We are thrilled you stopped by and we would love for you to join us. DownSyndrome.com is a social network that has been created for anyone that is interested in the sharing, learning, caring, discussing, anything about the condition called down syndrome. 
The goal of this site is to provide an intuitive and stimulating environment to help better understand and interact with parents, family, friends, care givers, educators and individuals. This site has the unique capability of bringing people together from all over the world. Our members come from Pakistan, Russia, India, Canada, the United States, etc.
Rebecca Frederick-Jilg
One of our wonderful visitors wrote in asking for activities to do with a group of people to help them get an understanding of what it might be like to have Down syndrome. The activities included are great for parents to present to their child’s class, a teacher to present to her/his class, or even a student to present to her/his class as a project. We appreciate this educator’s commitment to making the world a better and more accommodating. Thank you for everything that you do.
Hi,
I am currently a senior at Park University in Parkville, Missouri. I am majoring in Elementary Education and I am presently taking a course named, Exceptional Child. I have an assignment to do on Down Syndrome. I will be developing a better understanding of what it is and the ways in which a teacher can meet their needs in education. I was wondering if there was anyway for you to give me some suggestions on how to incorporate and accommodate to their needs in the classroom? One thing that I am really looking for is an activity that I could do in my class to show my peers and future teachers, what people diagnosed with Down Syndrome are feeling. I know this will be incredibly hard, but I would just like them to get a taste of it. This is why I am looking for someone with more knowledge about Down Syndrome. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you for you time and I hope to hear from you soon,
Sydney
Many of these activities are geared for the physical aspect of Down syndrome. As we know, someone with Down syndrome usually has low muscle tone, which makes it difficult for gross motor and fine motor skills along with articulating speech. This can give us a better idea of the physical challenges of Down syndrome.
Supplies:
These activities can be done in small groups, rotating. You may also do it as a whole group if you can get enough weights for everyone. Ask your school’s physical education teacher for supplies. They may even want to help out.
Activities:
-Holding arms up for one-two minutes…one arm having a wrist weight on it
or holding a hand weight.
Compare and contrast the difference in the arms and how tired the arm with the weight feels. This is how someone’s body with Down syndrome feels.
-Hoping on one foot at a time, first one foot with an ankle weight on it and then the other without. Again compare and contrast the difference of how the legs feel. This could be how someone with Down syndrome feels when the run.
-Put ½ a large marshmallow up in the palette of the mouth then try telling each other what they had for breakfast. This gives a good understanding of how difficult it can be to speak clearly.
-Put socks on hands then attempt to tie shoes or play with some toys. This gives an idea of what fine motor difficulties are like. Try building a house out of playing cards. This seems like an impossible task. The important thing is that you tried. Just like it is important for a person with Down syndrome needs to try to do things. That person may just need to get help in different ways.
Also discuss how different people had different experiences because of the different tightness of the socks. It was easier for some people to tie their shoes than it was for others. This carries over for people with Down syndrome also. People with Down syndrome have all different levels of abilities. Some things are a lot harder for one person than it may be for another. Just like you and me.
Which carries over to one of the most important parts of the lesson. Discuss what the audience likes, such as pizza, music, dancing, and then talk about how people with Down syndrome like these things just the same. The point being made of how much you have in common.
To show off a little, you can have your guest star, the person with Down syndrome, show the audience how flexible he/she is. You will then be able to discuss how we all have strengths and something we can show do or show off.
Added extras:
Garth Brooks video ”Coming Out of the Fire” has a young man with Down syndrome running in a track meet with typical kids when everyone (except his mom) thought he should running in the Special Olympics. Talk about inclusion.
Talk about Dr. Down and how Down syndrome got its name.
Also attached are copies you can print out of a coloring book and an introduction book. These books helps explain Down syndrome and also introduce your child in a way that shows how much he/she is similar to the other children in the class. The coloring book is great to be used in class along with this lesson. The introduction book is great to be used for the teacher before school starts, and also with the whole class, if they are done ahead of time.
A wonderful book to reference is: Understanding How Children with Down Syndrome Learn Proven and Effective Techniques for Parents and Professionals by Susan J. Peoples
Additionally, one of the best workbooks that I’ve run across is a simple coloring book called, “What You Should Know About Down Syndrome” …
The authors of these books have given express consent that they should be used in any constructive way possible. Please feel free to use within your school project as well as in your classrooms going forward.
[scribd id=22093019 key=key-2gxx3dhbd5qhhk35cq8w] [scribd id=22093724 key=key-hj15pw20y6vx6dffvfa]
I challenge all of you to send a version of letter below to your HR departments, executives, organizational leadership, schools administrators, business that you work with, friends, family, etc.
The word “retarded” is being used more …
Happy Birthday my beautiful baby boy! Mom, Dad, Cooper, and Cade love you very much Teddy.
Happy Birthday Theodore – Our Gift from God
God gave a gift to the World when you were born. A son …
The T21 Traveling Afghan Project – One blanket. Fifty US States. Many countries. Hundreds of families. One common thread!
Our family lives in Mesa, Arizona which is actually a massive suburb of Phoenix. The greater Phoenix metro area is a very interesting place not only because of its vastness of space and its incredibly large population but also because within this sea of people, it is still very difficult to be a part of a community.
I have always longed for the small town life where everyone knows who I am and more importantly everyone knows and loves my son Teddy. It just seems like it would be simpler and safer. So, in my attempt to build out a community here at DownSyndrome.com, I was introduced to CJ and her T21 Traveling Afghan Project.
Let’s welcome the latest addition to the DownSyndrome.com team, Laura Suer. Laura has accepted a position as a participating volunteer and editorial staff member who will focus on partner outreach and strategy. She has been active on the site since its inception blogging at the URL tri21.downsyndrome.com. One of Laura’s first coups (I’m sure one of many) is to establish a relationship with Alexander’s Angels who runs the Long Island Buddy Walk and has a great future of providing much needed services to the constituents of Long Island.
Thank you Laura for bridging the relationship with such a wonderful organization. If you live in the Long Island area or if you have the inclination to help their wonderful support group, please consider providing assistance in the form of either volunteerism or financial support. Additionally, the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Fund has an online store that further supports important DS research that hopefully will benefit all of our loved ones in the future. Support for DSRTF can be in the form of purchasing items from the Down Syndrome Store.
Let’s welcome the latest addition to the DownSyndrome.com team… Laura Suer has accepted a position as a participating volunteer and editorial staff member who will focus on partner outreach and strategy. She has been active on the site since its inception; blogging at the URL tri21.downsyndrome.com.
One of Laura’s many gifts, aside from tirelessly making relationships, is her wonderful ability to convey her experiences of being a parent to Donna and their families journey through the world of down syndrome discovery.
Thank you Laura for sharing and we can’t wait to see what you do next!!!
It is rare to find artwork that touches your soul and reaches emotions that remind you of the beautiful nature of humanity. It is even rare to find out that the artwork that has moved you has been created by a woman who happens to also have down syndrome. In doing research to find the wealth of accomplishments that have been attained by these special individuals, I ran across a woman who has the extraordinary gift of being a wonderful artist who’s work transcends and condition she may have and reaches levels of talent that many other artists should strive to accomplish.
The woman’s name is Bernadette Resha (bio below) and I think she further exemplifies that our children, family, and friends have boundless potential.
This website is for you and we want your story, videos, and pictures on the front page. This is a place to share, ask questions, make friendships and sometimes to vent and cry. More than …
November of last year, I found out the next Down Syndrome World Congress was to be held in Dublin, Ireland, in August of this year. On a whim, and because Ireland has been a magical place for us Lambkes, I submitted an abstract for Bryan and me to be considered as presenters. Because I was aware that most presenters are PhDs with connections to a university, I was not too confident in getting chosen. In May, I was stunned to receive an email from the Congress inviting us to speak. My first reaction was that there was no way we could go as I had failed to save for it. But Karen told me she had a little put away and that since I always wanted the world as my stage that I would have to do what I do best – go out and raise the funds needed for the two of us. She said that we deserved to go and showcase our talented son and books…..
I just had the great experience of stumbling on the show “Dancing with the Stars” — my wife watches religiously but I typically only peak my head in when I’m not doing something more interesting .. like cleaning the garage 
… Anyway, to my great surprise the dancer Kim Johnson (blonde bombshell) and Donny Osmond (her partner) had their little pre-dance segment where the show what their week was like in preparation for their big moment. During the segment, my eyes lit up and I began to smile when I realized that Kim frequently teaches to a group of very talented dancers who happen to also have down syndrome. Not only was I blown away at what a wonderful person she turns out to be but also the amazing talent that her students have, I should only hope that I could dance that well
Thank you so much Kim not only for touching the lives of your students but also touching the lives of the millions of people that are now more educated because of you!
I finally did it — I hid the gross, disgusting, ugly ,worn-out, fake crocs that Alex has been wearing every day for 2 1/2 years. It took a lot of guts – but I am proud of myself (at least for now).
When my kids were little, I thought it was sort of cute if they wanted to wear the same pair of jeans or shirt for more than two days in a row. However, Alex is 16 and these dreadful blue shoes have got to go. She should not have even worn them for two weeks in a row.
Many people I know with down syndrome have flat, wide feet. I am not sure exactly why that is – but as a result Alex has a funny step and walks with her feet pointed outwards. As with everything in her life, Alex has learned to compensate, and walking or even running – as evidenced by the fact we are going to participate in track and field at the National Olympic Games – is not a problem for her…
One of our wonderful visitors wrote in asking for activities to do with a group of people to help them get an understanding of what it might be like to have Down syndrome. The activities included are great for parents to present to their child’s class, a teacher to present to their class, or even a student to present to their class as a project. We appreciate this educator’s commitment to making the world a better and more accommodating. Thank you for everything that you do.
I finally did it — I hid the gross, disgusting, ugly ,worn-out, fake crocs that Alex has been wearing every day for 2 1/2 years. It took a lot of guts – but I am proud of myself (at least for now).
When my kids were little, I thought it was sort of cute if they wanted to wear the same pair of jeans or shirt for more than two days in a row. However, Alex is 16 and these dreadful blue shoes have got to go. She should not have even worn them for two weeks in a row.
Many people I know with down syndrome have flat, wide feet. I am not sure exactly why that is – but as a result Alex has a funny step and walks with her feet pointed outwards. As with everything in her life, Alex has learned to compensate, and walking or even running – as evidenced by the fact we are going to participate in track and field at the National Olympic Games – is not a problem for her…
Hello everyone..I wanted to post a video of my son Teddy. It has a song that I love that makes me tear up every time. I wanted to kick this multimedia experience off by posting something of my own. I absolutely encourage you all to post your own pictures and videos. As the site grows it will become easier. Please enjoy .. 
One of our wonderful visitors wrote in asking for activities to do with a group of people to help them get an understanding of what it might be like to have Down syndrome. The activities included are great for parents to present to their child’s class, a teacher to present to their class, or even a student to present to their class as a project. We appreciate this educator’s commitment to making the world a better and more accommodating. Thank you for everything that you do.
Let’s welcome the latest addition to the DownSyndrome.com team, Laura Suer. Laura has accepted a position as a participating volunteer and editorial staff member who will focus on partner outreach and strategy. She has been active on the site since its inception blogging at the URL tri21.downsyndrome.com. One of Laura’s first coups (I’m sure one of many) is to establish a relationship with Alexander’s Angels who runs the Long Island Buddy Walk and has a great future of providing much needed services to the constituents of Long Island.
Thank you Laura for bridging the relationship with such a wonderful organization. If you live in the Long Island area or if you have the inclination to help their wonderful support group, please consider providing assistance in the form of either volunteerism or financial support. Additionally, the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Fund has an online store that further supports important DS research that hopefully will benefit all of our loved ones in the future. Support for DSRTF can be in the form of purchasing items from the Down Syndrome Store.
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that delays in physical and intellectual development. The condition varies in severity, so developmental problems may range from mild to serious.
Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of severe learning disabilities in children, occurring in one in every 800 infants. Every year, as many as 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States. The condition is named after John Langdon Down, the doctor who first identified the syndrome.
There’s no medical cure for this condition. But increased understanding of Down syndrome and early interventions make a big difference in the lives of both children and adults with Down syndrome.
Lily has had a tough year on the bus. They combined her route with another route. and it now takes her 90 minutes to get to school and to come home from school. It might not be so bad if there was a fun chaperone with her. But the bus aide they have is an [...]
Laura Suer commented on the blog post Bus Ride [Use GMT Timezone] ago
Holy crap. I haven’t read your blog in a while and now I read this sad story about Lily. My heart breaks for you. I think I would go to the school and ask them to spell out what safety issues they are talking about EXACTLY. If there are some valid ones, [...]
judy lynn rysdam wrote on Savina Pernisco’s wire: 8 minutes ago
hi Sorry to hear about Lilly having to take such a long bus ride. Adrian is doing ok. Teacher complains that he bites kicks hits scratches. I don’t see any of that behavior coming from Adrian I know he can get upset but it is usually because his needs something like getting to the restroom [...]
Savina Pernisco commented on the blog post Bus Ride 41 minutes ago
thank you Judie for your comment. Tasmania must be a nice place to live if you are special needs!
Savina Pernisco commented on the blog post Bus Ride 45 minutes ago
hi Irene, thanks for commenting. i wish i could take lily to school! its only a 20 minute drive in the car! this is when i really wish i was a stay at home mom!
irene c. rodriguez commented on the blog post Bus Ride 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
I am sorry that Lily is having such a hard time. My son is 10 years old and he is little bitty for he looks like he’s five. I take him to school because I don’t trust anyone with him on the bus. He can’t tell me if anything bad is happening to him or [...]
Savina Pernisco commented on the blog post Bus Ride 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
thank you paige for your comment! it means alot to me to have so much understanding! sometimes you feel so alone in your frustrations of raising DS child. this is a great site to vent and have people respond and understand! i am glad Jack has had a good experience with [...]
Judie Squires commented on the blog post Bus Ride 1 hour, 43 minutes ago
Hugs, I really feel for you. My son is 9 and hyperactive/autistic/down syndrome. He has a wonderful bus driver and aide and the school he goes to is just for terminally ill/special needs kids,all the teachers and aides have special needs or terminally ill kids as do all bus drivers and aides.
Thankfully here in Tasmania [...]
Savina Pernisco commented on the blog post Bus Ride 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
hi Kandace, thanks for reading my blog, i think you said it right, the key to dealing with special needs “issues”, is the aides and the way they treat the kids. i hope your sister continues to have good aides. thanks for reading my blog. you must really love your [...]
Savina Pernisco commented on the blog post Bus Ride 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
thanks Vanessa for reading my blog. Lily is on the special needs bus. she is the first one they pick up in the morning and the last to be dropped off. i have called and complained about the length of the bus ride and the drivers ended up getting ugly with me [...]
irene c. rodriguez wrote on Veronica Perez’s wire: 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
Hi Veronica! How everything? Haven’t heard from you in along time hope the move went well. Write me let me know hows jon and everyone else.
