IT'S A BOY!!!

Mrs.LoneGOPinCT | 14 Dec 02 | LoneGOPinCT

[LoneGOPinCT]

I am pleased to announce the birth of our son! He is child #3, boy #2. He was born via C-section one full week before his scheduled birth and two weeks prior to his actual due date. Needless to say he threw us for a loop so it's taken us this past couple weeks to get everything straightened out that we thought we had another week to do.

He and Mrs.Lone are both doing fine. The little guy was born with Down's Syndrome (a surprise to us-no history, both under 35 & no testing during pregnancy because it wouldn't have mattered anyway), however we are very lucky that he doesn't show any signs of coronary or digestive problems that are very common with children with Down's. The combination of him being early and having DS has slowed the closing of two bypass valves in his heart (they exist in all children but generally close up prior to birth, AKA "the hole in the heart"), but the cardiologist is fairly confident that they will close up on their own and his heart looks otherwise very healthy. If not, they run a catheter into the valve and essentially scratch it with a small wire to promote scarring to close it up. He is very attentive and shows good tracking skills, good head and neck movements, no narrowing of the rib cage (also very common in DS kids), and has surpising strength so the pediatrician is very optimistic about his future.

We know it is going to be a tough road but as his Doc says, nowadays there is no reason to rule out anything for children with DS, especially the more mild cases. They are no longer institutionalized and as such have greatly benefitted from a "normalized" environment when it comes to teaching them early on and adapting them to social (i.e. school, friends, family) situations.

Some people don't quite know how to react when we tell them he has DS and in turn seem sympathetic. Trust me, we don't need sympathy. We feel blessed to have this little guy and are facing it head-on. As a few have told us, HIS prayers have been answered. It is all about him, not us. Right now he is like any other newborn. Eat, poop, sleep. We'll tackle any other obstacles as we come upon them.

We are still adjusting, but are coping surprisingly well. He's just such a cute little bugger that it probably helps! So no need to feel sympathetic, but please keep us in your thoughts and prayers to help guide us and give us the strength to keep us on track to best benefit HIM. We already consider ourselves lucky and will do our best to make sure he benefits from it!

Now, have a cigar for me!

[Yaelle]

Congratulations on your precious blessing!! And for him, welcome to the world! (In two months I will have my own little new Conservative to love!!)

[Marie Antoinette]

Congratulations!! A new baby is always a blessing! Enjoy the babymoon :-)

[Aracelis]

We feel blessed to have this little guy and are facing it head-on

Wow! Many warm congratulations!!! I've heard it said that DS children are very special, loving souls that are given to only the finest parents. In your case, this certainly seems to be the case. I'm quite certain he will be a tremendous joy and comfort to you and your entire family.

[CyberAnt]

Yes it does, because it causes people to put limits where there should be none.

If you inform people that a child has downs syndrome, you in effect give that person permission to expect less from your child.

My child should have the privilege of living whatever dream he thinks he is capable of, and not be labeled with a name which says he already has limitations, thereby telling the child, you are such and such, so no one expects much of you. That is a terrible thing to tell a child.

[wimpycat]

If you inform people that a child has downs syndrome, you in effect give that person permission to expect less from your child.

I see what you're trying to say. But the fact is, even if you don't tell people the child has Down Syndrome, it will be patently obvious on first sight. Unfortunately, there are those who will automatically assume the child is profoundly retarded...even if they interact with the child. That is something the child and the family will have to face, unless they cut themselves off from society. But fortunately, first impressions are overcome when they see the child's abilities. A child who's blind or deaf has limitations as well, and they also have conditions which can't be ignored.

Do you think the parents are making a mistake by telling people their son has Down Syndrome? I don't think they are making a mistake because these parents sound like they have every intention of encouraging this child to be everything he can be.

[CyberAnt]

I'm not saying they're making a mistake, what I'm saying is not all downs syndrome children are that visibly apparent, and to label a child is detrimental to the child's self esteem.

And ... even if people can see for themselves that a child is downs syndrome limited, is it even necessary to say anything?

[Hildy]

Mazel Tov on your new baby boy.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Good luck!

(How's the mother?)

[Mo1]

Congrats on the birth of your new son

[Dianna]

Congrats on your sweet baby boy! But you forgot to tell us his name :)

I'll second the praise for early intervention. An old neighbor of mine had a son with DS. She thought the early help was a lifesaver, for all of them.

Hope your wife is doing well.

[MeekOneGOP]

Congratulations, Dad !!

My best wishes for a long, healthy, and prosperous life for your newest family member.....

[MeekOneGOP]

[jla]

Good for you & your better half!
Now, if you & your wife haven't decided on a name yet, may I suggest Jeffry?

Congratulations!

[Neets]

Congrats to you and Mrs. Lone and the other little Lones!! Add another Freeper to the East Coast. May God Bless you and yours with lots of happiness and joy!!!

[pops88]

Ditto on the diet therapy. I saw a program on it years ago, too, and just this week something on the web. It was a before and after diet therapy story. As a nurse having seen babies with metabolic problems treated nutritionally, it's definately worth researching. I keep waiting year after year for this treatment for Down's to make the news and am amazed it hasn't. My paranoid mind can only assume that a simple nutritional cure of many symptoms doesn't pay like long term treatment and care.

[BlueAngel]

Your sweet little baby boy is so fortunate to have a father like you. God Bless you all!

[Bogie]

Love and prayers from our family here in NY.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

You just don't get it. Pissing on someone elses parade to lecture them about what they should or should not be telling the world about their baby shows that you suffer from a terminal case of cranial rectumitis.

"I don't care if you agree with me or not" - your parents should be prosecuted for polluting the human race, putz.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Congratulations. I can tell you I have a niece who has DS. You've never met a more loving person in your whole life. She's now in her 40s and a family favorite. Just the other day some of us were talking about how much we love her. She has a great sense of humor and loves to tease and be teased.

She lives alone with her cat, Fluffy Marie. She works in a nursing home. I'm not sure what she does. No one ever gets mad at Elaine. She's wonderful. I hope your son brings this much joy to his family.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Good point. My sister is into ???, (I'll ask her). They have photos of a DS girl who took their product. There was before and after photos and the change was remarkable.