Boston Globe columnist Beverly Beckham challenges a recent article in the Boston Globe Magazine by Adam Wolfberg, who wrote that Down syndrome “results in mental retardation and often a host of medical problems.”

Beckham, who had just spent an enjoyable week with her granddaughter Lucy, says the article’s “negativity made me question reality.” Lucy has Down syndrome.

The words Wolfberg chose to use stung not just because they make sweeping generalizations. But because, before Lucy, I would have believed them.

You see things one way when you’re on the outside looking in. But when you’re on the inside looking out? All you see is a child.

Our family had hoped for a baby without extra challenges. Doesn’t everyone?

… Negative words decimated us. You play them over and over in your head and you worry and watch and wait. And you miss so much that is good because you are a wreck anticipating disaster.

And then you stop worrying. You stop projecting and imagining and you look at this child in your arms, whom the world deems inferior, and you think how wrong the world is. And how perfectly right she is.

Earlier columns by Beverly Beckham are here.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 1st, 2009 at 9:17 pm and is filed under Down syndrome, NOT2BEMISSED, commentary, families, intellectual/developmental disabilities, personal stories, public attitudes. 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