Heidi’s Down’s syndrome abortion case: It’s complicated
with input from Colette Lloyd Why have we called this article, “it’s complicated’? Because it is completely understandable that a great many women do not want any further restrictions on …
Category: Downs Syndrome
Maths for Life – *Giveaway*
A lot of children struggle to engage with maths taught in ‘traditional’ ways, especially those with additional needs. Karen McGuigan recognised this when she was working with her middle son …
21 Resources for Trisomy 21 on World Down Syndrome Day
Each year families, educators and charities come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on 21st March. The date was chosen to represent the three copies of chromosome 21 that …
A World Without Down’s Syndrome? Where do we go from here?
Just over two weeks ago I witnessed an online surge, the likes of which I have rarely seen before. Started by one passionate mum, actor Sally Phillips, her ‘celebrity’ tag …
Honest and useful assessment for children with SEND is not just about attainment
A couple of months ago I was invited to speak at the Academies Show in London on the subject of assessment for children with SEND. It was very exciting (and …
When my child welcomed your baby into the world
I was recently contacted by a mum of a child with additional needs, who expressed sadness to me over her pregnant friend’s attitude to the possibility of having a baby …
Help Hayley raise awareness this World Down syndrome Day #WDSD16
Today, we’re helping campaigner, Downs Side Up blogger & our SNJ columnist, Hayley Goleniowska, support Down’s syndrome Awareness week. She’s running a “Thunderclap” campaign which aims to get supporters to …
A genetic test for Down’s syndrome won’t guarantee a perfect human
This last couple of weeks have been a big ones for the Down’s syndrome parenting community. You would hope that this was because the country has been covered by a …
Revolutionary New Resource for Parents: Talking About Down’s Syndrome
I am enormously proud to announce the launch of a very exciting project I have been working on for some months now. Talking About Down’s Syndrome: Conversations for New Parents is …
Sensory Occupational Therapy for Sensory Processing Disorder
Emily Alexander has a magical secret… she works for Santa at The International Elf Service. She is also a Registered Osteopath and a Mum to a wonderful little boy who has …
One mum’s tough decision – Mainstream or Special School for her daughter with Down’s
As a mum of a daughter with Down’s Syndrome, I understand at first hand how hard it is to make the decision over whether to choose mainstream or a special …
Are We Hypocrites for our Baby Gammy shock?
You can’t have missed it. The story of little baby Gammy, supposedly left by his parents in Thailand with his surrogate mother, while his twin sister was taken home to …
Mia takes after Mum helping siblings of kids with Down’s syndrome
As our newborn, youngest daughter, just diagnosed with Down’s syndrome, remained in the neonatal intensive care unit, I recall returning home one evening to a house that felt empty, too …
World Down Syndrome Day 2014: Do we really need awareness days?
‘There’s an awareness day for everything nowadays’ the rather jaded GP muttered in my direction recently, in a tone that hinted ‘leave me out of it please.’ ‘It’s awareness day …
The Disability Abortion Lie – when choice seems like no choice
It’s easy to assume that the moral dilemma of whether to abort your unborn baby that you’ve learned has a disability, is confined to a shouty debate between pro-choicers on …
SNJ’s #Blogchat with Hayley from DownsSideUp!
Ain’t technology grand? Just before Christmas Hayley from DownsSideUp and, as you know, a Special Needs Jungle columnist, “got together” over Skype for a chat about SEN, parenting and why …