Keeping up with our Mexican Culture
From a Mexican American family view My husband and I were born in the border city of El Paso, Texas and since our dating days, we understood the importance of keeping our culture and traditions alive within our own family and community. When we decided to start our family, San Antonio without a doubt was going to be our new home. As many Mexican American border families, we come from a beautiful and rich culture…
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Back-to-School Basics for a Successful Year
It’s the end of summer vacation for most of our school-aged children. If you have a child with an IEP, panic sets in. New year, new teachers, new class, maybe even new school! While it can be exhausting to start new collaborative relationships with the school and staff, this is a very important first step; however, it is necessary to do some prep work early on so your child will be set up for success…
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Summer Camps for Children with Disabilities
Guest writer Ginger Lambert shares her experiences with sending her daughter Avery (17yo) to various camps in the area. Being a parent to a child with an extra chromosome means having to carefully plan out the summer break for your child. You should plan to start registering for summer camps in January or February. August is a great time to look into weekend, spring break, and holiday camps. Some of the camps have a very…
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A Father’s Reflection
From the moment he was born, it seemed like my son Daniel couldn’t wait to start experiencing everything life has to offer. My wife and I would have appreciated if he could have waited a few more minutes: barring a last-second save by a doula, Daniel would have been born on the floor of a hospital bathroom. My wife realized that Daniel had Down syndrome before I did. In the hospital room the day after…
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Rocket Ship
March 21st is recognized as World Down Syndrome Day. We come together to advocate for inclusion and celebrate our friends and family members with a diagnosis of Down syndrome. This special day is a reminder of how strong this community is. If you would have asked me 10 years ago what I knew about Down syndrome, I would have answered “not much.” Nine years ago, after an uneventful pregnancy, everything changed. I gave birth to…
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Meet Cristina
I am Cristina, a 28-year-old woman with Down syndrome. Sometimes it takes longer for me to learn new skills, but that has not stopped me from doing what I love. Getting more education is one of my goals. I enjoyed school because I loved to learn and be with my friends, some who also have disabilities. Sometimes it was not so easy making friends and going to regular classes, but I set a goal…
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Christmases With Daniel
Our first Christmas with Daniel was before he was even born. Unbeknownst to him, he made his first plane ride in utero: a trip to see my dad in Florida. We visited New Smyrna Beach which has been a special spot for my family for a long time, from the time of my paternal great-grandparents. I walked the water line and took pictures while Daniel’s two-year-old sister walked into the ocean for the very first…
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Gratitude
A 2011 study in the American Journal of Medical Genetics found that self-reported happiness among those with Down syndrome was at a staggering 99 percent. The same survey found 79% of parents felt their outlook on life was more positive because of their son/daughter with Down syndrome. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with…
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Our Favorite Month of the Year
It is finally our favorite time of year! October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a time when we give recognition, raise awareness, and celebrate all the individuals who have the extra chromosome and the extra brightness! What is Down syndrome? Down syndrome is a genetic condition where a person is born with an extra copy or part of a copy of chromosome 21. According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about 1 in 700 babies…
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