Down Syndrome in Children's Books
According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, "Down Syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. In most cases, Down Syndrome occurs when there is an extra copy of chromosome 21. This form of Down syndrome is called Trisomy 21. The extra chromosome causes problems with the way the body and brain develop. Down syndrome is the most common single cause of human birth defects" (A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia).
Down Syndrome can range from mild to severe cases, however, the physical appearance of the condition is widely recognized. These features are a result of slower physical development include:
- flattened nose
- small ears and mouth
- upward slanted eyes
- wide, short hands with short fingers
- short (height)
There are also many behavioral problems of Down Syndrome that result from delayed mental and social development. These problems can include:
- impulsive behavior
- poor judgment
- short attention span
- poor learning
- frustration and anger
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001992/
As mentioned above, Down Syndrome is the most common cause of human birth defect, which is why I feel it is so important to focus on this topic in children's books. Due to the fact that it is so common, it is more than likely that our future schools or even classrooms will have a student(s) with Down Syndrome and it is vital for other students to understand why their peer or classmate is slightly different than them. A lot of the books I found were sharing stories about an expected family member (new baby with DS) or friend who had DS so having these books in our future classrooms can help to teach about students in our future classes as well as children with DS outside of the school that students may come in contact with in their family or other extracurricular activities.
Down Syndrome can range from mild to severe cases, however, the physical appearance of the condition is widely recognized. These features are a result of slower physical development include:
- flattened nose
- small ears and mouth
- upward slanted eyes
- wide, short hands with short fingers
- short (height)
There are also many behavioral problems of Down Syndrome that result from delayed mental and social development. These problems can include:
- impulsive behavior
- poor judgment
- short attention span
- poor learning
- frustration and anger
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001992/
As mentioned above, Down Syndrome is the most common cause of human birth defect, which is why I feel it is so important to focus on this topic in children's books. Due to the fact that it is so common, it is more than likely that our future schools or even classrooms will have a student(s) with Down Syndrome and it is vital for other students to understand why their peer or classmate is slightly different than them. A lot of the books I found were sharing stories about an expected family member (new baby with DS) or friend who had DS so having these books in our future classrooms can help to teach about students in our future classes as well as children with DS outside of the school that students may come in contact with in their family or other extracurricular activities.