October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month
By Caz Pennington
Down syndrome is a genetic condition where a person has an extra copy of chromosome 21, that is, they have three copies of chromosome 21. In a neurotypical person, each cell in their body has 46 chromosomes, which tell their cells how to grow and develop when they are conceived. A person with Down syndrome has 47 chromosomes. This can lead to varying degrees of learning and physical disabilities and associated medical issues. Approximately 1 in every 700 babies will have Down syndrome, so it is one of the most common chromosomal differences.
People with Down syndrome have a well-documented learning profile; they are visual learners, which means they learn best by watching and experiencing things, rather than just listening to someone talk. If you’d like to know more about how to support young people with Down syndrome there are lots of local and national Down syndrome charities that can help, many of whom can provide appropriate training too.
Every year we celebrate World Down syndrome Day on the 21st day of the third month every year to represent the three copies of chromosome 21 that every person with Down syndrome has. The world gets together to raise awareness about Down syndrome; we celebrate people with the condition and advocate for their rights, inclusion and wellbeing. Every October, we also raise awareness during Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and have done since the 1980s. Many people wear mismatched socks to raise awareness and start conversations about Down syndrome as chromosomes look a lot like socks!
People with Down syndrome are just like everyone else; they have life goals, want great careers and to have families. Like many people in the general population, people with Down syndrome can drive, go to college, go to work, get married and contribute to society. They are capable of great things and just need to be given the right opportunities and support to achieve their goals.
It is important to remember that people with Down syndrome are individuals who can live independent and successful lives, who need to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities as everyone else, working with others to help improve their lives. If you’d like to find out more, have a look at the Down Syndrome International website.
Here at Explorer Dome, we work hard to be inclusive and meet the needs of everyone in our audience, so Down syndrome awareness month is a good opportunity for our team to raise our own awareness of people with Down syndrome. One of our Directors is lucky enough to have a daughter with Down syndrome, so we are in a privileged position to learn about Down syndrome from people with lived experience and who can dispell lots of the myths and misconceptions.
We hope you decide to raise awareness and celebrate people with Down syndrome this October by wearing your brightest and most mismatched socks. We certainly will be!
#DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth
