Down's syndrome

Not need to be afraid By sister

My sister, who is three years younger than me, is down syndrome.

I didn't know that at first.

So, I was afraid of her.

I was a little afraid to bring the food into her mouth at meals.

Her face was scary slightly.

But I heard that she was down syndrome from my father when I was seven years old.

I knew then she had the handicapped for the first time.

I thought she was pitiful a little.

And I felt sorry because I was afraid of her.

Do the person, who look at her first, feel afraid?

I hear that down syndrome is light obstacle in the various obstacles.

There are the persons who can do anything like the normal person.

Although I can't guess which she can go to the same elementary school, if so, I will tell the friend that she has the obstacle.

And I want to tell not need to be afraid.

I want to tell more and more.

Let all school students know.

I want to put up the poster which written my sister's personality at the school bulletin board.

I am convinced that the students are not afraid of her, if they know her obstacle.

In fact, my friends are grad to play with her at my house.

Surely they are not afraid of her.

They said, "Pretty, pretty".

I think that there is much thing that I can do for my sister.

I consider that spreading my sister's obstacle can eliminate the discrimination.

I feel my life is for that.

I have born in order to defect my sister.

I spread hardly because her life is very happy.

She has handicapped!

Not need to be afraid!

She has the personality!

Miracle By Ako's mother

There is miracle, isn't it!

My sister is down syndrome. And my daughter is down syndrome too.

The mothers whose child is down syndrome surprise very much, I guess. Down syndrome is happened the probability one to one thousand. There are two persons in the family. When I heard Ako was down syndrome, I burst out laughing. I like down syndrome. I know a child who is down syndrome is very pretty by the experience that I looked at my sister's life. I can easily grow up Ako, because I took the lead in growing up my sister then.

I live with my sister. She loves Ako specially. She takes care of Ako saying, "Pretty, pretty". I think the person who is down syndrome likes particularly the person who is down syndrome too. Is that the normal person become loved the similar person unconsciously? They go to anywhere together. At the day care center, Ako is easy to join there, because the person who took care of my sister became the head. And my sister works there. This is rare case, isn't it? The responsibility is need because she must take care of important children. The head said, "She understand that, so I employed her". But she just enjoys with kids than takes care of. But children look forward to play my sister because of her pure. My sister also enjoys playing with children. We are very helpful because kid's parents appreciate that. Moreover children know she is down syndrome, so they support for my sister. My sister doesn't put away toys and so on. Children do that without the complaint. The head says, "Put away because you are children". To put away toys is the job for the children. My sister's role is unexpected important. Not to put away is the education.

There was the excursion. It's walking from the day care center to the near park along the river. My sister walked the top with Ako. My sister didn't know the road to the park. The other teacher said, "It's the mistake, way is here! " and my sister changed the direction with Ako. As if clowns. Then children laughed uproariously. My sister and Ako put the sweet spice at the only excursion. Although there are their other episodes, all episodes let the people around them laugh. They are just angels.

I thank for the god because of my sister and Ako. There will be much laughing and crying in the future by their growing. But it's all OK. Everyday is very substantial. I will never forget at the their birth. When my sister was born, my family ware all sad. But she grew up wonderful. When Ako was born, my family ware all happy. We enjoy everyday by helping from the head, children, and their parent. Not be sad, when the born baby is down syndrome. It's just at the first feeling sad. Then you will love the your child as if you are possessed by your child's charm. Really important life, when you are for that, your family will be in a body and increase the happiness. Ako has the complication. I don't know this happiness continue forever, but I think that I grow up Ako everyday, not missing her behavior.

Father of grandfather By Shouta's mother

My son, Shouta has no complication. I feel sad when I listened about complication at the meeting of down syndrome. But their parents are cheerful than me, and they have very positive. I was wonder, so have heard once, "Complication is hard". Answer was unexpected, "It's not hard. They are strong by overcoming the difficulties. My child and I". Their children are really cheerful, and I ensure children are strong. I take my hat off to the parents who change difficulty to strong.

It happened sad event. Father of my grandfather died. Shouta could not understand that. I explained carefully. Shouta can't meet him ever; I will die in the future, and Shouta too. Maybe it's difficult for him, but he can understand a little. He cried. "I want to play more with the father of my grandfather!" Shouta cried when the last meeting. The attendants wept. Shouta wailed. I tugged him who clung to his coffin, and the father of my grandfather went to the heaven.

Next day, our family went to his grave. His bone was not there yet, but we let Shouta take there to teach how the person was treated after died. I said, "Shouta, he was bone by dying and the his bone was into the grave. Then we came here a few times a year and say our prayers to be fine at the heaven". Shouta cried and said, "But I can't meet him". We can't really meet him. I said, "Shouta, people will die someday, your father and I too. But after we die, we help you. Dieing is inevitable. Don't cry forever." Shouta was crying hardly, and stopped to cry, and said, "I want to die." I could say anything, and my father and I wept unconsciously. "Shouta, you must treasure your life. Don't think to die easily. He is grad because you think about him very much."...My husband said so, the thought reached Shouta's heart. So, Shouta has not said to die. He prays something then. I asked him, "What do you pray?" He said, "I live desperately until dieing. I promised so." My husband and I wept again with joy. "Live desperately", how strong words! Shouta becomes strong by overcoming the father of my grandfather's die.

"They are strong by overcoming the difficulties. My child and I"...I understand the words that were said from the parents at the meeting of down syndrome. I want to tell the people who get the parson who is down syndrome "Change the difficulty to power." It's change the difficulty to power. There are no walls that can't overcome. I want to declare so. Our family grown up by overcomes the dieing the father of my grandfather. It will be continuously difficulty. But then child grow up and the family grow up too.

Shouta became strong and tender boy. He takes care of the children in particular the children who have the complication at the meeting of down syndrome. He get not only strong and tender by overcomes the difficulty. Because he master the importance of the weight of the life who have the complication. "I want to do everything which I can do". Shouta says so. He became really good boy. It owe to the father of my grandfather. He let Shouta lead to the high step by the dieing he. I thank him very much. Don't worry about Shouta. I will take care of Shouta because I am strong for you too. All my life.

Word and Oath By Rikako's mother

I feel that speaking is miracle.

Recently I think so, after my child born.

My daughter, Rikako is down syndrome.

Now she is one and a half years old.

She can speak.

I worried because she can't speak late. I am afraid if she can't speak in the future. Many parents have such a worry, don't they?

Rikako can speak one word. It's "Mama". I was grad to hear at the first time. I asked well worth she to say so. I don't teach "Papa", so she will not speak.

I feel casually she can understand the meaning "Mama". I think probable she can't understand. I am regretful, and I've lost.

How does the child learn the words? I feel the normal child learn naturally. The words mother saying, family saying, the child learn those words by listening. But Rikako can't speak in an ordinary way. I worry about. But she said "Mama" surely. This is the fact and the progress. I'm grad her to speak more words. "The food mother cooked is very delicious", will the time come when she say so? Now I feel hope more than worry. I think this is important change. I was painful when she was a baby. My husband was not at home by works, and Rikako crying I can't understand why she was crying. It was hard days. But now it was good memory. I feel the joy is more than normal child.

My daughter will grow up by step. I will devote myself to grow up Rikako not missing her grows. She will learn many words in the future. I want to study why she remembers the words. I think something reason. If I can understand it, she can speak more words, and that is good for parents who have down syndrome children.

"Short life she is", I heard so. Therefore I never miss Rikako's growth everyday. I want to grow up her by accept everything. I vow so firm. I vow with my husband. He is rare at home by working, but he enjoys playing with Rikako at home. "Mama takes care of Rikako, so Rikako grows up greatly". He said so to me. I cried unconsciously. He was surprised at me tears, he said next, "Rikako is an angel, and mama is an angel too". I couldn't understand, so I remembered I stopped to cry.

He is strange, but I depend on him. Rikako, an angel comes in fluttering at these parents. I am an angel too. Rikako remembers more words through these conversations, so I feel just one conversation waste never. I want to make a happy home that we speak well and laugh anytime.

Cook By Kanako&Hayato's mother

I have the brother for Kanako. Kanako is down syndrome. I tried hard because a brother or a sister is good for Kanako to gain wisdom.

Our family went to HOKKAI-DO by the airplane when Kanako was three years old and Hayato was one year old. Kanako said, "How big! Great!" looking at the airplane. She grew up the child who talked much. She surprised the first plane like a roller coaster. Hayato was crying all the time. Kanako took care of him. "Hayato, doesn't cry", she used the words which I used usually. I felt she grown up. The children grow up looking at their parents. I can't be negligence.

In HOKKAI-DO, we went to the clock tower. And we ate the noodle. Kanako likes noodle very much, and ate the noodle from the baby food. "Delicious!" she cried many times. Kanako's merit is that she says "Delicious!" eating anything. She cries "Fish is delicious!", "Meat is delicious!", "Rice is delicious!", when she eats all I cook. These merits are characteristic for down syndrome. They are pure.

But she said "Bad!" once. It's the baby food for Hayato. She has eaten that on the table. She has eaten all baby food for Hayato, and said "Bad!" She comforted Hayato saying, "Hayato is pitiful". Then she cooks the baby food for Hayato with me. She flavors. She uses the soy sauce and the salt and so on. She doesn't listen for my advices. She cooks hard to seek delicious food. Hayato eats the baby food all. Kanako let Hayato eat with the spoon. I didn't think to be able to look this kind of the scene. I was too moved to speak.

Now Kanako is fifteen years old. She helps me to cook so far. She can cook delicious food. The best food is an octopus carpaccio. It is used the olive oil. She learned at the Italian restaurant at near our house. The head of the restaurant has a son who is down syndrome. He is thirteen years old. Kanako takes care of him at the down syndrome meeting. So, she is taught a cooking in reword for that. Although it's hard to teach, the head teach a cooking saying, "Miss Kanako takes care of my son. She is precious person. And I will regret not to do anything which I can do now." The head's son has a serious heart disease. The head understand deeply that the life is not forever. Therefore the head is desperate. Everyday maybe will be the last day with him. The head said that he live such a stance. Although I can't understand Kanako knows that, but she takes care of the head's son after learning a cooking. The card game is almost. She does "BABANUKI" with him. Sometimes the head and I join. It is heart-warming. I feel I am just like the heaven. I'm happy maybe too much.

Hayato, thirteen years old, at summer, my family went to that restaurant usually, and we celebrate Hayato's birthday at that day. And the head's son birthday too. In fact, their birthdays are the same day. What a coincidence! We ate the head and Kanako' foods. They were delicious very much. I thanked for the head because he taught a cooking for Kanako very well. And we desire his son's health. God, please let his son live as long as possible. I think the balance of our family will be collapse, if his son is not. We want to look at everybody smile. God, please, please.

Gourmet By the sky

My son is in the first grade.

He learned in the supported class of the normal school.

He says it's very joyful to go to the school.

I asked him, "Why?"

So he answered, "The school lunch is very delicious."

I asked further because I thought my cooking food is bad.

"Which is more delicious my cooking food or the school lunch?"

"...Your cooking food."

He answered that.

He was attentive to me, although he was in the first grade.

I hear my son eats up the school lunch.

He doesn't leave the food at home.

He is a good boy.

But there is the food that he can't eat.

That is confectionery.

He can eat a cake and a custard pudding, but not so-called snack.

I bought it for him once, but he didn't be joyful and he didn't eat it.

I asked him, "Why don't you eat snack?"

He answered, "Expensive".

Although my family is not poor, what a good boy he is!

I think that I buy the toys for him, but he says it's not need because of expensive.

How nice my son is! He is as if gift from God.

His dream is to be a pilot.

God, please answer his dream!

At a rebellious age By Kazuya's mother

The child of down syndrome grows slowly.

Kazuya has the brother who is a junior high school student, and I can't take care of him because he is at a rebellious age. He became hateful child. But Kazuya is very good boy forever. Although I can't think because it's passed fast everyday, I feel joyful from Kazuya. The children of down syndrome don't have a rebellious age, do they? I feel just a little regretful, although he is still six years old. I mutter to myself "You are accepted to disobey your parents". I think a rebellious age is from the stress. So, does Kazuya have no stress? He smiles everyday, listen to my advice obediently, and let my family be happy. I am afraid he is building up the all stress.

The merit of Kazuya is to mediate when his brother is angry. "Don't quarrel!" then his brother has no more words. His anger ends by Kazuya's one word. Then he hugs Kazuya softly, and says only "Kazuya". He looks at Kazuya with the dear eyes. Although this scene every time when he is angry, I weep every time. Kazuya tries hard. The brother gets angry because of hard emotion not to restrain himself. Kazuya is superior to his brother. Where does his power come from? The boy who is six years old settles the quarrel between his brother and I.

I hear sometime that the god chooses who is the down syndrome. I think so too. The god, I thank. I can't experience the things, if I born the normal child. The precious things. He is the spice of the life. Surely there are many pains. But the pains will change the joyful memory later. Without fail. I have much great memory.

By the way, my brother resigned from his office after Kazuya birth. He resigned, although we all are against that. He works at the welfare home now. There is the place for the handicapped persons. My brother says, "The birth of Mr. Kazuya let me know how I should do. Before, I went to the university, worked at the famous company, and spent my life, somehow."

When Kazuya was born, my family moved. My brother resigned from his office, I resigned from the part-time job, and my husband was promoted to the manager. In the case of my husband, he worked harder after Kazuya's birth. My husband worked as if he denied the uneasiness of Kazuya's future. My husband is one of the people who gets good influence from Kazuya' birth.

How will Kazuya take a defiant attitude? When is his rebellious age? Will be he angry? I looked forward to secretly. Perhaps he will be angry by taking the cakes with his friends. I feel that he will be angry by very pretty reason. I think that I can accept what he says anything. Because he is pretty. Kazuya, you can accept to be angry because you settled your brother's anger. Kazuya's figure of anger is pretty too. It's mysterious that I feel his every figure is cute. I love deeply him now, although it takes six years from his birth. He is really pretty. Please be a good boy ever. And the god, please give him the happiness. Please. Is the happiness made by myself? I don't know. But please watch him. This happiness will be continued forever!

Wedding dress By H.K

Although my daughter who is down syndrome is ten years old, she can do the housework!

She can wash the rice, clean the house, and hung the washing to dry.

She usually helps me.

She is truly a lady.

She is interested in my housework.

She takes care of her brother.

When he is crying, she changes his underpants, and gives the milk.

She holds him in her arms, and gives the milk dearly.

I worry that she wants to have a baby.

I have a little anxiety, but I bring up her to be able to live in a happy marriage.

She can't get a baby, but I can see her wedding dress.

If I think so, it's the struggle for the time.

The time has a limit.

I must bring up her to the fine lady by then.

We have tension everyday.

I feel happiness because I can look at the growth of my daughter and son.

amniocentesis By Eiichi's mother

"Would you like to do amniocentesis?"...The words I was said from the doctor. I don't regret now. I answered flatly "Not need".

My family moved after Eiichi's birth. My husband turned pale, and his parents have no words. But I behaved cheerfully. Eiichi's sister said, "Eiichi's sick is cured?" I said, "He has no sick. Down syndrome is not sick, but the symptom. It's like the pollinosis. The person who has pollinosis, sneezes and with a runny nose. It's the same, down syndrome isn't cured, but he will grow slowly. Please watch him tenderly." She could understand all and was grad to hug Eiichi saying, "OK, I should not worry." Then her smile was like an angel. The smile which is satisfied with deeply love. I wept unconsciously by her tenderness. Although I thought I had to behave steady, but I wept by her smile. I felt that she could take care of him in the future.

"Would you like to do amniocentesis" ...I have a dream even now. The doctor's anxious face. The judgment that maybe was incorrect. Surely I think it's correct. But I honestly can't gain confidence, if I was asked that it be from the bottom of my heart. "Was I incorrect?" When I ask to my husband, he says confidently, "You are correct." Whenever he says so, I weep. I just cry in the bed. I can say one reason that I was blessed with the best family. Not only my husband, but also my daughter really takes care of Eiichi. Eiichi likes his sister very much. She teaches him everything. I am really happy.

Now I think all mother should do amniocentesis. Surely it's not for measures. I think that the family can prepare to have a baby. The baby maybe has a complication. I think amniocentesis is necessary for such a medical and mental care. It's not undoubtedly that all family doesn't have measures. There are the family that have measure by knowing the baby is down syndrome. The judge is by the family, not by the god. But I want to say such a family, "you will regret." I feel by watching Eiichi. I feel by watching his sister. And I feel by watching myself. We don't completely regret. On the contrary, my family is closely united because of Eiichi's birth. We live a full life for saving Eiichi. Surely It takes much labor. But it's the same labor for the normal baby. Although there is much trouble because his growth is slowly, my family is very peaceful because Eiichi has no wrong.

"Would you like to do amniocentesis" ...I understand to look at the scene in a dream from now on. But the dream will be good memory in fact. I did or not amniocentesis, it's the same. I would bear, perhaps. And I can get the happiness like now.

Eiichi has a complication of his heart. It will be cured by the operation. It's found out at the bigger hospital carried after the birth. When Eiichi was born, it's not serious. Now it's the time that I wait Eiichi's growth for the operation. If I did amniocentesis, I would bear at the bigger hospital. Because it's less risk. Well, I think that the family who bears the baby of down syndrome should be grad. The baby is like an angel. "I don't regret by bearing." I can say so with the confidence.

Jazz dance By Keiko's sister

My sister, Keiko is eight years old now.

I am twelve years old.

We are taking jazz dance lessons.

Keiko is down syndrome, but she can dance very well. In particular, she has better rhythm than the other classmate.

Last time, there is the jazz dance concert.

I danced at the elementary school department with Keiko and the other classmates.

I have danced at the center, and Keiko has danced at the side.

I worried about that Keiko danced well before the dance, whether I could dance well.

An introduction sounded, all classmates posed, and I casually look at Keiko, she started to dance. "No!" I nearly shouted, but controlled. At just time, she understood that she danced only, and she posed again. I felt embarrassed as if my mistake.

And, it was the show time. When I looked at Keiko, she started very good timing. Then the dance continued, but I couldn't help worrying about Keiko.

But I gradually concentrated on my dance. When the concentrate was the peak, I felt too near from next classmate. So, I looked at next person to say, "Too near" then Keiko danced next me! "No! Keiko, it's mistake!" I involuntarily shouted. But her dancing is correct, so audience thought it was direction. "It's great direction that Keiko and you abreast danced" There ware the parents who say so. There was a little happening, the dance was ended with enthusiastic applause, and we could end the dance concert.

I can't forget that Keiko's satisfactory face. "I danced at the center." I felt her fullness. I thought Keiko also thought various things. She hated to dance at the side. I was impressed by that Keiko thought such a thing. I would suggest that let Keiko dance at the center to my teacher. But if so, Keiko must dance more. When I evoke my recollections, Keiko, who started jazz dance at the six years old, practiced not only at the dance school but also at the home with me. She spared no efforts. Although I hated to dance with her by tired, but she said cutely "Thank you" after dancing. So I didn't refuse for the words. I will dance with Keiko if she hopes in the future. I have a dream that Keiko can dance at the center.

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