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World Down Syndrome Day

Down syndrome is a medical condition wherein an individual has an extra pair of the 21st chromosome. This gives rise to a genetic condition also being termed as ‘Trisomy 21’. Therefore, the 21st day of the 3rd month is observed as World Down Syndrome Day.

While, the exact cause of Down syndrome is not yet known, one of the prominent risk factors governing it is the age of the mother. Generally, women who conceive post 35 years of age have a possibility of 1 in 350 of conceiving a child with Down syndrome and the chance increases to 1 in 100 by the age of 40 years and above.

Each year, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 children are born with this chromosome disorder worldwide. This condition occurs universally, irrespective of race, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Usually, in all the cases, the individuals have similar physical traits along with having varying degrees of intellectual and physical disability and associated medical issues.

The harsh, horrifying reality of having this condition is the killing of all unborn children who are discovered to have it. Aborting them is the quickest relief that some parents incline towards in order to avoid a life-long ordeal. According to pregnancy termination rates spanning across 1995-2011, around 67% of the prenatal diagnoses of having Down syndrome led to aborting them! This raises the basic question, Does having a medical condition wipe off the inherent worth of a human life? Do they become lesser than that of other children? Isn’t the primary requirement of a loving and caring society to welcome the unexpected and difficult situations, such that they are incorporated in, adjusted with and provided for? Rather than eliminating them from existing altogether? When did we start deciding who gets to live?

Faced with such questions, each country and mankind altogether, should work towards integrating the individuals born with such medical conditions. Having policies but not practicing them is of no use! In the Bible, Jesus Christ says that, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. If this is God’s standard of love for our friends, how much more for our children? Our love for all children should be displayed by loving them unconditionally, unashamedly and unceasingly. The strength for doing so can only bud from understanding the depth of God’s faithful love, knowing that he makes every individual fearfully and wonderfully and each of them is a marvel.

“A child with Down syndrome is infinitely more beautiful than an airbrushed model on the cover of a fashion magazine.” – Albert Mohler

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