Friends baby has downs

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Friends baby has downs
9
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 5:10pm

My friend that I have mentioned here in the past had her baby on Saturday. We knew in advance she may have downs and sure enough she does. She is the sweetest, chubby little thing. Poor baby has had loads of extra tests already and too much sticks with the needle. I just came home from visiting and was lucky enough to hold her for quite a while. She is a snuggle bug. Gotta LOVE newborns!

This mom has 5 kids. She has one with BP, OCD, LD's, ADHD, etc, and 3 of the others have ADHD. So she has been through the special needs things before. She did say that it was a relief this time to know right away and have a game plan. It is also nice to get the supports right away and not have to fight for them as well as the remarks and stigmatisms about kids behavior. A completely different view the the special needs world.

Say a pray for little Ellie that she is mildly affected and doesn't have any health problems to go along with the down's stuff.

Renee

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Registered: 02-20-2001
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 7:07pm
I lvoe the name Ellie and I'll sned lots of PP&T her way.

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Registered: 04-11-2003
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 7:39pm

My prayers are with her. I love that name, btw.

Samantha

Samantha
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Registered: 09-09-2005
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 10:25pm

I remember reading in a book aimed at those who don't know the first thing about autism, that if there were to be an opposite to an autistic child it would be a down's one.

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Registered: 06-25-2003
Sun, 08-13-2006 - 11:07pm

Awwww.


I suppose the good(/bad) thing about Downs is that it is obvious and indisputable. I'm glad your friend is spared the hassle of having to fight for everything for Ellie. She is busy enough as things stand...


I am sure this little girl will bring much joy to those her life touches. Downs kids are usually so very loving and affectionate. I sincerely hope she is and stays physically healthy.


-Paula


-Paula

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 08-14-2006 - 2:02am

Ellie will be a great addition to thier family regardless. She has a sister (Annie) who is a dream and not quite 2 years older. Annie needs a playmate and is the social butterfly. That will be great pals. All the other kids are quite a bit older. There was over a 6 year gap between the next one and Annie. It is all the older ones with issues (ages from 16 to 8).

The 11yo is the most challenging and he is like Mike in that he is great with small children. I think that Ellie will be very theraputic for him as they both grow. He loves his other baby sister and I think Ellie will teach him even more about caring for others, etc.

The problem I see now it is it going to be doubly hard for her to keep up with what she needs to do for the 11yo. He is a challenge and his school situation is always challenging. They finally had things going well for him in the last year or so. He is in an SDC. Next year he was to go to this great middle school classroom that I want to put Mike in when he goes next year. All because of this great teacher. Well, the mom just found out the teacher changed jobs and doesn't have a clue who will be the teacher.

With all the stuff going on with the baby it is going to be really hard to keep up the fight that we have to go through with the "other" kids. I don't know that I would be able to do it. To put all the effort I put into Cait and Mike if suddenly I had a newborn with downs. Also, acceptance. I think acceptance eventually would come easier with something like downs syndrome. Our kids can look "normal" sometimes and even with more severe autism there is always this cure thing. The mom and I have often discussed how we forget sometimes and expect things of the boys they can't do and then get angry at them because they can't. Would the acceptance of the other kids get even more difficult or easier when you have a child with downs.

These are just things I wonder about. I don't envy her position at all. I always thought if I had to have children with special needs it would have been easier to have one child with something like downs and the rest typical. But to have one with downs and the rest running the gammit of invisible disabilities. That would be a challenge.

But regardless, that baby is about the sweetest, mellowist thing going. I think god knew what he was doing and she will be a blessing. Damn, I am hooked already and I only held her for an hour.

Renee

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Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 08-14-2006 - 4:31am
I have a 2nd cousin whose baby was born with DS and sadly, a heart problem. My daughter has been paired with a DS boy for the last 3 years. He's so social and loving. Having those two together has been challenging for the aides. He just wants to hug her and be near her and she simply doesn't want to be touched. It's so hard for each of them to understand. After those 3 years tho, they are working out their compromises in their own way. I don't know a lot about DS, but they seem to be very happy people. So many NT people simply don't have that inner happiness. Your friend sounds like a strong person with a great outlook on what's important...and she has you!
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 08-14-2006 - 4:54pm

Update,

The baby does have a significant heart problem and will need surgery between 3-6 months. She also has a syndrome that effects the electrical charges in her heart and sometimes they go haywire. She will need medication and close monitoring for that. They still are having a hard time drawing blood and they have to have the DS confirmed by blood test for her to get services from regional center so the poor baby has been stuck way too many times already.

LR - how did you cousins baby with the heart problem do? They are saying that the baby should be ok with the one surgery and may need a second one in her 20's.

Broke my heart to hear about all that today but the family is strong. Poor wee little thing.

Renee

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Registered: 05-16-2003
Tue, 08-15-2006 - 7:26am

I'm sending Baby Ellie some magic dust.

I've been thinking of Downs a lot. I have a friend here in town whose DS (a twin -- sister is unaffected) has it. And he's lucky in that he's extremely healthy. However, there is a certain type of leukemia that is prevalent in Downs. Not to mention many potential health maladies. And MR across the board. I don't think I'd take it over autism.

One of the issues for my friend is that her kid is the only on in 20 years or so here to have Downs. So the SD isn't exactly up to speed on it.

Then yesterday I found out my cousin's ex-wife has a Downs baby with her 2nd DH and he walked out. (Jerk.) I can't imagine doing that alone. That's why it's on my mind.

Cathy

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Registered: 03-28-2003
Wed, 08-16-2006 - 3:24am
I don't know all the specifics of how she's doing with her heart. It was a few years ago she was born. You know how uncle Bill tells you what he knows type of thing.