USA Today op-ed article: What does it mean to have a child with Down syndrome?

Responding to a new blood test that can predict with 99% accuracy if a pregnant woman is carrying a baby with Downs syndrome as early as 10 weeks into gestation, Dr. Brian Skotko, a specialist in the Down Syndrome Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, has written a thought-provoking op-ed article in the 11/15 edition of USA Today.

The new test is safer than amniocentesis, so it is expected that the number of women who receive testing will rise significantly. So, too, will the number of couples who will grapple with the question, “What does it mean to have a child with Down syndrome?”  In this article, Dr. Skotko talks about the dichotomy between how people with Down Syndrome and their families feel about the quality of their lives and how others view the condition. He puts the current struggle for people with Down syndrome to define their own identities into a historical context and shares some outstanding resources for parents who have received a Down syndrome diagnosis. Read the article.

Both Children’s Hospital Boston and Dr. Skotko are supporters of Signing Time and have allowed us to share this information with our fans.

THE DOWN SYNDROME PROGRAM in the Developmental Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital Boston offers multidisciplinary clinical evaluations for people with Down syndrome from birth until the age of 18. They strive to provide resources, advocacy, and supports to all families, depending on their individual needs. Check out their Comprehensive Conditions & Treatments page for me resources.

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