Down syndrome in children is often determined already at birth - by the sum of certain physical characteristics characteristic of people with this genetic pathology.

Some children have only a few signs, while others have almost all of them. Because some of these features can also be seen in people who do not have Down syndrome, genetic testing must be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Signs characteristic of children with Down syndrome:

• low muscle tone (babies are born "sluggish");
• brachycephaly (short skull);
• flat features, very small nose;
• raised outer corners of the eyes (oblique incision);
• epicanthus (vertical skin fold near the inner corner of the eye on the upper eyelid);
• very small, irregularly shaped ears;
• short thick neck;
• on the palm there is one deep transverse fold in the center;
• superflexibility (due to hypermobility of the joints);
• twisted little finger;
• too much distance between the big and second toe;
• enlarged tongue and half-open mouth;
• short fingers and limbs.

Other Health Problems Associated with Down Syndrome

About 50% of children with Down syndrome are born with heart defects, and so serious that the child may experience heart failure soon after birth. However, not all heart defects are diagnosed by external signs, so all children with Down syndrome should have an echocardiogram during the first few months of life to make sure that the child has or does not have a heart problem.

Minor defects can be corrected with drugs, but serious defects of the cardiovascular system require surgical intervention.

People with Down syndrome have more hormonal problems than the general population. About 10% of children with Down syndrome and 50% of such adults suffer from thyroid pathologies. The most common disease among people with Down's syndrome is hypothyroidism, a condition caused by a long-term sustained lack of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism can be corrected with medication.

More than half of children with Down syndrome have vision problems such as strabismus, nearsightedness, farsightedness, or cataracts. In many cases, the situation can be corrected with the help of glasses or surgery.

Hearing impairment is also very common in children with Down syndrome, so they should be regularly examined by an ophthalmologist and ENT in order to identify problems with vision and hearing in a timely manner. Otherwise, you will have to solve the problem with the development of speech, which will appear as a result of pathologies of hearing and vision.

Patients with Down syndrome have a much higher (15-20 times) risk of developing leukemia compared to ordinary people. Moreover, the disease, as a rule, manifests itself during the first three years of a child's life, but has a higher cure rate than the average. A temporary form of leukemia in children with Down syndrome can also develop immediately after birth, but it usually goes away on its own within the first two to three months.

Approximately 10-12% of children born with Down's syndrome also suffer from developmental disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which usually require surgical intervention.

About a quarter of adults (over 35) with Down syndrome have signs of Alzheimer's disease (dementia). Usually, Alzheimer's disease does not develop before the age of 50, and only 5-10% of adults over 65 years of age have its symptoms.

Call your doctor and talk about Down Syndrome if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and have (or your partner) a family history of children with Down Syndrome.

When the desired pregnancy finally comes, it is a real holiday. Having waited for two stripes on the test, future parents feel elated and happy, but over time they also feel certain fears. In particular, one of them is the experience of

Many future parents often ask the question of why children with Down syndrome can be born? And are there ways to prevent this pathology?

Let's figure out who these "sunny" children are.

congenital syndrome

First of all, it is necessary to understand that any congenital syndrome, including Down's syndrome, is not a disease, and therefore its treatment is impossible. A syndrome is understood as the total number of a number of symptoms that are caused by various pathological changes in the body. A large number of congenital syndromes are hereditary, but Down's syndrome stands out from this list, being an exception. It got its name from the doctor who first described it in 1866 (John Langdon Down). How many chromosomes does a Down have? More on that below.

What caused?

This syndrome is caused by the tripling of the twenty-first chromosome. A person normally contains twenty-three pairs of chromosomes, but in some cases there is a failure, and instead of the twenty-first pair, three chromosomes appear. It is the very one, that is, the forty-seventh, that is the cause of this pathology. This fact was established only in 1959 by the scientist Jérôme Lejeune.

People with Down syndrome are called "sun children". Who they are is interesting to many. The genetic anomaly, consisting in the presence of an extra chromosome, distinguishes them from others. The term "sunny" was assigned to such children for good reason, since they are characterized by a special cheerfulness, they are very affectionate and at the same time obedient. But at the same time, they have a certain degree of developmental delay in mental and physical terms. Their IQ level ranges from twenty to seventy-four points, while most healthy adults have from ninety to one hundred and ten. Why healthy parents are born

Causes of the birth of children with Down syndrome

In the world for seven hundred to eight hundred children there is one child with Down syndrome. Babies with this diagnosis are often abandoned in the maternity hospital, worldwide the number of such "refuseniks" is eighty-five percent. It is worth noting that in some countries it is not customary to abandon mentally retarded children, including those with Down syndrome. So, in Scandinavia, in principle, there is no such statistics, and in Europe and the USA they refuse only five percent. It is interesting that in these countries there is generally a practice of adopting "sunny" children. For example, in America, two hundred and fifty families are waiting for their turn for babies with Down syndrome.

We have already determined that the "solar" children (who they are, we explained) have an extra chromosome. However, when is it formed? This anomaly appears mainly in the egg, when it is located in the ovary. Due to some factors, its chromosomes do not diverge, and when this egg cell subsequently fuses with a sperm cell, an “incorrect” zygote is formed, and then an embryo and a fetus develop from it.

This can also happen due to genetic reasons, if all eggs / spermatozoa or a certain number of them contain an extra chromosome from birth.

If we are talking about healthy people, then, for example, in the UK, one of the factors affecting the genetic error is the aging of the egg, which occurs along with the age of the woman. That is why special methods are being developed to promote the rejuvenation of eggs.

Characteristics of "sunny" children

In terms of appearance, children with Down syndrome have features such as:

• slanted eyes;
• wide and flat tongue;
• wide lips;
• rounded head;
• narrow forehead;
• the earlobe is fused;
• slightly shortened little finger;
• wider and shorter feet and hands than normal children.

How many years do people with Down syndrome live? Life expectancy is directly dependent on the severity of the manifestations of the syndrome and social conditions. If a person does not have a heart disease, severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, immunity disorders, then he will be able to live up to 65 years.

Amazing character

"Sunny" children have an amazing and unique character. From a very early age, they are distinguished by activity, restlessness, mischief and extraordinary love of love. They are always very cheerful, it is difficult to focus their attention on specific things. However, there are no complaints about their sleep and appetite. Parents may complain about something else: it is quite difficult to deal with such a child at a party or on the street because of his activity and constant demand for attention to himself; He is very noisy and restless. It is difficult for a baby with trisomy 21 to explain anything. The usual methods of upbringing on such children are ineffective, they cannot be scolded, because the opposite reaction will follow: either there is a lock in oneself, or the behavior becomes even worse.

can handle

However, you can deal with any situation. With such a child, the most important thing is to be able to choose an approach to him. Indefatigable energy and mischief must be spent and used in the right way. This requires playing outdoor games as much as possible, being outside more often so that the child can run more. You don’t need to control it too much, prohibit many things or find fault with trifles. One day the energy of the young child will decrease a little, he will begin to listen to his parents more and begin to play developing, calm games.

If the necessary efforts are made, then the "sunny" children can even go to a simple kindergarten and school, having previously prepared before that in a specially designed correctional school. Some even receive professional education. Perhaps the most important thing is to give them enough warmth, love, affection and care in childhood. They are very affectionate and strongly attached to their parents. Without it, they will not be able to survive in the literal sense of the word. How many chromosomes a down has, described above.

Who can have "sunny" children?

Scientists still cannot find the reasons that provoke a failure in genetics and cause the development of Down syndrome. It is believed that this occurs due to absolute chance. A child with a similar syndrome can be born regardless of what lifestyle his parents lead, although many people are often sure that such a pathology is the result of unacceptable behavior of the mother during pregnancy. In fact, everything is different.

The probability of having a child with Down syndrome does not decrease even in a family whose members adhere to the principles of an exceptionally healthy lifestyle. That is why the answer to the question of why such children are born to normal parents can only be answered in this way: there was an accidental genetic failure. Neither the mother nor the father is to blame for the appearance of this pathology. Why children with Down syndrome are called sunny, now we know.

Probability

It is worth noting that children with Down syndrome are still rarely born to healthy parents. However, there are groups of people who are more at risk than others.

A "sunny" child is most likely to appear:

• those parents whose age exceeds forty-five years for the father and thirty-five for the mother;
• in the presence of one of the parents of children with Down syndrome in the family;
• marriage between close relatives. Diagnosis of Down syndrome during pregnancy is now ongoing.

Of greatest interest is the fact that in a healthy marriage perfectly healthy parents can have a "sunny" child due to the influence of their age. What is it connected with? The fact is that before the age of twenty-five, a woman can give birth to a child with this deviation with a probability equal to 1:1400. Until the age of thirty, this can happen to one woman in a thousand. At thirty-five, there is a sharp increase in this risk to 1:350, after forty-two years - 1:60, and, finally, after forty-nine years - up to 1:12.

Judging by statistics, eighty percent of children with this pathology are born to mothers who have not reached the thirty-year mark. However, this is due to the fact that before thirty women give birth to more women than after.

Increasing the age of women in labor

Currently, there is a tendency to increase the age of women in childbirth. But we must remember that even if a woman looks great at thirty-five and is actively pursuing her own career, her biological age will still work against her. Now it is rare for anyone to look their age, since the female half of the population has learned to take very good care of themselves. It is clear that this time is the most suitable in order to lead an exciting, active, eventful life, travel, build a career, start relationships, love. However, the genetic material, as well as female sex cells, steadily ages after a woman reaches the age of twenty-five. In addition, nature provides that over time there is a decrease in the ability of a woman to conceive and give birth.

It is worth noting that the risk of having a child with abnormalities is high not only for this category of mothers, but also for too young women in labor who are not yet sixteen years old.

The development of Down syndrome is not affected by the gender of the child, and this pathology is equally likely to occur in both girls and boys. However, modern science can predict the birth of a child with this syndrome even in the womb, when there is a choice: to leave him or get rid of the pregnancy, and parents can make their own decision.

We figured out who these "sunny" children are.

Celebrities

There is an opinion that people with Down syndrome can neither study, nor work, nor achieve success in life. But this opinion is wrong. Among the "children of the sun" there are many talented actors, artists, athletes and teachers. Some celebrities with Down Syndrome are listed below.

Spanish actor and teacher of world renown. Pascal Duquinne - theater and film actor. The paintings of the American artist with Down syndrome Raymond Hu delight connoisseurs. Masha Langovaya - Russian athlete, became the world champion in swimming.

Often people use the term "Down's disease", often saying that this disease is incurable. Others believe that there is Down's syndrome, and there is Down's disease, and the condition of the child and the chances of a cure depend on this. But it is worth noting that such statements are incorrect and absurd. In fact, Down syndrome is not a disease. The term "syndrome" means a certain set of features or signs. For the first time, such features were described in 1866 by John Langdon Dun, which is why the syndrome has such a name. And only after many years, scientists understood the cause of the syndrome - it is an extra chromosome in the human genetic code. Normally, the body contains 46 chromosomes. In children with this syndrome, there are 47 of them - the 21st pair contains one more additional one. Therefore, the diagnosis is ascertained by the doctor with the help of a blood test.

What are the reasons?

Until now, there are no reliable facts about the reasons for the appearance of another chromosome. Such children are born in equal numbers in well-developed countries, and in poor ones, in the families of scientists and in the families of the unemployed. In fact, there is no one's fault in the appearance of a child with Down syndrome. As well as guilt that a person was born this way - even more so. Such a child is the same as the other, he just has one more chromosome, one "small" chromosome. However, because of such a small difference, people usually place a large margin between children with Down syndrome and normal children.

Features of the children of the Sun

Unfortunately, this extra chromosome provokes a number of physiological features, in connection with which a child with Down syndrome develops more slowly than his peers. It was previously believed that children diagnosed with Down syndrome were too mentally retarded and not amenable to learning. However, modern science, after a series of studies, claims that all children are different and Down syndrome has varying degrees of severity. Most kids can easily learn to speak, write, read, walk, and do a lot of the things normal kids do. The development of such children is promoted by the atmosphere of kindness and love in the house, and the corresponding special programs.

Children of the Sun and Society

Parents and all relatives should treat children with Down syndrome with love and patience, engage in an early intervention program with the child, provide proper medical care, and then you can hope for positive improvements. Society should experience tolerance towards such people, however, often the children of the Sun face either ridicule, or indifference, or pity (only the weak are spared, better help or do not interfere with such a child!). Therefore, if your child is normal, instill in him the quality of tolerance from childhood towards those people who differ from us by only one chromosome.

The birth of a special child is always a real test for parents, and this is completely natural. Every mother wants to have a healthy baby, but not always we can influence our lives. Parents of children with Down syndrome, however, as well as children with other diseases, invariably ask themselves the question - “Why do we need this?”. This question will never be answered, because it cannot be in principle. It is not known why the baby has an extra chromosome. It happened and no one is to blame. But in fact, the test for parents is not the very birth of a solar child, but the attitude of society towards special children. By the way, do you know why Downy are called solar children? Because they are open to people and always smile. Having endowed such babies with an extra chromosome, nature gave them a heart created for love. Perhaps in order to teach love to other people...

Having a baby with Down syndrome

All parents of children with Down syndrome experience a real shock, even if they already knew in advance about the high probability of having a special child from the screening results. Do not be afraid to seek psychological help from professionals or communities of parents of sunny children. Do not hide from the problem - it will not go anywhere, but the sooner you get acquainted with the prospects for the life and adaptation of the baby, with your rights to help from the state, the more confident you will feel.

It may take you a long time to adapt. This is also natural - after all, your life has changed dramatically. The most important thing is to be able to understand that neither you nor your baby are to blame for the fact that he has such a diagnosis.

It is quite possible that you will fall under the psychological pressure of close people who know nothing about the characteristics of down children, but passionately want to tell you about the terrible prospects for their life and development. Do not give in to pressure from the outside: no one except the parents is responsible for the fate of the baby.

What if the family already has children? You need to tell them about everything as early as possible, in a language they understand and understand. Explain that their newborn brother or sister is not like them, and there is nothing to worry about. Children adapt much better in such a situation: their consciousness is not yet blinded by stereotypes that a mentally retarded person is a different caste. But from the fact that their parents are depressed, the children will definitely suffer, not understanding what happened. Therefore, the birth of a child with Down syndrome for other children in the family should by no means be a tragedy. You will be surprised how responsive babies will be when helping you with the care of a special child.

Development of children with Down syndrome

What can parents of a special child expect? First of all, you need to conduct a complete examination of the baby's health, since in some cases Down's syndrome correlates with some somatic diseases - congenital heart disease, hearing and vision impairment, and thyroid problems. This is important because you need to know what exactly causes developmental delays: for example, hearing or vision impairment can make it difficult to conduct developmental classes.

The main feature of sunny kids is the safety of their emotional sphere, as well as good imitation abilities, and it is these qualities that parents and teachers should use to the maximum to ensure the development of children with Down syndrome.

Thinking in such children is slow, and attention is scattered. However, mechanical memory will be more developed. Another distinctive feature of solar children is their musicality. Therefore, as an early development, the so-called music therapy is recommended - the development of general motor skills under musical accompaniment. Never remove your baby from participating in games with other children - he will copy their behavior and repeat words, and this is very important.

A feature of down children is that they begin to sit, crawl and walk later than ordinary children, and also lag behind in the development of fine motor skills. That is why it is extremely important to start developmental classes and do special exercises in the first year of life. This will help to minimize developmental delays.

For the development of the speech of such children, parents need to learn how to comment on their actions, and do it in simple language: “I wash the dishes”, “I eat bread”. The child will memorize actions and repeat their names. The books that you read to your baby should contain bright illustrations - this will help to concentrate the child's attention.

Teaching Children with Down Syndrome

This question worries all parents without exception. What is the future of the solar child? Will he be able to learn, and how does this even happen? First of all, you need to remember that your child has every right to go to kindergarten and comprehensive school. It is integration into such an environment that is the most promising approach in teaching children with Down syndrome.

Children study in a regular class according to special programs. It is possible to study in a correctional school. A very important point is additional developmental activities - music, physical education, modeling, and even theater circles.

After school, young people with Down Syndrome can get an initial vocational education and work. By the way, an amazing feature of down children is that they are good at working on a computer. This can also be used in teaching. 5 out of 5 (7 votes)

There are children who are not like others - they were born special: with an extra chromosome or a worldview that is completely different from the usual one. Such children are, in no case, not grief, not a sentence and not a punishment for parents. They are called bright or sunny because they smile more often than others. They are able to love and live a full life, although they are born completely unsuited for this world. Parents of special children need to find a special approach and then they will follow a different, special path in their lives.

The statistics are relentless - Down syndrome occurs in every 700th child in the world, and autism - in one of 88 children.

A mother who finds out that her child is not like the others finds it difficult to decide what to do next. Many believe that they will have to put an end to their lives if the baby was born with a genetic pathology. But star parents, who have the opportunity to state their situation publicly, do everything possible to prove that a special child is a full-fledged member of society and deserves love.

The loudest statements about her “other” motherhood were made by the actress and singer Evelina Bledans, who in 2012 gave birth to her second son, Semyon. Even in utero, the boy was diagnosed with Down syndrome and fusion of fingers on his left foot, but mom and dad wanted him to be born, in any case.

“People are intimidated by prejudice, and therefore 85% of parents are afraid of additional difficulties in raising a baby that is not like everyone else,” says Evelina.

She decided to destroy the existing stereotype that it is necessary to keep silent about children with genetic abnormalities, and every day she proves to all parents that a baby, whatever it may be, is a great happiness.

“This page was created for parents who are about to have or have already had such children. I started it in order to socialize people with Down syndrome. I wanted to explain that this diagnosis should not be feared - such people should be treated with loyalty.”

Evelina regularly writes about her son Semyon, his development, gives all kinds of recommendations, returns parents faith in themselves and gives a positive attitude.

Among celebrities, not only Evelina is raising a special child. Lolita Milyavskaya also has a sunny daughter - at birth, Eva was diagnosed with Down syndrome, but later it was changed to autism - an innate psychological isolation. Lolita does not hide the fact that her child, up to 4 years old, did not speak at all, did not see well and had many health problems. However, the singer always praised her daughter, and maternal love performed a miracle - now Eva is 16 years old and she goes to school, where she practically does not differ in behavior and level of development from her peers.

The daughter of the famous director Fyodor Bondarchuk, Varvara, was also born with Down syndrome. Parents do not consider the girl sick, but they call her special. They say that such a diagnosis only strengthened their family.

Composer Konstantin Meladze has three children from his first marriage. The youngest of them, Valery, suffers from a rare form of autism. The boy lives in his own, special world and practically does not communicate with people. Yana, the mother of Valery and the ex-wife of the musician, first spoke about her son's illness after her divorce from Konstantin.

“Doctors diagnosed Valera with autism. Treatment of this disease in all countries of the world is very expensive, including Ukraine. No, this is not a sentence, this is a shooting, after which you were left to live. This is a serious disease that has not yet been treated in any way, but it can be corrected. I'm talking about a severe form of autism. These kids can be trained. I think that parents who are faced with a similar problem are familiar with the feeling of fear, helplessness in the face of grief, and shame. Our society does not accept, does not recognize “others”. But when a child has the first successes, hope and faith wake up - and then a new starting point for true victories and bright pride for your child begins. Parents do not need to be ashamed, to blame themselves. Do not think that you could do something wrong. When you understand what a responsible mission you are performing in your child’s life, you will realize the value or even pricelessness of your role.”

At the age of three, Sylvester Stallone's son was also diagnosed with autism. Little Sergio had difficulty adapting to the world around him: he could not even make contact with his relatives, not to mention the rest of those around him. Sergio's mother was actively involved in the child and even managed to open a research center for autistic children.

Now Sergio is 35 years old, he never left his world - he lives quietly and alone. His father visits him, brings medicine and is still indignant: “I have enough money and opportunities, but I can’t help him in any way.”

American singer Toni Braxton also faced the problem of autism in a child. She felt that something was wrong with her child when he was not yet a year old. The singer put a lot of effort into the development of the boy, and everything was not in vain - he was able to go to school with ordinary children.

A similar fate has not bypassed many celebrities, and they all say that genetic abnormalities are not a sentence. As confirmation - 10 most famous people with Down syndrome and autism who were able to succeed in their favorite business.

These people prove that everyone has a chance for a bright future, you just need to see it. And never give up, no matter how many chromosomes. Love for special, "sunny" children can work wonders. And I want to believe that in the near future in our country there will be "special" people who have achieved tremendous success.

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badmama.com.ua

Sunny kids. Truth and myths

Babies with Down syndrome are called "sunny" children. It is they who increase the percentage of kindness in our world. And these children are called children of the eighth day. This name is explained by such a beautiful story: God created the world in six days, on the seventh He rested. But on the eighth day, God created special children to test the hearts of all other people.

Truths and myths about children with Down syndrome

Myth: Down syndrome is a rare genetic disorder.

Truth: Down syndrome is by far the most common genetic disorder. Approximately 5,000 children are born with Down syndrome every year, which is approximately one in 600 to 800 newborns.

Myth: Most children with Down syndrome are born to older parents.

Truth: It is true that parents are more likely to have a child with Down syndrome as they age, but younger mothers give birth more often and therefore have higher birth rates for children with Down syndrome.

Myth: Children with Down Syndrome are hard to train.

Truth: In children with Down syndrome, IQ varies from 20 to 75 and directly depends on the special program and the volume of these activities. The level of intelligence of these children is low, but despite this, they are very attentive, obedient and patient in learning.

Myth: Society treats people with Down syndrome as "outcasts"

Truth: Many other countries have developed special social programs for children with Down syndrome. And at the same time, they are allowed to live like ordinary people, they study in comprehensive schools, institutes, they are not made outcasts.

Myth: An adult with Down Syndrome is disabled.

Truth: Most young people with Down Syndrome finish school, then get a vocational education that allows them to get a job.

Myth: A person with Down syndrome is unable to form close relationships that lead to marriage.

Truth: People with Down Syndrome are very sensitive and open to contact with others, so the likelihood of marriage is very high, and in the personal relationships of people with Down Syndrome, a lot of love and support is very characteristic.

Yes, children with Down syndrome are a test for their parents, relatives and themselves, but these children are born with love for us, with trust in the world... After all, it is not for nothing that a child born with Down syndrome is called "sunny"... So, what is he guilty of? Why does society close before him all the possibilities of development, the happiness of being among people? Is this child missing something? Not! Even vice versa! He has something that others do not have - an extra chromosome that makes him special.

Babies with Down syndrome are called "sunny" children. It is they who increase the percentage of kindness in our world. And these children are called children of the eighth day. This name is explained by such a beautiful story: God created the world in six days, on the seventh He rested. But on the eighth day, God created special children to test the hearts of all other people.

Achievements of people with Down syndrome

Pascal Duquesne, actor. In 1997, he received the main prize for best male role at the Cannes Film Festival.

In Moscow, there is the “Innocent Theater”, in which most of the actors have Down syndrome.

Pablo Pineda. He became the first person with Down syndrome to graduate.

Andrey Vostrikov. A resident of Voronezh, who became the absolute champion of Europe in artistic gymnastics.

Miguel Thomasin. Drummer for the Argentine band Reynols.

American Sajit Desai. Plays 6 instruments!

bibliomenedzer.blogspot.ru

solar children

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solar children

Every 700th baby in the world, according to statistics from the World Health Organization, is born with Down syndrome. This ratio is the same in different countries, climatic zones and social strata. Genetic failure in a child occurs regardless of the lifestyle of his parents, their health, financial situation, habits and education. A lot of prejudices associated with this disease have formed in society. Diagnosis is often used as a derogatory term. Due to the lack of reliable information, thousands of families are forced to fight for a decent future for their children, experiencing misunderstanding and hostility of others. Open Asia Online today, on International Children's Day, will tell about Kazakhstanis who are firmly convinced that Down syndrome is not a sentence at all.

Marat Sadykov, a well-known TV presenter in Central Asia, spoke on the air more than once about disabled children, but even in a nightmare he could not imagine that he himself would someday face this problem. However, when his wife gave birth to a son, the couple were informed that the child had Down syndrome.

This news turned out to be a real shock, and during a sleepless night, when thoughts were confused, the future father thought about leaving the baby in the hospital. It is recognized that this was from ignorance of the problem and from complete uncertainty how to live with it. And when I saw the newborn Damir, this thought seemed to be removed by hand. He says it was very embarrassing, painful and insulting. The guy pulled himself together and helped his wife Alla cope with the state of shock. Marat and Alla do not have a soul in their Damir. The boy is also loved by his older sister Milan. The child is taken to the pool, where he enjoys splashing in the water with the same special children. And the parents of the kids communicate in a specially created community in social networks. They say that they understood the main thing: they are not alone.

Arina Egorova is only 24 years old. She brings up her Masha alone after her husband left. I found out about my daughter's diagnosis after birth, but I did not even think about giving up the child.

If such a child has already been born, you don’t need to refuse him, on the contrary, you need to make every effort so that he grows up in the family, Arina is sure. - Of course, this is hard to accept at first. This is a shock for the whole family and questions: for what, why me? In fact, you need to think not "for what", but "for what" was such a child born? So that we learn to love, so that we are more tolerant, so that we can enjoy the little things.

Alena Kim brought her one-year-old daughter Amina to the Kenes center, where they bring up the same special children. The first positive changes in her behavior and mood were noticeable within a month, and six months later the girl learned to dance and eat independently, deftly wielding a spoon.

She began to repeat the movements when we dance, - Alena is proud. - We are learning to eat, somehow she didn’t want to at home, but here, looking at other children, she started too. This is also an imitation. “Kenes” means “council” Kenes Center for Disabled Children is a place where parents meet, communicate and teach their special kids. Down syndrome is often accompanied by concomitant diseases, and the sooner they start working with a child, the more likely these ailments are to win.

Mayra Suleeva has been the head of this center for more than 20 years. In Kazakhstan, she is considered a leading specialist in working with children with Down syndrome. Having raised her own children, she adopted a girl, Alina, who was given a disappointing diagnosis. She admits that she then decided: if she herself cannot raise a child with Down syndrome, then how will she help others? Maira is sure that many parents simply do not know that a diagnosis is not a sentence at all. These children can achieve great heights, and it is impossible to refuse such a child.

A trauma for a child, and it cannot be compared with anything at all, and, probably, no war can be as traumatic as the refusal of one's own parents, - Mayra Suleeva states. - It's a delusion when they think that special children do not understand this. The child, while still in the womb, understands whether he is desired or undesired, and even more so when he is abandoned.

90% - refuseniks

The head physician of the Orphanage, Latipa Kozhamkulova, shows little Yersain, who was put on his feet with the help of several operations. But in the maternity hospital, where his mother left him, the doctors unanimously insisted that the child would not live. Little Maryam is also nursed here. Her father, having learned that the girl was disabled, blamed his wife for this and left the family. The mother could not raise her daughter alone and sent her to an orphanage. The 5-year-old Maksat was also abandoned. The kid turned out to be smart: he learned to speak, draw and dance. Educators call it their pride.

There are many such examples, teachers say. In 9 cases out of 10 parents refuse children with Down syndrome. But if they knew that it was possible and necessary to fight, there would certainly be fewer refusals. Our heroes have to work hard to support, educate and educate a sick child. But all of them are sure that at one time they made the only right decision, leaving the baby in the family. And all this because they knew that they were not alone. Today, a fund has been created in Kazakhstan that unites parents of special children. By their example, such families prove that when you love, you can find a way out of any situation. The main thing is to feel that you are not alone.

All these stories formed the basis of one of the parts of the Heroes Nearby project. It was launched by Internews in Central Asia. Television companies from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will present a series of portrait special reports about civil activists as part of the project. A film about children with Down syndrome can be viewed here.

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