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Down’s syndrome dwindling

WEDNESDAY, 20 JULY 2011 10:03 JENNIFER BULEY NEWS

Foetal screenings have resulted in fewer babies born with the birth defect, but trend raises ethical questions

The number of children born in Denmark with Down's syndrome has fallen dramatically since the introduction of free prenatal screening in 2004 (Photo: Vanellus Foto / Wikimedia Commons)

If current health policies and trends continue, Denmark could be a country without a single citizen with Down’s syndrome in the not too distant future.

Since 2004, the government has offered all pregnant women free prenatal screenings to determine if the foetus is afflicted with Down’s syndrome – a birth defect caused by an extra 21st chromosome which results in mild-to-moderate learning disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, and particular facial characteristics.

In 2004, when the free and widespread screenings were introduced, 61 babies with Down’s syndrome were born in Denmark. The following year, the number was reduced by more than half. In each successive year, the number continued to drop by an average annual rate of around 13 percent. The reason for the steady decline is that most of the foetuses that test positive for the defect are aborted.

A medical review from 2002 of elective abortions in the UK and the US found that around 92 percent of all foetuses diagnosed with Down’s syndrome were aborted. In Denmark, medical experts estimate the rate of abortions to be even higher. If the current trend continues, it is predicted that the last Down’s syndrome baby in Denmark could be born in 2030.

But not everyone thinks that’s a good thing.

“We should not have an ethnic cleansing type of situation, which this resembles,” Ulla Brendstrup, whose child has Down’s syndrome, told Berlingske newspaper. “They are going after one specific handicap. What’s next? Will it be children with diabetes who will be rejected?”

Niels Uldbjerg, professor of gynaecology and obstetrics at the University of Aarhus, agrees that an ethical problem exists.

From the medical perspective, he sees successful screenings and the reduction of babies born with birth defects as a “tremendously great accomplishment”.

“But if you ask me as a person, then I would say that I like that there are people among us who are different,” Uldbjerg added.

Grete Fält-Hansen, who is co-chairman for the National Association for Down Syndrome in Denmark (ADS), sympathises with families who decide to abort when they learn that the foetus has the birth defect, but wonders where our increasing ability to choose our children is taking us.

“There are many other things that produce handicaps, and if you need to pass a cost-benefit analysis in order to be born, then we have created a border control at the cervix,” Fält-Hansen said.

Lillian Bondo, who is chairman for the Danish Association of Midwives, thinks we, as a culture, have already approached the slippery slope.

“We know that within just a few years, presumably through a blood test from the pregnant woman, will be able to get a very detailed account of everything the parents might want to know about the child – and also about certain possible diseases,” Bondo told Berlingske. “If the couple learns in this way that there is a good chance that the child will develop a chronic disease, is that then a good reason to abort?”

“I don’t have the definitive answer,” Bondo continued. “But I would like to get as many people as possible talking about where society should draw the line. I don’t want a society where we reject people over trivialities.”

http://www.cphpost.dk/news/scitech/92-technology/51921-downs-syndrome-dwindling.html

Be gentle

Shopping fun

Yesterday evening we made a Target run.  It is one of our favorite places shop.  We always find something fun to look at and for the boys to dream about.  LOL.  BUT, I always forget to add an extra half hour or so just to get through the store because the boys love looking at all the cool stuff.  We were sandal shopping.  William found a really fun pair.  Davey has very wide feet so it is always interesting to find a pair that fit well.  We ended up with a pair of crocs for Davey.  He was so happy with them.  They were plenty wide enough and cool and comfy on his feet.  Our fifteen minute trip into Target took almost an hour, but fun was had by all!

Davey loved this chair and said he wanted one for his room.

William loves controlling the cart

Silly dirty face after our snack

Are we done yet?

Proud of his new sandals

Be gentle.

Celebrating Soccer

Congratulations to the Women's World Soccer teams, both Japan and the USA.  The games have sparked an interest in soccer for many kids.  I hope lots more kids become involved in the sport.  Soccer is one of the sports that Davey participates during Special Olympics.  He can't wait for the season to start in a few weeks!

Be gentle.

Do you volunteer?

Special Olympics would not exist today — and could not have been created — without the time, energy, commitment and enthusiasm of people just like you, thousands of individuals who choose to take a little time from busy schedules to make the world a better place.

Volunteers Needed. People like John Aronson (leaping) play as unified partners on teams that mix people with and without intellectual disabilities. Volunteer near you

Use Your Knowledge. Special Olympics athlete Erin Thompson of Virginia gets pre-race instructions from volunteer race official Bob McCormick. Volunteer as an official

Use Your Expertise. An international organization with many varied initiatives, Special Olympics needs volunteers with specialized training. The Healthy Athletes program, for example, puts health-care professionals to work providing free health screenings for our athletes. Learn about Healthy Athletes

Around the world, there is a growing hunger for civic engagement and belonging. It's about transforming lives, including your own. It’s about a spirit of giving and teamwork. It's about making your community and neighborhood (volunteer at your local Special Olympics program) a more welcoming and accepting place.

And it’s about creating lifelong friendships and a new way of thinking about others. Those are rewards of immeasurable value.

Building Strong Communities
For John and Lisa Aronson, Special Olympics has been a constant.  Both avid athletes, they got involved at an early age and met while volunteering.  Even after starting a family, they still make time to organize state tournaments and volunteer at the Games -- now bringing their 3-year-old twins along to cheer.

The Aronsons share a belief in the power of Special Olympics to change lives.  Lisa explains that Special Olympics "is so much more than sports.  It is about building confidence, taking away perceptions of a disability and focusing on abilities."

To them, Special Olympics is about building a strong community and forming bonds among people. 

"People become friends.  It starts on the playing courts, but then they go out to dinner or movies.  Just because someone has a ‘disability’ does not mean they don’t like the same things you do."

Finding the Right NicheSpecial Olympics salutes all of its committed volunteers, including Great Britain volunteer Susan Hughes-Payne. “I wanted to volunteer in my community, but I couldn’t find the right opportunity. Special Olympics offered me the chance to use the same skills I use on my job. It was the perfect fit for me to get involved and show my support. I feel like a member of the team and love the atmosphere and vibe.”

Be Part of the FamilyAround the world, millions of people volunteer, taking pride in knowing they’re providing athletes with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to experience the excitement, joy and personal fulfillment associated with sport training and competition. From the local coach who works with athletes every day, to the international organization holding World Games every two years, dedicated volunteers make Special Olympics happen. There is always something to do, with training, competitions and other events happening 365 days a year.

The Next Generation of VolunteersBy many accounts, interest and participation in public service, volunteerism and social entrepreneurship among young people, from middle-schoolers to college students, have risen dramatically over the last decade.

Today's teenagers and young adults, thanks to encouragement from their parents, an Internet revolution that makes the world feel smaller every day, and a growing number of service organizations in high schools, such as Special Olympics Project Unify, and on college campuses, such as SO College, are far more likely than their predecessors to seek out ways to give back and to shape the world they will inherit.

What You Can DoVolunteering with Special Olympics creates change that carries forth from our Programs and into the world. Whether you’re an individual or a member of a school, church, work, civic or other group; whether you can volunteer for just a few hours on a single day as a scorekeeper, or several hours a week, year-round, as a special events coordinator; there are volunteer opportunities for you.  

Click here to visit the Special Olympics web site and learn more.

Be gentle.