Ludhiana, October 29: October has been observed as the ‘Down Syndrome Awareness Month’ worldwide since the early 1980s, to celebrate the abilities of people afflicted with the syndrome. However, even now some families consider such people to be a burden. To fight such notions, an awareness walk was organised in Ludhiana Sunday morning wherein people with Down Syndrome and their parents participated.
What is Down Syndrome?
Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome (‘packages’ of genes).
Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes or 23 pairs. Babies with Down Syndrome have an extra copy of Chromosome 21, also called Trisomy 21.
This extra copy leads to the typical physical features and developmental challenges – both mental and physical – that can occur among people with Down Syndrome.
What are the national figures for Down Syndrome?
One in every 800 to 900 people in India have Down Syndrome. This figure is also similar worldwide, said Dr Neelam Sodhi, a Ludhiana-based gynaecologist and founder of Ashirwad, North India Cerebral Palsy Association (NICPA) – a rehabilitation centre for children with special needs.
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
In the early 1980s, the National Down Syndrome Society in the US started spreading awareness about Down Syndrome and after a year, medicos worldwide observed October as the Down Syndrome Awareness Month, said Dr Sodhi. The idea was to raise awareness and celebrate the many abilities of our loved ones with Down Syndrome, she added.
What activities have been carried out in Punjab this month?
There had virtually been no visibility of awareness events relating to Down Syndrome in Punjab till recently, except for a few events in neighbouring Chandigarh. However, on Sunday, District Special Olympics Bharat along with Ashirwad NICPA organised an awareness walk in Rakh Bagh in Ludhiana in which children/youngsters with special needs (especially those with Down Syndrome) came with their parents. The children performed before the audience, while doctors answered the queries of the masses. The poster boy of the event was a teenager with Down Syndrome, Jaskaran Singh. He is a handicraft artist and a Bhangra dancer.
What was the need for organising a special program in Rakh Bagh?
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Dr Sodhi said, “Parents are often reluctant to bring their ward with Down Syndrome in public due to societal mindset and attitudes. Hence, we decided to organise this event by bringing parents together to find mutual support linkages and to create a parent support group. Also, the idea was to promote visibility by being in one place as a group and spread awareness about the abilities of people with Down Syndrome.”
Myths and stereotypes associated with Down Syndrome
According to doctors, the common myths even today are that persons with Down Syndrome cannot go to school, they have no future, they have a poor quality of life, they cannot be skill-trained, and that they are a burden on the family and society.
How can we break these myths and stereotypes?
Lack of information about the abilities of and opportunities for a person with Down Syndrome often leads to them being isolated. Increasing public awareness and acceptance, and changing the societal mindset will open doors for inclusion, Dr Sodhi concluded.
