Down Syndrome -

[An Ghost]

we all know about/have autism. Our subjects are the same.
Users may be less familiar with Down syndrome, and there are far more cows with autism, so a thread about experiences with individuals with and about the condition itself may be informative and i'd love stories from other Kiwis.

Spoiler: The Basics

Everybody knows it's a genetic disorder from having 3 of the 21st chromosomal pair (trisomy 21). Affects .1% of the population, more common in countries without genetic screening obviously. Generally having 3 of any chromosome results in death but it's an incredibly small chromosome so while survivable, it results in a decrease in quality of life.
Symptoms:

• Distinct facial features
• More likely sterile
• Shortened life expectancy (60ish. I know a parent who has buried their child with Downs, I expect it's common)
• Decreased IQ (levels of function can vary)

It can be screened for while in utero and some parents opt to abort if that's the case.

Spoiler: Science

The section of DNA that codes for Amyloid Precursor Protein (important in memory, found near neurons) is found on the 21st chromosome. APP is a protein that if not cut/folded properly can build up in the neurons and is the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Poor memory is common in people with Down syndrome and while Alzheimer's affects 1-5% of the population it's very very common with people with Down Syndrome. Just interesting, that's all.

Compared to autistics (and even normal people), they're the chillest fuckers around. I've met autists who are just total shits but all the people who have Down syndrome I know are so nice. Like every cow has autism and none have Down Syndrome for a reason.
Any former wranglers like myself have any stories I would love to hear them.

 

[JSGOTI]

I'd like to first bring up a perfect example of someone that's just a great individual who has downs.

And while I'm not a wrangler, or a former wrangler, my youngest niece was born with downs after nearly ten years of them trying to have a child. She just turned 16 a couple months ago, and while the developmental issues will likely always be, she's growing up to be a pretty inspirational young woman, due to how she takes everything in stride, even in todays society where kids can be absolutely atrocious to one another. When I eventually have kids, I'd GLADLY have a downs child over having an autist.

 

[An Ghost]

I'd like to first bring up a perfect example of someone that's just a great individual who has downs.

The parents have all these photos and say "our kid looks so normal" but it's so apparant to me, even when he's a baby, that he has the look. I guess it was a different time.

Their bathroom full of prints is for some reason so heart breaking. I can feel the nostalgia from here.

Choice quote: "he's smart enough to know he's not smart enough." Literally the opposite of every cow ever.

All exceptional individuals must be euthanized.

Somebody mad they're appropriating the term "mongoloid"

 

[JSGOTI]

The parents have all these photos and say "our kid looks so normal" but it's so apparant to me, even when he's a baby, that he has the look. I guess it was a different time.

Their bathroom full of prints is for some reason so heart breaking. I can feel the nostalgia from here.

That short documentary on the Ponceman is just done in such an amazing way, and it just kills me at a couple of times when you have your 'social justice' crowds getting all super offended because of either the word 'retarded', or the fact that hes disabled and people think his brother is taking advantage of him.

And I agree, the baby photos has the look from the very beginning, but lets face it at the same time, that babys are not the most beautiful of things to begin with. But we have to look at how old Josh is, it was a different time for those sorts of people with developmental issues. Just the fact that one doctor wanted to just institutionalize the kid from the start... yeah, times have changed.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I knew a girl with downs in middle school. One time I was playing foosball with some of the other kids in our after school program when one of us accidentally kicked the ball off of the table and it rolled over to downs girl. She picked it up. When we tried to get it back she stuffed it down the front of her pink sweat pants and laughed at us.

You say downs people are nice but it's hard to forget a first impression like that.

 

[Chaos Theorist]

In defence of the autistic you are only seeing the real fuck ups who have autism, stupidity and no self-awareness who mostly have shitty parents.

 

[An Ghost]

In defence of the autistic you are only seeing the real fuck ups who have autism, stupidity and no self-awareness who mostly have shitty parents.

I've worked with many autistic kids and adults who had varying levels of function. I understand your concern but note that there isn't a Down syndrome form of wrong planet where they all self diagnose and circle jerk each other.

 

[ISO'os]

I know a little girl with downs, recently she's progressed so much and is the cutest little girl ever. I don't really know the social justice view of the condition but personally I don't see people as any different with it.

We have honestly gone far in how people with the syndrome are treated and seen.

 

[Hui]

If they are downs does that mean we are ups?

 

[io02]

is Autism secretly Ups Syndrome?

edit: ^ DAMMIT YOU STOLE MAH POST

 

[Doc Cassidy]

Downs people tend to come in two flavors, absolute sweetheart and fucking nightmare, there's very little in between.

I've worked with countless people with developmental disabilities and a lot of them are very difficult to like, but the only person I've ever truly despised was a woman with Downs. She lied compulsively; every single guy molests her and every woman beats her, without fail. At any given time she'd have 5-10 open abuse investigations. The thing about it was there wasn't any malice in her actions, she wasn't trying to get anyone in trouble or fuck people over, she just couldn't stop lying about every single thing. That made it so much worse because there was absolutely no reason for it, she just lied about everything all the time.

On the other hand I know Downs people that I absolutely love and are a joy to be around. Downs is a fucking bizarre condition, the way they think is both easy to understand and foreign beyond understanding.

 

[Chaos Theorist]

I've worked with many autistic kids and adults who had varying levels of function. I understand your concern but note that there isn't a Down syndrome form of wrong planet where they all self diagnose and circle jerk each other.

Wrong Planet is a mess of a place and not worth spending my time in a giant pity party about how the world doesnt understand them.

 

[Jeff Heaney]

If they are downs does that mean we are ups?

We need a "deep" rating.

 

[I-chi]

Most of the ones I've dealt with are fairly sweet individuals who mostly just look for that bit of interaction or conversation in their day because it creates a sense of normalcy that they can validate in themselves. Downs is a funny kind of thing where most of them ARE very much aware of their situation and the perception of which and living for them is just going with the flow and making their life as worthwhile an experience as anybody else's. Besides the physical cues however, you never really know what you're getting into at face value; you got just as many of them who can be irrationally mean, spiteful, abusive of their condition, or so forth as you can the warmer, gentler types.

tl;dr, In other words, they really are just like everybody else.

Also they have immunity from this SJ hijacking bullshit, so that's pretty cool.

 

[Morose_Obesity]

We need to haress tard strength to fight terrorism, and make sick drumbeats

 

[Hui]

We need a "deep" rating.

 

[io02]

IDK I think a brain zapping to the extreme would be a good "deep" rating

 

[Philosophy Zombie]

The belief that downies are invariably sweet and happy is about as true as the stereotype that all autistics are creative or have a special talent of some sort and it's about as helpful in actually understanding people with Down's and viewing them as individuals.

I understand your concern but note that there isn't a Down syndrome form of wrong planet where they all self diagnose and circle jerk each other.

Most people with it aren't literate enough to have that sort of discourse online. But there are a fucking ton of Down's parent forums. A lot of the parents are in support of banning abortion on the basis of amnio.

is Autism secretly Ups Syndrome?

Williams syndrome is jokingly called Ups syndrome sometimes.

 

[Overcast]

I knew a kid with down syndrome growing up. I remember him being pretty normal beyond his condition and he even took up wrestling when we went to high school.

Not sure what he's doing now, but I hope he's doing well for himself.