A Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome
Toward a Brighter Future
edited by Siegfried M. Pueschel, 200lParenting a child with Down Syndrome includes much of the same experiences involved in parenting a chromosomally typical child, as well as experiences specific to the parenting of retarded children. People with Down Syndrome do not do as much incidental learning, and therefore require more instruction on their way to independant living. Occasionally, Down Syndrome is due to a parent's translocation, and then the parent has a high likelihood of having more children with Down Syndrome. Currently no drug treatments for retardation in people with Down Syndrome has been proven to be effective. Due to the large number of genes on responsible for neural growth located on chromosome 21, no drug treatment is expected. However, people with Down Syndroem can alredy lead happy, healthy, productive lives.
The only obviously objectionable statement found in this book is in the first chapter; not alll people with Down Syndrome are tenaciously loyal. Most of the chapters of this book are about specific aspects of parenting or of Down Syndroem. The authors mostly use as exmples their own experiences with their children.
Toward a Brighter Future speaks for he fullness of life with Down Syndrome from the dedication, which includes a dedication to an author's daughter-in-law with Down's. Recommended reading follows each chapter, and an index is at the back.
Question: The authors advocate friendships for people with Down Syndrome with disabled and nondisabled people. Would you be willing to befriend a retarded person?
Pleasant and informative reading.
