Advocacy groups stress joys and potential, but some doctors caution that the prospect can be daunting

From the Chicago Tribune:

Down syndrome advocacy groups have embarked upon “one of the most aggressive campaigns in decades to change the public perception” around the condition.

The effort has been given a boost by the candidacy of Sarah Palin, whose son Trig has Down syndrome, and is particularly timely now that Congress has approved the Prenatally and Postnally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act. The bill, passed last week, would provide up-to-date information for parents who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome or other conditions.

Some doctors, including Dr. Jacques Abramowicz, co-director of fetal and neonatal medicine at Rush University Medical Center, caution against providing a picture of the disorder that is “too rosy.”

“Whenever something like this is in the media, there is the tendency to make it appear much more beautiful than it is in reality,” Abramowicz said.

Angie Picchi, 28, (above, with her mother Linda) is nicknamed the “Myth Buster” for her work meeting with groups of doctors and refuting stereotypes and low expectations.

See also: Parents of children with special needs see hope in Palin’s advocacy — Shreveport Times

This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 4:47 pm and is filed under Down syndrome, abortion, families, genetics, intellectual/developmental disabilities, personal stories, politics, prenatal diagnosis, selective termination, young adults. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post