SIBLINGS & PEERS

CAN PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME HAVE BABIES?

Yes but the chances are very much reduced because both men and women with Down syndrome can have reduced fertility.

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CAN SOMEONE WITH DOWN SYNDROME GET A JOB?

Yes.  People with Down syndrome are very capable of having a job, however, opportunities to demonstrate this in the UK are poor with only 6 to 17% of adults with a learning disability in employment.

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IS THERE A CURE?

No.  But with a good education and plenty opportunities to learn, children with Down syndrome can make very good progress and achieve things that were thought impossible not many years ago.

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CAN I CATCH DOWN SYNDROME?

No.  Down syndrome is a condition not a disease.  Children are born with Down syndrome just as children are born with particular colour eyes, nose shape, etc.

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WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP SOMEONE WITH DOWN SYNDROME?

Remember they are visual learners.  They find learning by looking easier than learning by listening.  Remember they may struggle to talk and their voice may sound different.  Use signing, demonstration, pictures and objects to help.  Give then plenty of time to answer.  Be a friend but don’t try to do everything for them.  We all need to learn how to do things for ourselves.  Look for ways of helping them to do things for themselves. Invite them to join your social group and be a supportive friend.  Show them good sensible behaviour.  Children with Down syndrome find copying behaviour easy.  Please be aware of this and be responsible when you are with them.

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE DOWN SYNDROME?

Children with Down syndrome may look different.  You can usually tell they have Down syndrome by looking at their face.

4 out of 10 children with Down syndrome are born with a heart condition.

6 out of 10 children with Down syndrome need to wear glasses.

8 out of 10 children with Down syndrome will have trouble with hearing.

Children with Down syndrome find it difficult to talk and need special lessons to help them.  Signing may help them to communicate.  Children with Down syndrome learn differently.  They learn slowly because they have a learning disability.  For example: by the age of 6 some children with Down syndrome may find it hard to count up to 10.

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WHAT IS DOWN SYNDROME?

Children with Down syndrome are children with one extra chromosome in every cell, but first and foremost they are children. 1 in every 700 to 900 children are born with Down syndrome.