Is it really necessary for Eastenders to go this over the top about Downs Syndrome?

Question

I personally don't think it is necessary to go overboard but i want to know ur opinions.
Take care all x1x

At - srlfhp1 - When you work almost everyday it is nice to relax and relaxing time tends to be around this time. Plus not enough money to be out living the high life every night - so to srlfhp1 that is my answer to ur sarky comment! take care x1x

I agree with certain story lines and i don't think eastenders is dumb down braindead sh*t either, but for the purpose of yahoo answers i asked a question. Thanks for the answers that are actually about it - and eastenders is a good pasttime take care x1x

Answer 1

i think they are making the situation ridiculous, i cannot watch it anymore as the way peggy is really annoys me, i have four children and they are all healthy and well but if i ever had a baby with downs syndrome or any other disabilities i would love the baby the same way i have loved my other four, i think they should have done this story from a possitive angle

Answer 2

When i first heard this story was going to be coming up, i did wonder how they would deal with it. After watching it though i think that they have done a great job, they are raising public knowledge of a very taboo subject. I think that more people out there should know about downs syndrome and that babies with his condition shouldn't be cast aside. The whole point in soaps is that they are true to life, that is the thing that keeps us tuning in every week after all, and unfortunately some babies are not "perfect" and they are different from the norm. It was a brave move on Eastenders part and i personal am glad they done it.

Answer 3

I don't watch Eastenders, but someone told me the mother hasn't bonded with her child as a consequence of the child's Down's Syndrome. To be honest, (and I am aware that my opinion in often controversial), though it would be very sad to realise my child would not live a long life, and may suffer terrible heart defects, I would love a child with Down's Syndrome just the same as any other child I may bear. Every human being is an experience, and children with special needs can teach us even more than a healthy child.

I hope Eastenders is handling the matter sensitively.

Answer 4

Yes I think that Eastenders going over the top here. Honey is getting on my nerves about the way she is with Petal. I really wish I could pick up a gun and just kill her, how many people out there are desperate for kids and would even care for someone who has down's symdrome? I feel really sorry for Billy all he ever wanted was a kids and he's got one but sadly his wife don't love the baby.

Answer 5

Yes, they seems the script writers think that Downs Syndrome is comparable to the Ebola Virus.
They have made a mountain out of a mole hill & if there excuse is they are trying to educate I can see alot more people being even more confused or wrongly informed about Downs Syndrome.

Downs is not the end of the world.

Answer 6

well, it's a very difficult issue.
but i think it's good that soaps like eastenders deal with real life issues. there's loads of trash on tv nowadays, but at least storylines like that actually make you reflect about life.
when i was younger, i learnt lots about life issues and stuff from eastenders and if there was anything i didn't understand, my mum would discuss it with me afterwards.
i appreciate that they may not always work 100% or be dealt with in the best of ways but surely it's better than ignoring issues and pretending they don't happen. it's like not caring about history and then never learning from past mistakes.
also, they always display the national helpline after depressing programmes, so they offer support for people that the programmes may have affected and that's definitely good. they always back up their storyline with sources of information on the website too.
and there's nothing wrong in my opinion with watching eastenders and then having a good old cry!!

Answer 7

I have been saying the same. I refused to have the tests during my pregnancies because I wouldn't have aborted either of them and I'd have just dealt with it a day at a time. It's doing my head in now. I must say though, nobody has mentioned the fact that Honey was breast-feeding her until she found out she had Downs, now she's bottle-feeding. That would have happened if she felt upset and depressed, it's the only realistic they've put in!

Answer 8

i think that thy are dealing with a very sensitive issue. A lot of people still stereotype people with downs syndrome when in reality downs children can be a great joy. they are very loving and anybody who has ever had a child with downs will tell you what a joy they are.Any new mum will tell you how hard it is to adjust to new baby so when you find out your child has downs it can be even harder but your love for your child will always prevail in the end.i think eastenders are doing a wonderfull job of tackling an issue that is very hard to discuss and I'm sure that they will continue to do so.

Answer 9

To be honest I don't think you can comment on whether it OTT or not unless you've actually experienced this situation, and anyway no two situations are ever the same. The parents of the baby playing "Petal" think EE are doing a good job (last weeks inside soap) and so do I
if you don't agree with storylines then don't watch it!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

They can't even get their facts straight! I think it's a desperate ploy to claw back ratings which have been going downhill since the Dirty Den under the floorboards fiasco. However well-meaning the scriptwriters may be, trying to tackle issues such as this, they are rarely factually correct and presented less realistically that Christopher Biggins' Widow Twanky at the Manchester Apollo....