Down Syndrome Child

[Helo]

Ok, this is a situational thing.

Theres a young woman, 20 years old who has Down Syndrome but is a high-functioning woman, she can process new information and integrate it into her life. Her IQ is 55 and shes held down a part-time job. She lives with her mother and goes to a day-care center for adults during the day while her mother works.

One day, this young woman turns up pregnant. The sex was consentual and the father is a graduate of the day-care program. He also has Down Syndrome but he is very high functioning, able to live on his own.

The mother wants her daughter to have an abortion because she doesnt want her daughter to have to struggle raising a special needs child (The offspring of a Down syndrome couple is almost guaranteed to have a Down syndrome) and shes affraid her daughter wont be able to handle it.

The daughter and the man she had sex with both want to keep the baby and they are in a loving relationship. Living on thier own they would have a rough time but not impossible, they would have help from social services and such.

So the question is, should the daughter be allowed to keep the child and live with the boyfriend.

SPECIAL NOTE: I know many of you here are pro-life, but consider VERY carefully the mother's point of view

 

[bumblebee62331]

You know, there was a TV program, one of those Crime ones - Law & Order or something - that had this exact same scenario!

I say yes, let her keep the baby. With help and assistance she can raise this baby, with her boyfriend. It is not the mother's (the unborn baby's grandmother) call to kill this child.

 

[Helo]

You know, there was a TV program, one of those Crime ones - Law & Order or something - that had this exact same scenario!

I say yes, let her keep the baby. With help and assistance she can raise this baby, with her boyfriend. It is not the mother's (the unborn baby's grandmother) call to kill this child.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, yes it was the same scenario, I just wondered how peope here might react

 

[billwald]

I suppose the ideal solution would be for some person or church to pledge long term financial support for the baby. Fat chance!

 

[flicka]

Like Byootiful I also remember a similar story on a made for tv movie!

It's tough because the mom/grandmother is the caregiver of the adult child w/down syndrome so it's logical to assume she would also have to care for this new baby as well. She already knows the hardships of raising one handicap child and might not be willing to go through it again. It brings a 3rd party into a situation that ususally involves only 2 (the mom and dad). But I can't see EVER forcing someone to abort against their wishes, the trama would be too great.

 

[charityagape]

I thought Down's Syndrome people were unable to conceive?

 

[savvy]

Yeah, I agree with that, flicka. Forcing someone to abort is just as wrong as forcing someone to remain pregnant that doesn't want to be. It would be nice if their (hypothetical) church were to give them some support.

 

[savvy]

I thought Down's Syndrome people were unable to conceive?

No, they can. In the past there used to be efforts to sterilize Down's Syndrome individuals so they could not pass on the trait.

 

[bumblebee62331]

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, yes it was the same scenario, I just wondered how peope here might react

I have a good memory!

 

[Helo]

I thought Down's Syndrome people were unable to conceive?

Down syndrome men are very often infertile. But women with Down syndrome are just as able as any other woman to have a child, they often dont because they dont fit the social standard of beauty or intellegence required to be desireable (Allthough I have yet to meet someone with Down syndrome who was ever anything but amazingly nice)

 

[savvy]

That episode was on today

 

[bumblebee62331]

That episode was on today

I saw it on Austar about 3 or 4 months ago.

But sorry...

:topic:

 

[The Seeker]

Ok, this is a situational thing.

Theres a young woman, 20 years old who has Down Syndrome but is a high-functioning woman, she can process new information and integrate it into her life. Her IQ is 55 and shes held down a part-time job. She lives with her mother and goes to a day-care center for adults during the day while her mother works.

One day, this young woman turns up pregnant. The sex was consentual and the father is a graduate of the day-care program. He also has Down Syndrome but he is very high functioning, able to live on his own.

The mother wants her daughter to have an abortion because she doesnt want her daughter to have to struggle raising a special needs child (The offspring of a Down syndrome couple is almost guaranteed to have a Down syndrome) and shes affraid her daughter wont be able to handle it.

The daughter and the man she had sex with both want to keep the baby and they are in a loving relationship. Living on thier own they would have a rough time but not impossible, they would have help from social services and such.

So the question is, should the daughter be allowed to keep the child and live with the boyfriend.

SPECIAL NOTE: I know many of you here are pro-life, but consider VERY carefully the mother's point of view

I don't think this woman should be forced to have an abortion against her will, no. Even if the prospective parents later need support, it is our duty as a society to provide it, IMO.

 

[charityagape]

Just some additional information.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40000383/
Genitourinary and Reproductive Disorders Renal malformations, hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Infertility - Males are sterile (only two recorded cases of males fathering children), however 15-30% of trisomy 21 women are fertile (these of course have 50% risk of an affected child).

I don't think we can take away the hypothetical woman's choice in her reproductive health without taking away all of her other choices.

 

[Mariette]

So, you have a 50% chance of passing on Downs Syndrome to your child.

Children with Down Syndrome have a greater risk of having congenital heart defects, increased susceptibility to infections, respiratory problems, obstructed digestive tracts, and childhood leukemia.

In adulthood about 25% of people with Downs Syndrome will develop alzheimers, as compared to 6% of the rest of the population.

They also have a high percentage of those with atlantoaxial instability. Meaning instability within first cervical vertebra and the second cervical vertebra.

The list of diseases and problems associated with Downs Syndrome is long. The NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society) has lots of good information on their website pertaining to health problems.

Now, take all those health related issues and bunch them into a 50/50 chance. You're literally rolling the dice on whether or not your (grand)child will have Downs Syndrome.

Now, you can choose to continue with the pregnancy and have amneocentisis testing done for Downs Syndrome at the appropriate time. If the baby has the syndrome, you'll be better able to decide what to do with it. Either continue with the pregnancy and hand it over for adoption to someone who can take care of the child properly, or attempt to make a go of it.

It's a hard choice to make. I think, in my situation, if I was the mother and my daughter was the one with Downs, I would wait to see if the child would have the same thing as her mother before making any decisions.

And then I'd heavilly weigh the consequences of having Downs with the sort of life my daughter had....if it would be humane to bring a child into the world in such a state.

To be honest, even though I have no children of my own, I'm pretty sure my answer would be to not force her to have an abortion. There are worse things the baby could have then Downs Syndrome...such as Tay Sachs disease for instance.

 

[JVD]

What would be the reason for having the abortion? Because there is a good chance the child will have Down's? What does that say to all the people living today with Down's?

 

[butterfoot]

Ok, this is a situational thing.

Theres a young woman, 20 years old who has Down Syndrome but is a high-functioning woman, she can process new information and integrate it into her life. Her IQ is 55 and shes held down a part-time job. She lives with her mother and goes to a day-care center for adults during the day while her mother works.

One day, this young woman turns up pregnant. The sex was consentual and the father is a graduate of the day-care program. He also has Down Syndrome but he is very high functioning, able to live on his own.

The mother wants her daughter to have an abortion because she doesnt want her daughter to have to struggle raising a special needs child (The offspring of a Down syndrome couple is almost guaranteed to have a Down syndrome) and shes affraid her daughter wont be able to handle it.

The daughter and the man she had sex with both want to keep the baby and they are in a loving relationship. Living on thier own they would have a rough time but not impossible, they would have help from social services and such.

So the question is, should the daughter be allowed to keep the child and live with the boyfriend.

SPECIAL NOTE: I know many of you here are pro-life, but consider VERY carefully the mother's point of view

Considering that some with Down Syndrome can lead normal Active Lives. I think the two should get married and be able to have the child. With help these two should be ok. If the Grandmother wanted to help then she should help these two raise the child and bless them as they do.


-cw

 

[Glenda]

My Niece has Down's.. She is 25 now..

She has always been the most loving person to everyone..

I can't image my brother wanting her to get an abortion if something like that happened to her..

Now with that said.. I feel for the "grandmother" too.. It's not easy raising a "handicapped" child.. (not sure if that is the politically correct term these days) and I'm sure the mother is biased in that regard when it comes to the responsibility that could possibly fall on her if her daughter could not handle the baby on her own..

So it sounds like some outside support needs to be lined up.. Social Agencys.. etc.. Ohhh.. and a LOT of prayer .. Big time God support...

But I can't see abortion as any kind of answer.. Perhaps the grandmother is also worried about the life expectancy of her daughter.. Not sure what the average expectancy is.. used to be lower.. but all life expectacy had advanced with improvements in medical care..

It is heartbreaking for the parent of a Down's Syndrome parent.. She was my SIL's first child.. and she had a very hard time accepting my niece.. She wanted the "perfect baby" as we all do.. Plus the doctor's at the time were very pessimistic about DS Children.. they advised my brother to institutionalize her.. that she was never going to be "right" That she probably wouldn't even ever walk..

But my brother would have none of it.. He refused to believe the worst..

She was born with a hole in her heart.. and had to be rushed to Pittsburgh for immediate surgery.. then more operations as she grew.. to replace temp valves..

She is doing well.. She has finished school.. took some vo tech training.. but my brother has the resources to keep her at home without having her work..

 

[Tangnefedd]

In the UK, over the age of 16, the parents or anyone else cannot force medical treatment on their children even if they have DS.

 

[Helo]

What would be the reason for having the abortion? Because there is a good chance the child will have Down's? What does that say to all the people living today with Down's?

The grandmother's point is that both the child's parents are Down positive and shes affraid they wont be able to handle it