How difficult is it to care for a child with Down syndrome?
Perhaps the first question that needs to be asked: How difficult is it to raise a normal child?
There is no doubt that as soon as parents have a baby, their lives change significantly. Adding a new member to the family means there is one more person who requires attention, care, love and wants all of his or her needs taken care of.
Although having children is certainly worth all of the work that goes into raising a child, it does require time, effort and emotional input from the parents.
How does caring for a child with Down syndrome compare with raising a child without?
I have been the doctor for hundreds of Down syndrome children and have noticed there are many factors that determine how well a parent copes with this situation.
One factor is the parenting abilities of the parent. Some parents are overwhelmed just taking care of one normal child while others have better parenting skills and emotional strength that makes it easier for them to adjust to difficult situations.
Another issue is the level of severity, both physically and intellectually, of the Down syndrome.
All children with Down syndrome are mentally retarded, but the degree of retardation varies tremendously.
Fifty percent have congenital heart defects, thus requiring medical and/or surgical care. This means many visits to the doctor or doctors. There is an increased frequency of medical problems such as visual, neurological and orthopaedic issues, all requiring ongoing care.
And, almost all of these children require various types of therapies.
So yes, these children do require more care but, in my experience, most parents capably manage these time-consuming issues.
But, to accomplish this it requires a great deal of effort, organizational skills and, if possible, a good support system.
Many mothers work outside of the home and, although they can become quite tired, they still adequately care for their Down syndrome child.
Dr. Murray Feingold is the physician in chief of the National Birth Defects Center, medical editor of the Boston-area WBZ-TV and WBZ radio, and president of the Genesis Fund. The Genesis Fund is a nonprofit organization that funds the care of children born with birth defects, mental retardation and genetic diseases.