Downs syndrome baby?

Question

My friend has just had a beutiful baby girl, and she is adorable, 7'12, and doing great.
i was just wondering how to explain to my kids that she has downs syndrome.....i thought that i should be honest, saying that she is perfectly normal and healthy, but she will just take time to reach her milestones.

What do you suggest?? My kids are aged 7 and 3

just to clarify, my friend alreday told my 7 year old that her child had downs, and he has asked me what it is....i just want a simple way to tell him.
Thankyou.

another question....why are some people so judgemental about the parents,or even the children with Ds???
My friend and her daughter are both fantastic, and i cannot wait to push her pram around town, and feed/cuddle her, but some other friends have been asking why i want to get involved

Answer 1

I would wait until they notice something different and start asking questions-.

children are accepting of other people and children- and your friends daughter will be coming up against disabililty discrimination soon enough .
Good luck

Answer 2

my 3 month old was born with a limb abnormality and it took time for some people to accept that. i just see my beautiful daughter. people are judgemental and they are scared of what they don't understand. a few years ago people with a learning difficulty were shut away in hospitals and the general public thought they were dangerous. i work with adults with learning difficulties and i encounter people who drag their children away from my clients or leave the cafe because we've walked in.
as for your kids, the 3 year old won't have any concept of downs so i'd tell her that god made your friends baby a bit different but that just makes her extra special. your 7 year old will understand a bit more and may even have children with special needs at school. explain that downs is when something goes wrong when the baby is growing but that she is fine and won't die or get sick. she'll just grow a bit different. most adults don't understand what downs is or what a chromosome is. chances are they won't really notice anything that different with her anyway. many of the downs adults i work with are very able and some are supported in employment. its only the characteristic eyes etc that give them away. good luck and your friend is very lucky to have someone like you supporting her.

Answer 3

Don't say anything to them. In time, if they notice that the baby's a wee bit different from them, they'll probably ask - THEN tell them. I very much doubt if they'll understand what you mean at the ages their at just now.

Edit: Just read your first edit - If you wee boy already knows, just say what you stated above - you're not telling any lies. I've been in contact with a couple of DS children and they are like a ray of sunshine - and very clever. I think the problem with people being judgemental is down to ignorance of the facts. Used to be that DS children were thought of as stupid and unable to be independent. THAT way of thinking went out the window a long time ago, I'm very happy to say. Best wishes to your friend and her wee baby.

Edit 2: BTW don't think much of her other "friends"!

Answer 4

I'd tell them pretty much what you've said but also point out that she's going to look a little different as well, that way there shouldn't be any problem with that either. The only other thing I'd say is that they can ask anything they want to know if they think of anything, obviously aimed more at your 7 year old.

Answer 5

can't really think of any way you can explain to your children of your friends special needs baby. i have a few friends who have downs and they can be fun and your 3 year old or 7 year old can still play with the child. you should be honest and tell your children that she has special needs. in a way they can understand find some reading material at a library or local day care for special needs children.

Answer 6

They don't show menny signes at the start. But They will cry more and may have health problems. I would keep sick babys away.
Kids want to help and babys liston more to them. Tell youre babys all you know eaven the fact that you may not know enough. It is alright to ask questions. and people with downs know no evil the love youre babys will help this new baby girl learn to trust others. This is something that Downs babys have a problem with.
My cusin has a 2 year old with downs and my babys know all that I do and love to help with him.
Ths has helped them know that all people are diffrent and all people are the same (well we all need love)

Answer 7

I have a 4 year old son with down syndrome... I would recommend being honest with them. Kids are very smart and they pick up on things like that. My firends children are the same age as my son and they acted different towards him as if they knew he was not quite like them. We had to explain to them that they had to treat him just as they do the other kids, most of them would not play with him at first because he was not at their levels until recently.

Answer 8

be honest with your children i have an autistic daughter and my 4 year old and 3 year old both know that she is different from the rest of us. Explain to your children that she if going to be different but that doesn't change who she is. make sure that you tell your children that they aren't going to catch anything. my 3 year old asked if she could catch it. my four year old says that no matter how hard my autistic daughters day is she always has a smile on her face to brighten anyone up. your kids should also know that she really is a big blessing.

Answer 9

I think it would be best to explain to your children in a little more detail about Downs as the baby is going to look obviously different than a 'normal' child.
Visit: http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
it may give you some ideas on how to explain it in a way that children will understand.
I wouldnt worry too much though, children are very accepting of differences as long as they understand them.

Answer 10

I think you're way sounds about right. But really you don't have to explain anything yet, since she's just a baby and there's no real diffrence at least not to a 3 or 7 year old. If they start to wonder, you can explain that it just takes her longer to learn things as you said. Congrats to your friend and her wee one!