Prenatal Testing

EAS1971 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-20-2007, 08:43 AM

Arggghhhhhh! This message board is a total train wreck for me....I just cannot seem to take my eyes off of it even though I always hate what I see.

For some stupid reason, I keep trying to give information to people that I think I can help. There is an abudance of questions about prenatal testing and genetic anomalies...specifically Down syndrome. I have tried to hand out my words of wisdom and advice--being that I'm the mother of a 2 year old with Down syndrome.

Okay, just general info for anyone who cares.

First, it is Down syndrome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT Downs. Not Downs baby!!!!!!

Yes, there is a huge huge huge number of false positives in all of the prenatal tests. There is also a huge number of false negatives!!

Test if you wish, of course. And do as you wish. But do it while being informed!!!!

Having a child with Down syndrome is an absolute blessing. Any parent of a child with Down syndrome, or any other genetic problem, will tell you that the initial diagnosis is a shock. It's scary. But that lasts a very short amount of time. What you're left with is a wonderful child that is YOUR child. A loving child. A child LIKE ANY OTHER!!! And kids with Down syndrome can and do absolutely everything that every other kid does.

I'm sick of people talking about how horrible it would be to have a child with Down syndrome. And I'm sick to death of people referring to it as Downs. Makes me sick to my stomach.

Oh, and it's not Down syndrome baby, Downs baby, etc. It is a child first. A child with Down syndrome. It's not who the child is, it's a part of the child.

I keep telling myself I'm done with the board. I swear I won't come back. And yet I do. And I read more and more of these posts.

I wish that if people asked the question, they'd actually want the answer!!! I've tried talking to parents about life with a child with Down syndrome. I don't know if they'd rather live in denial or what, but people act like I've never even responded.

You should BE so lucky as to have a child like mine! He is the greatest blessing that has ever been sent to me.

If you do the prenatal tests, know that there are tons of false positives and false negatives. You don't know what you're getting until you give birth to the child. And then, guess what? Doesn't matter what diagnosis they may assign to your child, it is YOUR CHILD! Period. The end.

May you all have a child as wonderful as mine are.

May · #2 (**permalink**) 04-04-2007, 06:51 PM

I lost my son at 20 weeks and they told me they believe that it was due to a severe case of down syndrome. We tried to test after he was born (as I did not want to do any invasive testing before) but they were unable to grow the cells. I dont know for sure what it was that caused him to pass away but I can tell you that with all my heart I would love to have my son back. With down syndrome or not.
You are blessed to have your child and no one should say otherwise.