On Trig Palin: ‘A child with special needs enlarges the world’
September 3rd, 2008
In the wake of John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin, Jim Dwyer of the New York Times visits with some people who have firsthand experience with Down syndrome. Palin’s infant son Trig has Down syndrome, and was diagnosed prenatally.
Among the people Dwyer meets is fourth grader Catherine Emer Madden, who would have been “essentially written off educationally” not too long ago. Early education gave her the boost she needed to progress in school.
Catherine’s mother, Deirdre Featherstone, said that …
… no matter how the race ended, Governor Palin was on an extraordinary journey.
“If she’s afraid, there’s about a million of us who would cheer her on — it’s the best thing that is ever going to happen to you,” Ms. Featherstone said. “And I don’t mean the vice presidency.”
See also:
Sarah Palin’s baby puts Down syndrome in spotlight — Los Angeles Times:
As prenatal genetic testing has become more widespread, disabilities rights activists have grown concerned that children like 4-month-old Trig Palin will become an increasing rarity. Trig is the son of presumptive Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and he has Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality that affects about one in 800 babies born alive in the United States each year. A 1999 study found that 90% of women who learn their baby has the genetic abnormality chose to end the pregnancy.
But parents of children with Down syndrome have grown increasingly vocal about their choice to give birth to their babies, and to share the challenges and rewards of raising a child with a disability … With one in every 33 children born in the United States having some birth defect causing lifelong disability, a community also has sprung up to share information on the wide range of federally mandated educational programs and social services available to families.
Respect is a two-way street, by Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post:
… I had my children at ages 37 and 39, old enough that the risk of Down syndrome was elevated, as it was for Palin, and my doctor recommended amniocentesis. Had the results indicated any abnormality, I have little doubt that I would have made a different decision than did Palin. I have no doubt that such an agonizing choice should have been up to my husband and me, not to the government.
… I respect the Palins’ choices. I only wish they would show as much respect for others to exercise their own, free of government imposing it on them.
(Photo from Los Angeles Times)
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on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 at 3:47 am and is filed under Campaign 2008, Down syndrome, NOT2BEMISSED, early intervention, education, families, personal stories, politics, prenatal diagnosis, public attitudes.
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October 26th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Actually, this research has nothing to do with autism or any other condition in humans. The fruit fly that she was speaking about is a type of fly that infects olive trees.
http://dogfightatbankstown.typepad.com/blog/2008/10/did-she-seriously-just-say-that-research-on-drosophila-has-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-the-public-good-as-in-the-drosophil.html
“”In 2007, for example, the Democratic-led Congress approved $17 billion in legislative pet projects. According to Citizens Against Government Waste, $5.4 billion of that pork came from Democratic members. Misguided Republicans added $4.3 billion to the pot and, in a rare display of bipartisanship, the remaining $8 billion came from jointly sponsored projects by both Democrats and Republicans.
Pork projects included such gems as $211,059 for Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., for olive fruit fly research in Paris, France,” end quote.
(the olive fruit fly is a pest that damages olive groves…it has nothing whatever to do with research into autism)
So,,the claim that Palin is against funding research for kids with special needs based on her ‘fruit fly’ comment is, well…fruity;-) And I am not targeting the person who made that comment here…the same thing is all over the internet.
In fact, the vast majority of the claims that critics make about Palin’s supposed ignorance or her lack of advocacy for people with special needs are based on twisted interpretations of what she REALLY said or did. This is a prime example..it is all over the internet about how truly stupid and uncaring Palin is because she doesn’t grasp the concept that fruit fly research is vital in the quest to understand autism, etc.= Palin is against research!= She wants to block all scientific research because her religion is against it! Gasp!! The sky is falling” (again) Problem is, it isn’t true.
What is so ironic about all of this is that the people making the claims are so contemptuous of Palin because “how can-she-say-she-is-an-advocate-for-special-needs-if-she-doesn’t-even-know-about-the-importance-of fruit-fly-research??”
The reality is that she is smart enough to know that there are different kinds of fruit flies. When I heard her speech, I assumed she was saying that the US could save money for programs for Americans by not funding research in Paris, France….it never occurred to me that she was saying that the research shouldn’t be done … just why are we the ones paying for it?
Then when I saw that people were so riled up about it, I went looking for more information, because it didn’t make sense to me that she would actually be against research per se … and that is when I found out what the fruit fly research funding in question was used for. Once again Palin is being blamed for something that she never said.
October 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
hmmm, Ms Palin has just spoken out against funding fruit fly research (after mentioning bridges non-ironically). If she was an advocate for those with special needs or had some advisers versed on science, she would know that fruit flies are as important as mice in research.
McCain/Palin would continue Bush’s war spending instead of funding for basic and applied research looking for cures. McCain previously voted against funding for special needs kids.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:13 am
To Lynn Halatek - doesn’t Trig have a father, too? Can’t he supervise the child’s therapies? As the mom of a child with Down syndrome, I can honestly say that my husband and I have shared equally in this journey. Sarah Palin has a chance to change the world’s misconceptions of what our children are capable of. She should be applauded, not condemned.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I am an active advocate for disability rights, a person with a disability, a sibling of a sister with Down’s Syndrome, a mother of two children, an educator and social worker. I disagree that Sarah Palin’s decision to accept the nomination is a “slap in the face.” As the focus of a media frenzy for just a few days, she already is raising awareness of disability, special needs, Down’s Syndrome, prenatal testing, and so forth. She can possibly do so much on behalf of those with disabilities and their families during the course of the election and beyond certainly if elected as Vice President. And who says that Trig will not receive those early intervention services and therapies while his mother runs for election and possibly becomes the next Vice President? Many mothers with special needs children work full-time (balancing work and family as best as they can) and their children still receive those needed services. Many of these mothers do not have the luxury of staying home with their children and so they make the best of their situation by spending quality time with their children. Most families split child-rearing duties between mother and father, grandparents, siblings, even friends, neighbors, fellow church members, and so forth. You state “he needs a mother” - well he has a mother - what seems to be a caring, loving mother who cared enough about him and valued his life that she gave birth to him knowing about his Down’s Syndrome condition. Her child is so fortunate that he also has a loving, caring, involved father and if you watched the Republican National Convention this evening, an entire loving family who will support him in the years to come including the critical early developmental years.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
What about Mr. Palin — it seems no one is recognizing his role as a parent. It is my belief that the value of family is in part built on a foundation that includes all members of the family. In toda’ys society many push their children to “think for themselves” and to “do what it takes to get what you want”. There are families and extended families who operate on a principle of unity whose values while independent are not self seeking.
I think the public may be underestimating the strength of conservative families. As a conservative, I don’t assert perfection nor do I pretend that me or my family is exempt from trials, errors in judgment and controversy. I don’t think Gov. Palin makes this claim either.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I’m a 22-year old Sociology major at AZ State University. I have severe cerabrel palsy. I think when you’re as well off as Palin is, it’s easy to talk about keeping a baby w/ a disability, but what those who can’t afford to? And, for God’s sake, stop using the child for political gain!!!
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
As a mom of three daughters, the oldest of which has Down syndrome, and the daughter of a mom who adopted 4 kids, I am frankly appalled at the treatment of women and persons with disabilities by both the Democratic and the Republican party.
First the Republicans spend a decade trashing Mrs. Clinton for her husband’s choices and for being a loyal wife and putting her child’s privacy needs first. Then the Dems support an overly ambitious democratic man who uses his wife and kids to portray a traditional sexist family scene and the Republicans love it, because they know he is the least experienced and least prepared democratic candidate and because they hate Hilary and Bill so much.
Then the Republicans pick and support a woman who puts her own ambitions in front of the glaring needs of her 17 year old daughter, her own infant with a disability, and who sends her sons off to war, and quote Hilary and use the same tactics to defend Palin they criticized in Hilary only weeks earlier.
P.S. Palin and Guiliani are just clever nasty snarks and I feel sorry for her kids.
It makes me sick. Sometimes a good choice is refusing to support either of two bad choices.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Lynn, This baby has two parents as well as other supporting family. As the parent of a child with Down syndrome, I would say that with the exception of her medical issues, she is the easiest of my four children. Trig does not seem to be facing the medical issues that can (but not always) arise with Down syndrome. It is up to this family to consider their situation - including Trig and HIS situation which may not be the same as my child’s. If Dad will be the lead parent, more power to him. But I’m still voting for Obama.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
As a mom of a child with Spina Bifida, I know the importance of early intervention. It seems a poor choice to expect a mother of an infant with Downs Syndrome to take on the political world as Vice Presidential candidate. How will she have time for Trig? He needs a mother, he will need various therapies and interventions to improve his quality of life. Research promotes the importance of early childhood programming and Birth - 3. With a push at natural environments.
As an advocate for disabilty rights, I find her decision to accept this position a slap in the face. How can she say she is an advocate for disability rights when she is not showing knowledge of the most basic needs of her child.