Down Syndrome is for Life

Abstract

This paper is concerned with changing attitudes to Down syndrome over the years from early times. It looks back at the place of people with Down syndrome and argues that it is part of our rich biological inheritance rather than a condition to be pitied. The biological basis of the condition is outlined and how the search for a cause affected professional and public feelings towards those with Down syndrome and their families. Changing medical and educational treatment is discussed and the challenges facing those who care for adults with Down syndrome who can now enjoy a longer life expectancy, but it is made clear that this must be a life worth living with a reasonable degree of independence. The paper concludes with accounts of changing attitudes and treatment in developing countries and how there is a growing universal movement to bring these people more into the community.