March 21, 2019 | sobczakd
Every year on March 21 since 2012, we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. It's a global call to action to help raise awareness for those with Down Syndrome. For special needs parents, it becomes a life-long quest to advocate for acceptance and to make world a more inclusive and accessible place. To learn more, this article by a mom whose son has Down Syndrome is very illuminating. Here's some resources to peruse from our collection.
Based on The New York Times bestseller by Andrew Solomon, an intimate, profoundly human look at families raising children society deems 'abnormal': a mother and son determined to show the world that his Down syndrome does not define him; a couple learning to communicate with their bright but nonverbal autistic son; a young woman dealing with what it means to be the only little person in her family; and parents whose love for their son persists even after he has committed an unspeakable crime.
As a parent of a child diagnosed with Down syndrome, you may be feeling unsure of what to do next or where your child's journey will take you. In this book, authors Jen Jacob and Mardra Sikora share their experiences and guide you through life with Ds with expert advice from diagnosis to adulthood. Each page teaches you ways to support your child through major milestones; nurture their development; and ensure that they succeed behaviorally, socially, and cognitively. You'll also find valuable information on:
- Sharing the news with loved ones
- Transitioning into primary school
- Developing your child's social skills
- Discussing future opportunities, including employment and housing options
With The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome, you will have the tools you need to raise a happy, healthy, and thriving child.
A diary, journal, and illustrated story all at the same time written by a father about his son, Mallko, who has Down Syndrome. This book, which was selected as the best book in the disability category by the Bologna Book Fair in 2016, comes as a call and a revelation. Born in Argentina,Gusti studied advertising design at the Escola d'Art Fernando Fade and has lived in Europe since 1985. He first worked in Paris and currently lives in Barcelona where, as well as working as an illustrator, he also gives classes in illustration at schools, libraries, and cultural centers. He co-founded the nonprofit association Windown-La Ventana, which works towards building a more inclusive society. Gusti lives with his family in Barcelona.
Bloom is an inspiring and heartfelt memoir that celebrates the beauty found in the unexpected, the strength of a mother's love, and, ultimately, the amazing power of perspective. The author of the popular blog Enjoying the Small Things--named The Bump's Best Special Needs Blog and The Blog You've Learned the Most From in the 2010 BlogLuxe Awards--Kelle Hampton interweaves lyrical prose and stunning four-color photography as she recounts the unforgettable story of the first year in the life of her daughter Nella, who has Down syndrome. Poignant, eye-opening, and heart-soaring, Hampton's Bloom is ultimately about embracing life and really living it.
A father's exhilarating and funny love letter to his daughter with Down syndrome whose vibrant and infectious approach to life has something to teach all of us about how we can better live our own.
Jillian Daugherty was born with Down syndrome. The day they brought her home from the hospital, her parents, Paul and Kerry, were flooded with worry and uncertainty, but also overwhelming love, which they channeled to "the job of building the better Jillian." While their daughter had special needs, they refused to allow her to grow up needy--"Expect, Don't Accept" became their mantra. Little did they know how ready Jillian was to meet their challenge. Paul tells stories from Jillian's mischievous childhood and moves to her early adulthood, tracing her journey to find happiness and purpose in her adult life, sharing endearing anecdotes as well as stories about her inspiring triumphs. Having graduated from high school and college, Jillian now works to support herself, and has met the love of her life and her husband-to-be, Ryan.
In An Uncomplicated Life, the parent learns as much about life from the child as the child does from the parent. Through her unmitigated love for others, her sparkling charisma, and her boundless capacity for joy, Jillian has inspired those around her to live better and more fully. The day Jillian was born, Paul says, was the last bad day. As he lovingly writes, "Jillian is a soul map of our best intentions"--a model of grace, boundless joy, and love for all of us.
Pablo Pineda: Being different is a value (What Really Matters) tells the tale of the Spanish actor and motivational speaker who was born with Downs Syndrome. This books is aimed at youngsters from 1st grade up and will let them see that not all children with disabilities are incapacitated and restricted from leading a full and successful life. Young Pablo’s parents enabled him to strive to be and do all he could and were not constrained by his label.
In 1987, Paul Austin and his wife Sally were newlyweds, excited about their future together and happily anticipating the birth of their first child. He was a medical student and she was a nurse.
Everything changed the moment the doctor rushed their infant daughter from the room just after her birth, knowing instantly that something was wrong. Sarah had almond-shaped eyes, a single crease across her palm instead of three, and low-set ears--all of which suggested that the baby had Down syndrome.
Beginning on the day Sarah is born and ending when she is a young adult living in a group home, Beautiful Eyes is the story of a father's journey toward acceptance of a child who is different. In a voice that is unflinchingly honest and unerringly compassionate, Austin chronicles his life with his daughter: watching her learn to walk and talk and form her own opinions, making decisions about her future, and navigating cultural assumptions and prejudices--all the while confronting, with poignancy and moving candor, his own limitations as her father. It is Sarah herself, who, in her own coming of age and her own reconciling with her difference, teaches her father to understand her. Time and again, she surprises him: performing Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" at a talent show; explaining how the word "retarded" is hurtful; reacting to the events of her life with a mixture of love, pain, and humor; and insisting on her own humanity in a world that questions it. As Sarah begins to blossom into herself, her father learns to look past his daughter's disability and see her as the spirited, warmhearted, and uniquely wise person she is.
This movie teaches compassion and acceptance of others. Where Hope Grows uncovers that we all have struggles, some greater than others, but when we strive to find the good in all people we not only strengthen them but also ourselves. Developing a relationship with friends, family and faith will see you through all obstacles. A powerful message delivered best if watched together as a family. Be prepared to be inspired!