As the brother of a sister with Down syndrome, I am in no way unbiased when it comes to the topic of the titular condition.
Despite this, however, it also means that I have more experience than most within the same topic. I have lived with someone with Down syndrome for 18 years, and it has been an amazing and humbling experience.
There is an unfortunate stigma surrounding special needs. It instills fear in some, curiosity in others, some refuse to talk or even interact with people that have special needs, but that’s just it, they’re people, with a small condition that affects their mental ability.
I have experienced several moments where people looked at my sister with judging eyes, or they feel she’s strange and refused to talk or interact with her. This is the stigma I’m talking about, and it needs to stop.
People with Down syndrome, or autism, or any other various special needs conditions are no different than someone dealing with anxiety, or depression, or Alzheimer’s. It’s a condition, affecting a perfectly normal human being.
From my experience living 18 years alongside my sister, I have learned many things about people with Down syndrome, and scary is not one of their traits.
They are kind, curious, adventurous, loving, intelligent, and have more empathy than anyone I know. Their memories are impressive, more so than my own or anyone I know. She can recite the lines of any TV show she watches at least twice, knows the lyrics and tune of any song she hears.
One thing I’ve learned through watching my sister is she loves to feel normal. She loves to watch Disney Channel, hoping to just be like the normal girls in the TV shows. Why can’t we treat them like that? They are normal people just like anyone, wanting affection and love. They just ask for it in different ways. Often, people with Down syndrome love to hug, even complete strangers, it isn’t a bad thing.
My sister has had her fair share of difficult moments, but don’t we all? At the end of the day, she looks for the small things and no matter how hard her day has been, she just enjoys living. The world could end, and she would still look for the bright side, that’s just how she is, and that’s how most Down Syndrome people are.
I realize there is more to Down than just their mental capabilities, they look different too. The tongue sticking out is a signature trait of Downs, but it is an endearing one and nothing to be feared.
They sometimes can’t speak correctly, or at all for some, but again, they are people, there are plenty [of people] unaffected by Down syndrome that also have trouble speaking or hearing, and they too have just a condition, they are treated normal otherwise.
So, isn’t it about time we start treating people with Down syndrome and other mental disabilities with respect. Why don’t we stop the fear, halt the stigma that has grown around these people? The next time you come across a person with Down syndrome, why don’t you say hi, give them a handshake, just let them feel respected and appreciated.
They are people too.