October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month – a time to celebrate people with Down syndrome and raise awareness of their abilities and accomplishments. Help your kids learn more about this common condition, so they can treat their classmates with Down syndrome with the love, respect and inclusion they deserve.
Teach your kids about Down syndrome.
Children are curious and have big hearts. Teach them these important facts about Down syndrome.
- Down syndrome is a genetic condition – people are born with it. The cause isn’t known.
- Kids with Down syndrome are just like everyone else – they have similar dreams and goals, and they love friendships and having fun just like all kids. When they get older, they can drive, go to college, go to work, go on dates and get married.
- Children with Down syndrome have some physical and intellectual (learning) differences. Compared to other kids, their body and brain develop differently.
- Their physical development is often slower than other children’s. Down syndrome also causes their face and head to look a little bit different.
- Kids with Down syndrome often also have more difficulty learning. They might also need more time to learn language and speaking skills.
- Down syndrome is quite common – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome each year in the U.S., and there are currently more than 400,000 Americans living with the condition.
Most Important Message
What’s the most important thing to teach your kids? Above all else, let them know that Down syndrome is a health condition that some children are simply born with, and that their classmates with Down syndrome are just like them in so many ways and deserve the kind, big-hearted friendships that all kids need. This month – and all months – this is what matters most.
Child-Friendly Information About Down Syndrome
- National Down Syndrome Society, Q&A for Kids: ndss.org/qa-kids.
- Nemours KidsHealth®, Down Syndrome (for Kids): KidsHealth.org/en/Kids/Down-Syndrome.html.
- Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City, “Just Like You” video.