Central State Hospital, Milledgeville State Hospital, the largest institution in the world at one point The first sections of Chapter 5 addressed the very basics of what Down syndrome is and why it is called what it is. The next sections will cover the common factors associated with Down syndrome, beginning with intellectual disability. Continue Reading
April 6, 2021
Devastating news begets overdue vaccine prioritization of intellectual & developmental disabilities
The largest study of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities concludes that COVID-19 has had a "devastating impact" on these vulnerable patients. In response, at least one state has prioritized those with IDD for getting the vaccine. Continue Reading
March 23, 2021
Ch. 4, Part 4: Why is Down syndrome still a “syndrome”?
The villain Syndrome from The Incredibles The previous part of the serialized book on prenatal testing and Down syndrome addressed the first part of the name for the condition my daughter and hundreds of thousands others have. This post examines why that condition is still referred to as a "syndrome." Continue Reading
March 15, 2021
Ch. 4, Part 3: Why is it called “Down syndrome”?
John Langdon Down Down Syndrome? Down's syndrome? Is Mongoloidism still used? Trisomy 21? Which is it? Well, this part of the Book attempts to answer why the condition my daughter is called "Down syndrome". Continue Reading
March 2, 2021
Ch. 4, Part 2: What is Down syndrome?
A karyotype of the conditions Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and Double-X (female) In the second part of the chapter on Down syndrome, I begin with the simple question: What is Down syndrome? Continue Reading
February 23, 2021
Chapter 4, Part 1: 3 Medical Perspectives of Down syndrome
Juliet at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 2018 At long last, on a blog titled "Down syndrome prenatal testing" where a book on Down syndrome and prenatal testing is being serialized, after three chapters, we arrive at my exposition on Down syndrome! Continue Reading
February 17, 2021
Ch. 3, Part 6: More Down syndrome abortions & highest elimination rate ever, but also an unexpected choice being made more than ever.
Graph from Skotko et al. study on elimination rate in the United States We have reached the final section of Chapter 3's exposition on Down syndrome selective abortion. The previous section ended with the Natoli study finding the termination rate in the United States was less than the historically reported 90%. However, with the standard of care changed such that all women are to be offered prenatal genetic testing, it is having counterintuitive effects. Continue Reading
February 9, 2021
Doctors traumatize patients based on how they deliver a Down syndrome diagnosis
A survey of mothers of children with Down syndrome adds to the research finding a Down syndrome diagnosis is a "flash bulb memory," one remembered in vivid detail years and years later. How that diagnosis is delivered affects mothers' flash bulb memories. Continue Reading
February 4, 2021
Ch. 3, Part 5: Percentages mislead, again: lower termination rate = more Down syndrome abortions than ever before.
In this penultimate section of Chapter 3, I discuss how the termination rate following a prenatal diagnosis for Down syndrome has been revised down from 90% to around 75%. And, how that counterintuitively means there are more pregnancies positive for Down syndrome being aborted than when the termination rate was 90%. Continue Reading
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