Why March 21st ?Down syndrome, also called Trisomy 21, is characterized by the presence of an extra chromosome-three instead of two- in chromosomal pair n.21 inside the cells 2+1=3. So this date represents the chromosomal defection found in the Down Syndrome and the twenty-first day of the third month, celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. An event created to raise public awareness, promote inclusivity, encourage advocacy and support the wellbeing of those living with Down Syndrome.
What is Down Syndrome?
Down Syndrome is a genetic syndrome that determines a characteristics physical appearance and an intellectual disability of varying degrees. In Italy, it affects about 1 in 1000 children, about 500 every year.
At birth, new-borns with this syndrome may have some characteristic features:
reduced muscle tone
-eye rims oblique upwards and outwards
- small mouth and protruding tongue
- head flatted in the back
- weight and length below average
Although children with Down Syndrome share some common physical characteristics, each child is a unique individual and as such can manifest the typical characteristics of the syndrome in a different way.
In most cases it is not hereditary and results from an error in the cell division.
Numerous investigations have highlighted the relationship between the increased possibility of having a child with Down syndrome and advanced maternal age.
The developments made:
To date, various strategies are available to promote development and the achievement of adequate levels to autonomy:
- access to a good health care, including evaluation by several specialists
- adequate support for children and parents
- active role of parents in treatment
- training and support groups that provide information and help to parents, friends and families
In particular, it has been shown that a better knowledge of the syndrome and support for parents have been able to foster the autonomy of people with Down syndrome by promoting life outside the family context, the development of new relationships, obtaining employment and leading a largely independent life.
Inclusion
For people with this syndrome, inclusion is an important thing.
We can see how huge steps forward have been made over time. Today we try to do an inclusive teaching in which everyone can learn and be treated in the same way. Even in the workplace, the number of people hired with this syndrome has increased over the years .
A testimony of inclusion is Ellie Goldstein. She is an eighteen-year-old English girl who has always dreamed of being a model. Her dream has become reality a few years ago, with some campaigns for Nike and Vodafone. And now has become the testimonial of one of the most important brands in fashion, Gucci.
Ellie Goldstein is a girl with Down syndrome, she has been chosen as the face of a beauty campaign, dedicated to the launch of mascara, and has also appeared on the pages of Vogue Italia.
She is part of the “The Gucci Beauty Glitch” project, which reflects the Florentine mason’s ongoing commitment to promoting a concept of beauty that is increasingly inclusive and far from traditional canons.
It was a remarkable episode as a symbol of an ever greater openness to diversity, overcoming the great limits usually imposed on people with disabilities but also breaking stereotypes related to the concept of beauty.
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