80: Getting Down with Down Syndrome

It's World Down Syndrome Day, and "The National Down Syndrome Society is proud to announce the organization’s new mission statement: the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome." (http://www.ndss.org/About-NDSS/Newsroom/Recent-News/New-Mission-Statement/) I feel happy seeing advocacy and self-advocacy for people with Down Syndrome getting more popular, especially in the media the last few years. I know there's more to do and NDSS has so much to offer. The NDSS site holds a wealth of information, so please check it out for many resources and to see if there is a BuddyWalk® in your area. For today, I wanted to share this Preferred Language Guide:

USE THIS LANGUAGE WHEN REFERRING TO DOWN SYNDROME AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE DOWN SYNDROME:

• People with Down syndrome should always be referred to as people first.

• Instead of "a Down syndrome child," it should be "a child with Down syndrome." Also avoid "Down's child" and describing the condition as "Down's," as in, "He has Down's.”

• Down syndrome is a condition or a syndrome, not a disease.

• People "have" Down syndrome, they do not "suffer from" it and are not "afflicted by" it. 

• “Typically developing” or “typical” is preferred over “normal.”  

• “Intellectual disability" or "cognitive disability” has replaced “mental retardation” as the appropriate term.

• NDSS strongly condemns the use of the word "retarded" in any derogatory context. Using this word is hurtful and suggests that people with disabilities are not competent.

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