrome Myths and Truths

Myth: Down syndrome is a rare genetic disorder.
Truth: Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition. One in every 733 live births is a child with Down syndrome, representing approximately 5,000 births per year in the United States alone. Today, more than 400,000 people in the United States enjoy active lives with Down syndrome.

Myth: People with Down syndrome have a short life span.
Truth: Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent years thanks to adequate medical care, with the average life expectancy approaching that of their peers without Down syndrome.

Myth: Most children with Down syndrome are born to older parents.
Truth: Most children with Down syndrome are born to women younger than 35-years-old simply because younger women have more children. However, the incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother.

Myth: People with Down syndrome are severely disabled.
Truth: Most people with Down syndrome have IQs that fall in the mild to moderate range of intellectual disability (formerly known as �retardation�). Children with Down syndrome fully participate in public and private educational programs. Educators and researchers are still discovering the full educational potential of people with Down syndrome. Given opportunities, they often exceed our expectations.

Myth: Most people with Down syndrome are institutionalized.
Truth: Today people with Down syndrome live at home with their families and are active participants in the educational, vocational, social, and recreational activities of the community. They are integrated into the regular education system and take part in sports, camping, music, art programs and all the other activities of their communities. People with Down syndrome are valued members of their families and their communities, contributing to society in a variety of ways. Many adults with Down syndrome live independently with varying levels of support and contribute positively in their households and neighborhoods.

Myth: Parents will not find community support in bringing up their child with Down syndrome.
Truth: In almost every community of the United States there are parent support groups and other community organizations directly involved in creating services and support for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mainstream classmates and their families enjoy knowing children, youth and teens with Down syndrome while they are growing up and expect them to be coworkers, neighbors and lifelong friends.

Myth: Children with Down syndrome must be placed in segregated special education programs.
Truth: Children with Down syndrome have been included in regular academic classrooms in schools across the country. In some instances they are integrated into specific courses, while in other situations students are fully included in the regular classroom for all subjects. The current trend in education is for full inclusion in the social and educational life of the community. Increasingly, individuals with Down syndrome graduate from high school with regular diplomas, participate in post-secondary academic and college experiences and, in some cases, receive college degrees. Individuals with Down syndrome across the spectrum become contributing members of their communities through volunteerism and work, inspiring friendship, responsibility and compassion.

Myth: Adults with Down syndrome are unemployable.
Truth: Businesses are seeking young adults with Down syndrome for a variety of positions. They are being employed in small- and medium-sized offices: by banks, corporations, nursing homes, hotels and restaurants. They work in the music and entertainment industry, in clerical positions, childcare, the sports field and in the computer industry. People with Down syndrome bring to their jobs enthusiasm, reliability and dedication. Accomodations made for workers with Down syndrome often greatly benefit their mainstream peers and employers.

Myth: People with Down syndrome are always happy.
Truth: People with Down syndrome have feelings just like everyone else in the population. They experience the full range of human emotions. They respond to positive expressions of friendship and also can be hurt, frustrated and angered by inconsiderate behaviors or intimidated by bullies.

Myth: Adults with Down syndrome are unable to form close interpersonal relationships leading to marriage.
Truth: People with Down syndrome date, socialize, form ongoing relationships, are excellent roommates, enjoy lifelong friendships, and also marry.

Myth: Down syndrome can never be cured.
Truth: Research on Down syndrome is making great strides in identifying the genes on chromosome 21 that cause the characteristics of Down syndrome. Scientists now feel strongly that it will be possible to improve, correct or prevent many of the problems associated with Down syndrome in the future.

For more information visit: www.ndss.org or www.ndsccenter.org


Pam W
SE of Seattle

Explaining Down Syndrome to Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art55519.asp



Pamela Wilson - Children with Special Needs Editor
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Patricia Bauer has a good article about proper language for newscasters, interviewers and writers to use when referring to people with disabilities, like Todd and Sarah Palin's baby son, Trig.

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How darling was Trig Palin at the Republican National Convention!?! He is maybe the second cutest baby boy with Down syndrome I have ever seen, and seemed right at home on the stage in front of an appreciative audience.

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