Monday, September 30, 2013

Video! At the Global Down Syndrome Foundation ‘Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Fashion Show’

from Extra:
Hollywood’s A-listers teamed with nearly 20 models with Down syndrome at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) “Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Fashion Show,” a high-style fashion show and fundraiser which took place in Denver on Saturday, September 28.

The event featured celebrities including Jamie Foxx, John McGinley and Quincy Jones, who are helping raise money and awareness of the condition.

Take a look!

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The gala honored HLN’s Kyra Phillips and businessman/social media phenom Tim Harris, who has Down syndrome. They received the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award for their support of those with disabilities, and for raising awareness about the social inequities that still exist.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Fraternity holds Buddy Walk


by Jelissa Neal from the East Tennessean:Many student organizations are starting the year off right, giving back to the community and raising money for a great cause. One organization in particular is Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE).The SAE Fraternity held their annual Buddy Walk on Sept. 7.The Buddy Walk is an event that teams up with the local organization FRIENDS (Friends Reaching, Inspiring, and Educating Neighbors about Down Syndrome), a Johnson City affiliate with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and SAE’s local philanthropy. The NDSS was also a sponsor of this event.The Buddy Walk raises money by allowing people to pledge per lap the number of laps that a team walks. It was created by NDSS in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Paula and Jamie Deen named grand marshals of Buddy Walk


by Savannah Morning News:Savannah’s best-selling celebrity chefs and cookbook authors, Paula Deen and Jamie Deen, will serve as grand marshals of the 2013 Buddy Walk.
The eighth annual event will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 5 in Forsyth Park. The Deens will lead participants in the one-mile fundraiser to benefit the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the event, which raises awareness and funds for local programs, including Camp Buddy, that benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families.
Jamie Deen sits on the society’s board and, with Paula Deen, has served as Buddy Walk grand marshal several times.

Friday, September 27, 2013

For families, time to come together at Buddy Walk

by Danielle E. Gaines from the Frederick News-Post: 
For the Jones family, Saturday's Buddy Walk was a family reunion in more than one way.
“We come back every year. We've seen the same friends each year. We've seen the kids grow from young children into teenagers,” said Wallace Jones, of North Wales, Pa.
His has been meeting at the walk for the last 11 years, starting with the birth of his daughter, Hailey, who has Down syndrome.
On Saturday, Wallace gathered with his wife, Tina, all three of their children, his parents from New Castle, Del., and his sister Waynet Jones, who lives in Frederick.
“We all come together here,” said Waynet Jones, who is a board member of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., the locally based Down syndrome advocacy group that has organized the walk for the last 12 years.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Cincinnati Reds Find Winning Spirit in Honorary Batboy with Down Syndrome


Chris Connelly of ESPN’s “E:60″ reports from ABC News:When Teddy Kremer was born 30 years ago, doctors diagnosed him with Down syndrome and a geneticist came to speak with his family.
“She said, ‘You might want to think about institutionalizing,’” said Kremer’s mother, Cheryl Kremer. “It was so dismal when children were born with a handicap 30 years ago that, you know, they gave you no hope.”
Cheryl and Dave Kremer did not have their son placed in a facility and, with their constant support, he grew up with a love of sports as big as his upbeat personality.
In March 2012, at a local charity event, one item in the silent auction caught the Kremers’ eye.
“We were walking around, looking, and we saw this [prize of becoming] batboy, honorary batboy [for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds],” Cheryl Kremer said.
The Kremers made a bid — and won. Teddy Kremer was elated.
“He came in, just a big friend, just a great guy,” said Todd Frazier, an infielder-outfielder for the Reds. “He came up to me – never met the guy in my life – and just [said], ‘Todd, how ya been?’ He was just a joyous person to be around.”

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

School told mom her daughter, cheerleader with Down Syndrome, is a 'liability'

 
She's one of her team's biggest fans. A high school cheerleader in Deer Park who has overcome so much in her life, living with Down Syndrome. Now her family wants answers after they say she was told to move away from the sidelines at their last game.Freshman Brittany Davila, 16, has Down Syndrome. But she's been a cheerleader for years, first for her junior high, and now for Deer Park High School."That's her favorite thing to do," said Brittany's mother, Buffy Davila. "She doesn't understand why they're telling her she can't do it. I don't know how to explain it to her."Davila turned to Eyewitness News after she says Deer Park officials complained."She cheered last week at the volleyball game," said Davila. "Then yesterday we went and it was a different coach, and now she can't do it because it's a liability."

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

'DADS' help children with Down syndrome with new vehicles


by WHAS11:LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – A local group supporting the cause of Down syndrome unveiled two vehicles that will help special needs children.

The group, Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome, was able to purchase the vehicles thanks to donations from the WHAS Crusade for Children and Kosair Charities.The 15-passenger van and a Ford F-150 will help transport kids to and from the doctor and also take children with Down syndrome to special events.“DADS” of Kentuckiana says transportation can often be an issue for children with Down syndrome because some of their parents are older and unable to get their kids from one place to another.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Researchers Report on Recurrent Mutations in Down Syndrome-related Myeloid Condition, Blood Cancer


by GenomeWeb Daily News:
A single gene appears to be the main culprit in a myeloid proliferation complication called transient abnormal myelopoiesis, or TAM, that's sometimes seen in individuals with Down syndrome, according to a study online yesterday in Nature Genetics, which usedsequencing to characterize the alterations associated with TAM and a related blood cancer.

A team led by investigators at the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Hirosaki University used genome sequencing, exome sequencing, and targeted genomic assessments to tally up genetic changes involved in the often-temporary myeloid condition most akin to acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Zumbathon For Down Syndrome

by Brittany Falkers from WDIO.com ABC:
The 12th annual Step Up For Down Syndrome Walk in Duluth is coming up on Sunday, September 29.  But one Northland family is doing a little extra fundraising ahead of the big walk.
Alycen Maciejeski and her fiance Josh Gerding say their 10-year-old son Joshua was blessed with an extra chromosome.  Alycen says he's a healthy and very active kid. This year he's in the 4th grade at Bryant Elementary in Superior.
The family has been active in the Duluth Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk for the last six years.  Every year they get as many people as they can together before the main event to donate to the cause they say is very close to their heart.
This year they're raising money with a Zumbathon.  It's a chance to raise some extra money and support kids like Joshua.  Alycen says it's also an opportunity to raise awareness.  "They are people too.  Smart people, very capable of learning, just like me and you," Alycen said.
Join them Sunday, September 22 from 2 until 4 p.m. at Clyde Iron Works. It's just $10 for the two hours of high energy exercise fun.
All of the money raised will be donated under Joshua's name to the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota at the walk, which is coming up at the end of the month.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Teen with Down Syndrome stars in Wet Seal campaign

 from Rebecca Fishbein from Today:
Karrie Brown got to live out every teenager's dream last month when her favorite clothing company, Wet Seal, asked her to model for them. But the 17-year-old high school junior from Collinsville, Ill. isn't like most other models: She has Down Syndrome.
But that wasn't going to keep Karrie away from the camera. In August, her mother, Sue Brown, took a picture of Karrie dressed in her favorite Wet Seal outfit and put it on a Facebook page titled "Karrie Brown — Modeling the Future."
"The next day, people started texting and tweeting at Wet Seal, and leaving voicemails for them that they should check out Karrie, that she wants to be a model," Brown told TODAY.com. "On their website, they say they believe in diversity and inclusion, and it was just a perfect fit."
Karrie's fans caught Wet Seal's attention, and the clothing company contacted Brown the next day.
"That's when they said if we had 10,000 Facebook 'likes' by that Friday at noon, they'd have a surprise," Brown said. "We had 11,000 'likes.'"

Friday, September 20, 2013

Top 5 News Posts for Down Syndrome in 2013 on DSD

Down Syndrome Daily's goal is to bring current news to the Down Syndrome community. These are the top 5 news items for 2013 based on DSD views.

John T Farley to serve as board member for the NDSC
 
Five years ago Farley began his run for the board of directors of the National Down Syndrome Congress. Each year the self advocates select one of their peers to represent them on the national board. Only one is voted in annually, and some years as many as 20 individuals run for this position.
 
Boy with Down syndrome, 6, left to die because of tired doctor's mix-up
 
A six-year-old boy with Down syndrome died after a hospital doctor mixed him up with another child who had a 'do not resuscitate' order.

Defending Kids with Down Syndrome: A Life Lesson on Vacation
 “We can not stay in this store,” I told him sharply. My son and my daughters, ages 5 and 7, were confused. “This store is making fun of people with Down syndrome,” I told them.

Down syndrome: Nutrient-dense foods are best
The best way to avoid unnecessary weight gain is to feed children nutrient-dense “real” foods and limit junk foods. As a rule of thumb, buy food that is grown rather than manufactured; so, plenty of fruit and vegetables. Since digestive issues are common in children with Down syndrome, a truly digestible diet can go a long way in preventing or treating yeast and/or constipation issues as soon as they appear.

World Down Syndrome Day Google Doodle
 
Mark Jones created a Google Doodle proposal for World Down Syndrome Day. Although it wasn't used by Google, it still generated a lot of global attention (it really did!).


Down Syndrome Daily is dedicated to supporting people with Down syndrome and we sincerely appreciate those who subscribe to our site and social media. We also thank everyone who sends articles and pictures!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Hahnville grad with Down syndrome becomes advocate for those with disabilities

 by Kyle Barnett from the St. Charles Herald Guide:
Craig Blackburn has a motto by which he lives.
“Never give up. That’s my message. Never give up,” he said. “If you have fears don’t look back, look ahead.”
That is a message the 34-year-old Hahnville High School graduate has been carrying through his entire life, and Blackburn has had to overcome a lot. He was born with Down syndrome as well as a heart defect that had to be repaired through open heart surgery when he was an infant.
Now, Blackburn has been able to accomplish so much that he has become an advocate for others with disabilities.
He is on the board of the Down Syndrome Association of Greater New Orleans and regularly travels the region and country giving speeches to educators and those within the disabled community. In recent years, he spoke to a crowd of 1,300 at Tulane University and also traveled to Qatar to give a speech.
“It’s about educators and families and their child’s future to tell them they can do it and not to give up on their dreams. When I do my presentation it is like making them believe what they can do and don’t look back,” he said.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Misleading claims of 'cure for Down's syndrome'

from Nursing Times:
The Mail Online suggests there could be a “cure” for Down syndrome, saying that scientists have “discovered a way to reverse the learning difficulties caused by the condition”.
It is not apparent from this headline that the research in question was carried out in mice, not people with Down syndrome. The mice had a genetic abnormality that mimics some of the characteristics of Down syndrome in humans. The study investigated the effects of a compound (called Sonic hedgehog pathway agonist, SAG) which the researchers thought might reduce some of the aspects of problems with the brain structure, learning and memory of mice.
When the mice were given SAG at birth, by adulthood they had more normal development in the part of the brain involved with balance and coordination than untreated mice. The treated mice also showed improvements in nerve signalling in a part of the brain involved with memory and spatial awareness. They also performed better on a test of learning and memory. However, SAG treated mice still showed differences in some nerve cell signalling and behavioural tasks compared to normal mice.
It is not possible to correct the underlying genetic abnormality that causes Down syndrome, so talk of a “cure” is misleading.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Medical Issues in Down Syndrome: What Every Parent Needs to Know - Dr. Kishore Vellody

Down Syndrome Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Welcome to the 2013 Down Syndrome Podcast Series provided by Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Subscribe with iTunes
of UPMC and  hosted by Kishore Vellody, MD, medical director of Children’s Down Syndrome Center. The podcasts will focus on a wide range of issues related to down syndrome for parents, caregivers, educators, and medical professionals. Podcasts are updated regularly and will feature discussions with medical experts in cardiology, otolaryngology, sleep disorders, infectious diseases, and more. Download and subscribe to this podcast series on iTunes.
If you have a topic that you would like us to discuss, please send an email to downsyndromecenter@gmail.com.

Note: IE9 and IE10 users, please view these podcasts through iTunes.

Medical Issues in Down Syndrome: What Every Parent Needs to Know

This six-part presentation was given by Kishore Vellody, MD, medical director of the Down Syndrome Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC at the 2013 National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention held July 19-21, in Denver, Colo.
Released: 7/26/13
Dr. Vellody spoke at the National Down Syndrome Congress meeting in Denver, Colorado in July 2013. This is the first of six parts, discussing background, genetics, and developmental issues in Down syndrome.
Direct download: Medical_Issues_in_Ds_Part_1_Background_Genetics_Developmental.mp3 

Monday, September 16, 2013

Couple accused of neglecting daughter with Down syndrome

from WHAS11.com:
CARROLLTON, Ky. -- A Carroll County, Ky. couple was arrested Wednesday afternoon on allegations they neglected their daughter who has Down Syndrome.
Police said an investigation showed that the victim’s father, Billy Ray Mertz, 46, and step-mother, Robin Mertz, 34, allegedly kept their 23-year-old daughter in an upstairs bathroom for weeks at a time.
The victim was also kept in a basement bedroom that was closed off using boards that were screwed into the wall to keep the door from opening.

During the investigation, police said they learned that the victim was deprived of food while she was locked in the rooms.  She reported weighed approximately 189 pounds when she first came to live with the Mertz family in 2009 and weighed only 86 pounds when she was removed from the home, police said.
The victim is currently in foster care with Adult Protective Services, but family members are questioning the validity of the story from police.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

More choline for mom decreases Down syndrome effects

By Brian Friedlander from the Cornell Chronicle:
Fetuses with Down syndrome dramatically benefit when their mothers increase their intake of the nutrient choline during pregnancy and nursing, report Cornell researchers in the journal Neurobiology of Disease. Increased choline by moms bolsters brain functions and plays a profound health role for Down syndrome offspring throughout their lives.
Increased maternal choline intake improves spatial cognition and attention, and delays aging-related memory decline in normal laboratory rats.  The present findings with Down syndrome mice indicate that increased maternal choline consumption may also lessen the impairment of individuals with Down syndrome and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which is seen in nearly all Down syndrome individuals.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Man with Down Syndrome, father walk over 300 miles for awareness

SALT LAKE CITY — A 25-year-old man with Down's syndrome and his father laced up their shoes and set out to achieve what they never thought possible — they are walking across the state.
The father and son team have made a goal to walk 300 miles from Washington County to Temple Square.
Dave Allen said it's been a long journey, but every step has been worth it.
"We're walking to Salt Lake, one foot in front of the other," Dave said.
The pair started in St. George and have already walked 297 miles. The route took them through Eureka and Saratoga Springs, among many other Utah cities.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Will And Kate Fight Stigma Against Down Syndrome In Beautiful Way


from the Huffington Post:
He’s only a little over a month old, but Prince George may have already learned his greatest lesson from his benevolent parents.
Prince William and Kate Middleton usually shirk gifts for special occasions, but they recently made an exception for an artist with Down syndrome, TODAY reported. Tazia Fawley, 43, spent six months crafting a bright painting of children’s classic Rupert the Bear flying over a bridge in the Bristol Balloon Festival in England in hopes that the royal couple would accept it and hang it in their home.
After the artist completed her piece, Suzie Moffat, director of Heart & Sold, an organization that promotes artists with Down syndrome, took a photo of it and sent it on to the palace to see if the new parents would be interested in it. Soon after, she received an enthusiastic note from the couple saying they would gladly welcome the work of art.


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Gene Tied to Down Syndrome May Suggest Way to New Therapy

by Nicole Ostrow from Bloomberg:
Scientists have identified a gene on the extra chromosome causing Down syndrome that may be responsible for the early aging and cognitive defects in people with the condition, a finding that could lead to new treatments.
The gene, called Usp16, may hinder the body’s ability to make stem cells needed to maintain tissues and organs, according to research published today in the journal Nature. That includes development of organs such as the brain while in the uterus, said Michael Clarke, a senior study author.
The findings in mice and human cells are the first to help explain why people with Down syndrome show signs of early Alzheimer’s disease and age faster, the authors said. Further investigation may test whether the gene might slow down these aging effects or fight against other diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, Clarke said.
“Like most regulators and stem cell functions, understanding how those things work has potential implications in a wide range of diseases,” Clarke, a professor of medicine at Stanford University near Palo Alto, California, said in a telephone interview. “Now that we have a pathway, there might be drugs that could be used to improve some of the problems.”

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

How Down syndrome may help unravel Alzheimer's puzzle

by Linda Carroll from NBC NEWS Today:
Scientists have known for decades that people with Down syndrome were at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but they didn’t know why. Some researchers now believe that understanding the connection between the two conditions might help us unravel the Alzheimer’s puzzle and point towards therapies that might slow, or even halt, the dreaded disease.

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“It’s a tantalizing and provocative question: Do people with Down syndrome hold the key to the mystery of Alzheimer’s development?” Dr. Brian Skotko, co-director of the Down Syndrome Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a telephone interview. “And what can we learn from those with Down syndrome that will benefit the rest of the population?”

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Meet a superhero with a soft touch

by Steve Hartman from CBS News:

(CBS News) WILMINGTON, Del. -- Jonathan Stoklosa is a young man who has incredible power -- the power to lift your spirits and just about anything else. We met him "on the road."

Unlike most super heroes, Jonathan, 31, still lives with his parents.


"Come on!" shouted his mother from upstairs in their home.

And unlike most super heroes, Jonathan doesn't wake up ready to save the world.

"Were you sleeping?" his mother asked him as he came down the stairs.

And unlike most super heroes, Jonathan was born with Down syndrome. Nevertheless, he's still one powerful crusader.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Down Syndrome Treatment Study Shows Experimental Drug Reverses Cognitive Deficits In Mice

 by David Freeman from the Huffington Post:
There's still no cure for Down syndrome, but recent research is raising hopes that drugs can be found to counter the cognitive deficit that characterizes the genetic disorder.
In July, University of Massachusetts researchers said they had found a way to shut down the extra chromosome that causes the syndrome, at least in test tubes. And now comes word that scientists have identified a compound that brings dramatic improvements in learning and memory in mice bred to have a Down-like condition. One injection of the compound given on the day of birth seemed to work by allowing the animals' cerebellums to grow to full size.
"Most people with Down syndrome have a cerebellum that's about 60 percent of the normal size," Dr. Roger H. Reeves, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and one of the scientists behind the research, said in a written statement. "We treated the Down syndrome-like mice with a compound we thought might normalize the cerebellum's growth, and it worked beautifully... We were able to completely normalize growth of the cerebellum through adulthood with that single injection."

Sunday, September 8, 2013

NIH launches first national Down syndrome registry

from the NIH:
The National Institutes of Health has launched DS-Connect, a Web-based health registry that will serve as a national health resource for people with Down syndrome and their families, researchers, and health care providers.
“The Down syndrome community has voiced a strong need for a centralized, secure database to store and share health information. DS-Connect fills that need, and helps link individuals with Down syndrome to the doctors and scientists working to improve their health and quality of life,” said Yvonne T. Maddox, deputy director of the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which funded and developed the registry.
Participation in the registry is free and voluntary. Individuals with Down syndrome, or family members, on their behalf, may sign up to create personalized profiles with information about their health histories, including symptoms, diagnoses, and medical visits. The website has been designed to ensure that all information remains confidential. The site will separate users’ names from their health information, so that individuals may compare their health information with that of all other participants in an anonymous manner.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Ethan Saylor petition with 340,000 signatures presented to MD Governor

from ABC 2 News:
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The family of Ethan Saylor presented a petition to the governor Thursday containing 340,000 signatures in support of launching an investigation into his death.



Ethan Saylor was a 26-year-old man with Down's Syndrome. He died while in police custody at a movie theater in Frederick. Three off-duty Frederick County Sheriffs working at the movie theater intervened when Saylor refused to leave the theater after seeing the film Zero Dark Thirty.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Dodgers make dream come true for Whittier fan with Down's syndrome

from KABC 7 by Amy Powell:
A Los Angeles Dodgers fan from Whittier with Down's syndrome will soon have his dream come true.
He knows Vin Scully's famous line by heart, and Nick Ybarra is one of the legendary announcer's most devoted fans.
"He loves Vin Scully. He just listens to the radio, and sometimes when we want to go to the game, he'll say, 'No, I'll just stay home. I want to listen to the radio,'" said his sister, Bridget Ybarra.
In fact, Nick's love affair with the Dodgers goes back to childhood. The 27-year-old's bedroom is a tribute to his beloved team.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

NDSS, NDSC, Saylor family & Maryland legislator deliver petition to MD Governor

 
 

NDSS & NDSC Update: National Down Syndrome Organizations to Join Saylor Family and Maryland Delegate Mizeur to Deliver 338,000 Signatures to Maryland Governor O’Malley this Thursday

On Thursday, September 5, 2013, Patti, Ron and Emma Saylor, mother, father and sister of Ethan Saylor, and representatives of the National Down Syndrome Society and National Down Syndrome Congress along with Maryland Delegate Heather Mizeur will deliver a change.org petition with over 338,000 signatures to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley at the State House.  A press conference is planned for 10:30 AM ET at Lawyer’s Mall across from the Maryland State House.

This petition authored by Emma Saylor calls for an independent investigation by Governor O’Malley into the death of Ethan Saylor at the hands of off-duty Frederick County police officers who were moonlighting as security officers at a movie theater in a mall in Frederick, Maryland.

As our constituents will recall, Ethan had attended the movie Zero Dark Thirty that evening and would not leave the theater because he wanted to see it again. An internal investigation cleared the officers of any wrongdoing.  Governor O’Malley has the authority, under the Maryland constitution, to pursue an independent investigation into the tragic death of Ethan Saylor.

Join Us at the Press Conference:

The press conference will be held on Thursday September 5, 2013 10:30 AM ET in Lawyer’s Mall, right across the street from the steps of Maryland State House located at: 100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401. For more information, please contact Ginny Sessions at gsessions@ndss.org or (202) 465-3221.

Sign the change.org Petition:

NDSS and NDSC are encouraging advocates and members of the Down syndrome community to sign Emma Saylor’s change.org petition at: http://www.change.org/justiceforethan.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Registration For Learning Program Online - a great opportunity

 

September 2013 

 

We are pleased to invite you to participate in 2013-2014 LP Online, the online learning community based on DSF's The Learning Program™. The Learning Program™ utilizes current research on best practices and effective teaching strategies to improve educational outcomes for children with Down syndrome.  For more information, visit www.dsfoc.org or click here.

The LP Online will consist of ten sessions from our Level 1 class offered through Webex seminars in live and recorded formats.  Level 1 is for parents of children with Down syndrome between 3 and 6 years of age who are interested in support with vocabulary expansion, sight word acquisition, sentence building, personalized materials, and early number concepts.  

PROGRAM DATES/TIMES: 
(All live sessions are broadcast at 9:30 a.m. PST)
September 16
October 11 
November 15 
December 6 
January 10 
February 7 
March 7 
April 17 
May 9 
June 6 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Down Syndrome: The Measure of Intelligence

by Vicki Vila from Thoroughly Modern Messy:
What is considered intelligent varies with culture. For example, when asked to sort, the Kpelle people (a tribal ethnic group in Liberia and southern Guinea ) take a functional approach. A Kpelle participant stated “the knife goes with the orange because it cuts it.” When asked how a fool would sort, they sorted linguistically, putting the knife with other implements and the orange with other foods, which is the style considered intelligent in other cultures.
            Credit: Wikipedia: Glick (1975) reported in Resnick, L. (1976). The Nature of Intelligence. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 

Here’s what this has to do with my 4-year-old son with Down syndrome:

Because of his genetic anomaly, Trisomy 21, which means possessing three copies of the 21st chromosome instead of two, my son and others like him have been deemed “intellectually disabled.” Or, a term that is thankfully falling out of favor even in medical circles, mentally retarded.

To come to this conclusion, researchers and psychologists have administered IQ tests that by and large are incapable of accurately determining the true abilities of people with Down syndrome. There are a number of reasons why they aren’t completely accurate, even though they may be the best tools available. But the most obvious is that they fail to take into account that people with Down syndrome cannot often easily express to others all that they know, either linguistically or through other means of communication. Their receptive language skills (the ability to receive and process information) are typically much stronger than their expressive language skills (their ability to give back).
7348-4-orange_-_6 
Copyright © jaya vijayan, via Flickr

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Robert Ethan Saylor Petition on Change.org Gains More than 300,000 signatures

by Debra Alfarone from WUSA 9 CBS:
The movement is picking up steam, and now, more than a quarter of a million people are behind a Frederick woman's fight for justice for her dead brother.
Emma Saylor launched a change.org petition asking for an independent investigation into the death of her brother, Robert Ethan Saylor, a man with Down Syndrome who died in January after being detained by police. As of Thursday night, that petition had more than 312,000 signatures


Ethan Saylor died after an altercation with three off-duty Frederick County sheriff's deputies over a $12 movie ticket at a Frederick movie theater in January. Almost 8 months later, his family, including his sister, Emma, are struggling to find their new normal, "Kinda lost, I mean, there really isn't anything else to say about it other than he's my brother, I just want to know what happened."