The fact that around 90% of babies diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome are aborted. And, growing out of that perverse statistic, we get stories like this: “The parents of a four-year-old Oregon girl with Down syndrome are suing Legacy Health in Portland because they say doctors misdiagnosed their daughter as not having the condition during a prenatal screening.
As a result of doctors’ reassurances, according to KATU, the parents decided to continue the pregnancy. They are suing for $7 million, an amount they say will pay for the girl’s care for life.”
One of the students in my special ed class at school has Down’s Syndrome. Yes, she struggles academically and yes, she has physical limitations. And yes, she’s going to need some level of lifelong care from her family. But I’m not sure that I’ve ever known anyone who can give affection as effortlessly as Juman. Laughter, smiles, enthusiasm and affection come more naturally to her than to just about anyone else I’ve ever known. Yes, there are unique, life-long difficulties inherent in having a child with Down’s, but there are incredibly unique, life-long rewards too. (There are other questions here as well concerning the legitimacy of limiting human control, the perils of thinking about life in utilitarian terms, and so forth. So more to come on this, I’m sure.)
