A friend of mine has a child with DS. Its tough to deal with and I wouldn't wish it on any parent. If I had a choice I would want the test too.
Are *you* a parent?
I've worked with Down Syndrome kids for the last thirty years.
They have special needs above and beyond other children, and that can be frustrating and challenging at times.
Doesn't justify killing them though.
I have a niece with DS. She is a wonderful girl (now an adult) and a great blessing. How sad that people assume their children should be perfect and free from all *defects*. Everyone can be a blessing if you look at them that way.
susie
The test is a good idea. Not so people can abort a baby, but they have time to prepare for what is ahead.
For many people, their children with Down Syndrome the light of their lives.
Many people with Down Syndrome live full, rich, happy lives.
For what? My wife and I had a Down Syndrome baby named Maximilian Theodore, who turned out to be just that; "most excellent gift of God". (It was only tough for a little while because we were ignorant of what Down Syndrome is. He was born on Valentine's day, 1986, and that right there should have been a clue of God's message to us.) But the greatest gifts come in surprise packages. He was such a beautiful, gentle, spiritual child and such a blessing to us and to everyone around him, that I cannot describe it in words. Whoever said on this thread that these people do not have any malice in them is right. Read Dale Evans' book, Angel Unaware if you want to know what Max was like. I read that book as a child, never dreaming I would someday have the same privilege of knowing such a person.
Max died suddenly and unexpectedly on October 6, 1988 at the age of 2 1/2. Rare is a day that goes by that I don't think of him and miss him, and look forward to meeting him again.
They don't make a "test" for such experience.
Cordially,