BY AUGUSTINA OKINEDO
THERE IS THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME TO HELP THEM OVERCOME ALL CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEALTH CONDITION AND ALSO ENSURE THAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED.
SOME RESIDENTS OF AKURE, ONDO STATE MADE THE CALL ON THE OCCASION OF THIS YEAR’S WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY WITH THE THEME “INCLUSION MEANS INCLUTION”
DOWN SYNDROME ALSO KNOWN AS TRISOMY 21 IS A GENETIC DISORDER THAT AFFECTS THE CHILD DURING CELL DIVISION IN THE WOMB.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT DOWN SYNDROME OCCURS IN ONE OUT OF EIGHT HUNDRED BIRTHS
ACCORDING TO MEDICAL EXPERTS, SOME OF THE RISK FACTORS APART FROM NATURAL CAUSES INCLUDE HAVING CHILDREN AFTER THE AGE OF 35 FOR WOMEN AND EXPOSURE TO RADIATION.
A child with Down Syndrome, Miss Moyinoluwa Makinde
CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWN SYNDROME ARE THE CHILDREN AND PARENTS WHO ARE SUBJECTED TO DIFFERENT FORMS OF STIGMATIZATION.
FRONTLINE ADVOCATES OF BETTER LIFE FOR CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME MRS TOLA MAKINDE AND MRS CECILIA AKADIRI WHO WERE ALSO PARENTS TO CHILDREN WITH THE DISORDER SPOKE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN MANAGING IT.
MRS MAKINDE AND AKADIRI WHILE STRESSING THAT CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYDROME DESERVED UNBIASED LOVE FROM THE SOCIETY ALSO URGED GOVERNMENT TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR MEDICAL BILLS.
AN EDUCATION THERAPIST, MRS NKECHI ALOMAJA SAID GOVERNMENT MUST CREATE MORE AWARENESS ON DOWN SYNDROME AND ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD AND THEIR RIGHTS PROTECTED.
SPEAKING ON WAYS OF REDUCING CASES OF DOWN SYNDROME IN THE SOCIETY, AN AKURE BASED CONSULTANT PEDIATRICIAN, DR OLUBANKE OLUWAFEMI SAID THE DISORDER COULD BE DETECTED IN EARLY PREGNANCY SCREENING BUT LAMENTED THAT SOME MOTHERS DO NOT GO FOR ANTE NATAL CARE.
DR OLUWAFEMI ADVISED MOTHERS TO VISIT THE NEAREST HOSPITAL WHEN THEY NOTICED THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS IN THEIR INFANTS.
WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY IS COMMEMORATED EVERY 21ST OF MARCH TO DEMAND FOR THE RIGHT, INCLUSION AND WELL BEING OF PEOPLE WITH THE HEALTH CONDITION.