Group dispels Down syndrome myths

by Kelly Bothum from the News Journal / Delaware Online:
Like many girls her age, 7-year-old Kayla Kosmalski is rarely at a loss for words.
So when she meets someone for the first time, she's got plenty to say. She might talk about what she's learning in her second-grade class at Cedar Lane Elementary School near Middletown. She might show off a new move learned in her hip-hop class or strum a few chords on her guitar.
Or she might tell you that she was born with Down syndrome, a genetic condition that occurs when a person is born with a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.
Years ago, that diagnosis could have meant a life with diluted expectations, little social interaction and limited educational opportunities.
But that's not been the case for Kayla, who learns in a classroom that includes those with disabilities as well as those without them. She takes dance classes and swim lessons with typically abled peers and friends who see Kayla – her sunny personality, radiant good looks and loving heart – rather than an extra chromosome.
It's the kind of life Kayla's parents, Rick and Amy Kosmalski, have worked hard to give their daughter. And it's what pushes them to advocate on behalf of other families raising children with disabilities. The Kosmalskis, along with eight other families, recently formed the 321foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advocate for people with Down syndrome and their loved ones.
"People today with Down syndrome are going to school with their peers. They're doing the same things as their peers. They may have more medical complications, like heart surgeries, but once you get past those medical symptoms that go along with it, they're driving cars, getting married, getting jobs," said Rick Kosmalski, Kayla's dad.
World Down Syndrome Day will be held March 21, a date intended to signify the uniqueness of having three 21st chromosomes, which leads to Down syndrome. Across the globe, people are encouraged to wear bold, mismatched socks with the hope that the fun footwear could inspire people to ask questions that lead to a discussion about Down syndrome.
"The only way to make something better is to get acceptance from people in the community. The only way to get acceptance is to have them understand it," Kosmalski said. "Knowledge leads to acceptance."