Down's syndrome children

Poll

If you found out your child had Down's (while it was in the womb) would you abort?

What are your thoughts? If you found out your child had Down's while it was in the womb would you keep it or abort? Do you think Down's is a serious impairment in a modern world? Would you be concerned about what your friends or family would think? Views please....

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 1

britishseapower

14

well being a male, it wouldn't really be my decision to abort if I impregnated a girl and the child had downs but personally I'm against abortion. I wouldn't force my views upon her but I wouldn't hide the fact that I would like to keep the child either. My ex girlfriends gran cared for people with disabilities in her home, at the time I knew her, she looked after 2 women and her daughter looked after a man. There was also a boy with downs that had died but I know that they were all absolutely loved and couldn't have had a more caring home. I don't think you should let other peoples ignorance affect your decision, people are always going to be ignorant of disability and ridicule e.t.c. it's just one of them unfortunate sides of human nature. If you feel up to caring for and loving a child with a disability, then thats all that matters.

Reply 2

bete noire

17

I wouldnt want to have a down syndrome child, but I imagine I'd feel differently were I actually in that situation, one of those things its hard to comment on unless it actually happens

Reply 3

Ilora-Danon

3

If I found out I was pregnant with a down's baby, I would abort. It sounds completely and utterly selfish, but it's the honest truth, I wouldn't want the life long responsibility of caring for a disabled child/adult. At least with an able bodied child, the responsibility stops at 18 - with Downs, it's forever.

But, I've always maintained that I'd rather not have children. I have a genetic connective tissue disorder and my sister and mum have ADHD. So the odds are against my child when it comes to genetics. I don't want to risk it tbh.

Reply 4

hannah_dru

2

I'd keep it cos I'm disabled myself and don't find it fair. Plus I think that Down's Syndrome people can lead a really good life, and they're lovely people. Always very kind hearted.

Reply 5

Fusion

20

hannah_dru

I'd keep it cos I'm disabled myself and don't find it fair. Plus I think that Down's Syndrome people can lead a really good life, and they're lovely people. Always very kind hearted.

I knew one and he was a fool

Reply 6

HCD

16

hannah_dru

I'd keep it cos I'm disabled myself and don't find it fair. Plus I think that Down's Syndrome people can lead a really good life, and they're lovely people. Always very kind hearted.

That's a generalisation. They're just people; they can be nice, or callous murdering bastards.

Reply 7

britishseapower

14

Ilora-Danon

At least with an able bodied child, the responsibility stops at 18 - with Downs, it's forever.

Legally, maybe, but it never really stops. My oldest brother is in his 40s and my mum still worries about him.

Reply 8

hannah_dru

2

HCD

That's a generalisation. They're just people; they can be nice, or callous murdering bastards.

Okay yeah it is. So what? I still wouldn't abort one.

Reply 9

princess_sue

14

I think, imho, i wouldn't keep the child if it had some disability. I wouldn't want to risk having to face years years of my child being taunted not being able to find love and just being alone. No matter how much u say "they find love" and the rest....i'd say 50% of them dont and are unhappy. I wouldn't handle that

Reply 10

GemmyMonster

15

hannah_dru

I'd keep it cos I'm disabled myself and don't find it fair. Plus I think that Down's Syndrome people can lead a really good life, and they're lovely people. Always very kind hearted.

No they're not. I met one a while ago who was rude - if he hadn't had downs syndrome, people would've told him where to go. And as far as down syndrome goes, he wasn't as affacted by it as most are - he was one who could manage by himself (I know that because my Mum had met him while working with mentally handicapped a few years before).

I really don't know. I personally THINK - at this moment - I'd be ok with keeping it. But not sure I would. However some members of my family aren't good with the mentally handicapped at all. Don't get me wrong, they wouldn't hurt them or anything, but they find them too difficult to be around for long.. which would obviously make it difficult.

If I already had kids who were "normal" I'd most likely abort - disabled children always end up getting spoilt more, having more attention, more money spent on them, it's needed - which I personally would find unfair for other children. Likewise, if I had one child with it I wouldn't get pregnant again.

Reply 11

CommunistHamster

I'm sorry, but I don't think I could bear raising a child with a disorder like that. I'd rather bring someone into this world that at least have a chance of bettering society.

Reply 12

hannah_dru

2

Okay you can stop attacking me cos of what I said. It's an opinion and I'm entitled to it. I'm only speaking from my own experiences.

Reply 13

britishseapower

14

princess_sue

I think, imho, i wouldn't keep the child if it had some disability. I wouldn't want to risk having to face years years of my child being taunted not being able to find love and just being alone. No matter how much u say "they find love" and the rest....i'd say 50% of them dont and are unhappy. I wouldn't handle that

I don't really get the argument of saying you would rather them be aborted than face years of being taunted. What if you lived in an extremely racist community and you were black? would that mean you would never have children in case they get taunted? I don't think you should let other peoples ignorance/prejudice inform your views on abortion. As for never being able to find love, as I pointed out earlier, the people my ex girlfriends gran cared for were extremely loved. They might not have had romantic interests but I don't think they were physically or mentally equipped for that and I don't believe that they were unhappy.

Reply 14

lets go turtles!

1

i doubt you've had much experience with people with downs symdrome

you have to care for them for LIFE or put them in a home.

yeh some of them can go to the shops etc, but although they look young, they're about 30

and i've rarely experienced people with downs syndrome in mainstream schools, unless theres literally nowhere else for them to go

Reply 15

Belle-x

15

If I had been trying for a baby and was in the position where I wanted a baby and I then found out it had downs, I'd still keep it.

Reply 16

k0932741

1

Firstly, children with Down Syndrome (DS) vary in terms of mental ******ation, so if that was a concern in terms of quality of life from your boyfriends point of view it need not be, some in fact are only just in the IQ of someone classified as ******ed (I am not using the term ******ed in a derogatory way by the way, that is the actual term!). I think it is entirely dependent on what you view quality of life to be but i personally believe that each and everyone of us has a different view to what that is and in my opinion i think quality of life is entirely dependent on your support network. If you have a loving family and loving friends then they can get you through any bullying or difficulties you may experience from having disorders such as DS. As it is people are more aware of DS as a disorder nowadays, decreasing the amount of discrimination (whether it be through employment, socially etc) experienced.

I agree with your view. Firstly I could never abort a child purely because they had a developmental disorder - they run in my family (my mum had a cleft palet) and i think it's morally wrong - she may have issues because of it but she's has an amazing life :smile:

the only reason i would would be purely on situational purposes (too young) and again that would be dependent on the age of the unborn child. People with DS are now able to live up to and beyond the age of 50, and whilst that is obviously still very young in terms of 'normalities' its amazing considering only 20 years ago or so they could only expect to reach their 30's.

I think your boyfriend/everyone should read up on these genetic disorders before making even hypothetical decisions - just because a person may look different/act different does not mean they are incapable of being as loving and as interesting as any other child. In fact i think it makes them even more interesting!!!

Reply 17

InnocentEyes

10

argh I don't think I can look at this objectively enough to give a good answer if I'm honest.
I will tell you that I had a brother with Downs and a congenital heart defect related to it. His prognosis from his doctors was that he'd live until his twenties, but he died at 18 months old. So yeah, Downs has serious physical complications as well as being a disability. And obviously that experience has coloured my view on this a lot.
I'm also really not sure I could handle it. But my opinion's also biased by the fact that I don't have a problem with abortion. If I did, I think this would be an impossible dilemma for me.

Reply 18

britishseapower

14

CommunistHamster

I'd rather bring someone into this world that at least have a chance of bettering society.

they can better society in their own small way, they bring alot of happiness to some peoples lives notwithstanding the hardship that can come with it and there are plenty of able bodied people who don't better society in any way whatsoever. In fact, some make it worse.

Reply 19

pixiechick

That's weird, I was discussing this with my mum the other night. Right now I think I would abort the child, but perhaps I would feel differently if the actual situation arose.

Down's syndrome children

If you found out your child had Down's (while it was in the womb) would you abort?

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you