Running head: Down syndrome 1Down syndrome Student’s nameInstitutional affiliation
Down syndrome 2According to Reines, et al (2017) Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21 refer to a genetic disorder that is caused by the presence of a third chromosome 21. The disease occurs by chance among normal parents and chances of the disease increase as the age of the mother increases. The disease is mostly associated with mental retardation, delayed growth and unusual facial characteristics. The disease has no cure and medical interventions are only focused on improving the quality of life of the infected person. With improved technology, Down syndrome can be detected during pregnancy and the pregnancy terminated although considered illegal in several countries. This paper focuses on the experiences of parents whose children have Down syndrome. In the contemporary society, little information is known about the disease and in many societies, the disease has been attributed to religion, poverty and poor parenting. The overall consensus is that people with the disease are highly stigmatized, discriminated and rejected. This has led to tendencies of pity, fear or rejection to people who have Down syndrome. Many parentswho detect the disease during pregnancy usually opt to terminate the pregnancy. A greater part ofthe population however still remain in the dark with little information about the causes and what actions can be taken to prevent delivery of a child with down syndrome and the complications and outcomes that result from the disease (Murphy, et al (2017).Apart from growth and mental retardation, Hansson, et al (2016) argues that Down syndrome also increases the risk of congenital and cardiac disorders, social developments such aslanguage and also physical abilities. The parents to such children therefore encounter several challenges arising from the child’s special needs, the stability of their marriages due to blame game, social and societal stigma, little knowledge on how to handle the child, uncertainties aboutthe future of their kids and stress. Some parents may also develop defense mechanisms to
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