If We Knew Then - A Down Syndrome Advocacy Podcast

01/07/2025

Happy Disability Pride Month!
Proud of this guy and all he brings to our family and the world.

26/05/2025

Give yourself the proper time to heal after an IEP.

21/03/2025

On let's promote more advocation and less indifference. ✌️❤️
FULL EPISODE, LISTEN NOW: https://ifweknewthen.podbean.com/e/182-world-down-syndrome-day-march-21-2025/

20/03/2025

13/03/2025

Take the burden of your child having a potty accident at school off of you. It happens… To EVERYONE!

05/03/2025

REMEMBER: You are enough.

Episodes: www.IfWeKnewThen.com

15/02/2025

Jackson, a senior at Sandra Day O'Connor High School with Down syndrome, nailed a viral half-court shot during one of the team's most recent games. FULL ARTICLE: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/viral-halfcourt-shot-high-school-student-down-syndrome-inspires-sandra-day-oconnor-high.amp

10/02/2025

In this episode, we are joined by Hilda and Olivier, who are documentarians of a fantastic film Forget Me Not. This film tells the story of our children’s fight for an equal education and raises the question of inclusion versus segregation. It’s a documentary that is so important to making changes in the lives of individuals with Down syndrome.

FULL EPISODE: https://ifweknewthen.podbean.com

03/02/2025

In July, DSDN will host their annual Rockin' Dad Retreat for fathers of children with Down Syndrome to gather from across the country. We are joined again by Ben Hughes to give us all the details of this year’s event and also an update on his own journey.

WHEN: July 11-12, 2025
WHERE: Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, CA

Registration info: https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/dad-retreat-registration
Ben’s email: [email protected]
Ben’s Personal Fundraising Page: https://dsdn.networkforgood.com/projects/237847-ben-hughes-s-fundraiser
Get the DSDN App today! https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/dsdn-appJuly

02/02/2025

Down syndrome was named after John Langdon Down, a British doctor who, in 1866, was the first to classify this condition. Langdon Down began his career as the chief physician at the Earlswood institution, which cared for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Although he had no prior experience in caring for people with such disabilities, Langdon Down showed a profound interest and empathy for them. At a time when many ignored their value and humanity, he recognized their dignity and was outraged by the inhumane treatment they received. Physical punishment, poor hygiene, and high mortality rates were common in institutions of that era.

Determined to change this reality, Dr. Langdon Down implemented transformative measures. He hired new staff, demanded proper care and strict hygiene, banned physical punishment, and introduced activities such as crafts and hobbies for the patients. Moreover, he photographed his patients with care and sensitivity, portraying them in elegant attire and favorable poses. These images, part of a collection of over 200 photos, supported his clinical descriptions of Down syndrome, detailing physical characteristics and other relevant medical observations.

In 1868, Langdon Down took an even greater step by acquiring a mansion to house people with Down syndrome. He did not treat it as a mere institution but as a space that met the highest standards of comfort and hygiene. Residents received private education and learned activities such as horse riding, gardening, crafting, and other creative practices. To further enrich their lives, the doctor built a small theater attached to the mansion, promoting artistic and social development among the residents.

This mansion, named Normansfield, still stands today in the United Kingdom. It is now known as The Langdon Down Centre and houses the Normansfield Theatre, preserving the legacy of care and respect initiated by John Langdon Down.

It is important to emphasize that the name “Down” has no relation to delays or prognosis associated with the condition. It simply honors a doctor whose sensitivity and dedication marked a new era in the care and recognition of the dignity of people with Down syndrome.

Credits :teoríaoscura

31/01/2025

Regardless of the recent DEI backlash, there are hard-fought-for laws that state you can't discriminate against disabled people not to mention gender, race, age etc.

Yet today the President blamed DEI and disabled people, without any proof at all, for why the Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the American Airlines plane.

A sure sign that we can’t stop advocating.