Remember Robert?

Last year this little charmer came to the studio, was woken up from a nap, and produced a million smiles.  I couldn’t believe it!

He’s grown a lot!

And one thing is for sure, his sisters absolutely adore Robert!

His laugh is infectious.

One of the things I hear over and over throughout the course of these mini sessions is “I wish people would just see a child first.”

With Down syndrome (and other special needs that are visible, people are quick to ask about disability or ability or “What is it like to have a baby with that condition?”  Worse still, people generally refer to children with Down syndrome as “the Down syndrome baby/child/person”.

Like all individuals with Down syndrome, Robert is a child first.  Just like any other child he longs for your love and affection.  Referring to him as “the Down syndrome baby” is offensive because it defines Robert by his diagnosis.  But Robert is more than his diagnosis.  Robert is a little boy with an amazing sense of humor and a family who loves him.  He also happens to have Down syndrome.

So what is the best way to refer to a child with a disability?  By their first name.

If you need to reference their medical condition use their first name first.  Robert, who has Down syndrome.  Holden, who has Sensory Processing Disorder. Debbie, who has Cerebral Palsy.  Their conditions do not define them.