A short story about Down syndrome that I designed for the writer

Luna

We got to the park, we started preparing the place to sit, everyone cooperated and happy, then we started talking and some of us are playing, I saw Emily sitting among us quietly without any interaction, just listening and smiling, I called her to come and told her: You choose what to play for today. - Do you accept that we play and challenge each other, by divided into two groups, and the fastest to finish the challenge, his team takes a point. &nbsp;- It's a nice game. What do you think, OK kids? &nbsp;- Yes, we agree So, let's start by divide the teams and start. Remember to help your team,&nbsp;and&nbsp;to be&nbsp;happy that your friends win too. We started to play and challenge each other, the atmosphere was full of love, joy and fun, I was keeping an eye on her behavior, we finished playing and her team won, everyone was clapping for the winner team, and we all are happy and enjoying every moment. Come on kids, it's time for food, come prepare the table, and&nbsp;cooperate&nbsp;together &nbsp;After we finished eating, we all sat down and talking, so let's talk about what you want&nbsp;to be&nbsp;in the future, let's start with Emily.&nbsp; &nbsp;Emily: I want&nbsp;to be&nbsp;a doctor &nbsp;-&nbsp;Lilia: I want&nbsp;to be&nbsp;a teacher &nbsp;- .............

In the end, I want you to know that we are innocent, we feel and understand everything around us, so teach your children to accept our difference and not instill fear in them, our difference in form is not our fault. On the contrary, we love innocence and loyalty, and we do not know the meaning of harm or hatred, we are happy when we see that you accept us and say nice words to us, we are happy for your support and acceptance of us in the community. Always remember, if you do not accept anyone hurting your child, you also do not except for your child to harm other children, neither physically nor psychologically.&nbsp;We have become in an advanced age, so let us change our lives, because we have the right to live in peace and happiness, what we ask for is a simple thing, so we want you to accept us throughout the year, not only on World Down Syndrome Day (March 21), or what I like to call the innocence syndrome.&nbsp;How beautiful it is to be innocent and love people all your life for nothing. I hope there is a curriculum in schools that teaches the ethics of dealing with anyone who is different from you, and about how it is importance to respecting him and understanding, accepting his difference. Parents also have an important role in education, as they must pay attention to their behavior in front of their children, because the child imitates and learns from the behavior of his family.

This is what the doctor said to my family and they live in shock from what they see in front of them, and the doctor came and says these frightening words to them. Who am I? Why is this reaction? What's wrong with me? why all this fear? I am Luna. Welcome and thank you for coming today. As you can see, I am a person with Down syndrome or "Innocence syndrome", as I like to call it. I would like to talk about what we and our parents suffer in society and within the family, our family abandoned us after I was born, thinking that this disease is contagious, also because they are afraid for their children that I will harm them.&nbsp;Despite the difficult situation my parents were in, they were afraid and unable to deal with me, they needed someone to guide them and give them some advice, but there was no one to help them. My parents began to accept me, helping and support me so that I do not need anyone, and they taught me to rely on myself and don’t wait for someone to help me.

Thanks to everyone who teaches their children to respect our differences. Thanks to everyone who helped me and trusted in my center, and the first of them was my family that helped me a lot to be what it is now, and still helps me to improve myself always, to fulfill my dream. Thanks to everyone who teaches and helps us. Thanks for giving me this opportunity to stand here in front of you. Thank you for listening to me.

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&nbsp;Gabriel &amp; Meral, they are waiting for their first child they are very happy, until she became in the fourth month of pregnancy, and the most important date came during pregnancy, today they will know more about the health of the fetus and its gender, they were tense and excited at the same time, until the result came the examination to inform them that their waiting child has Down syndrome.

We were being bullied by most of the students, and this was the reason for our deteriorating psychological state, and some of us had to leave school and confine themselves to education at home, but despite everything I went through, my family was trying to help me get rid of negative thinking and to maintain my self-confidence. I always dreamed of being supportive and hopeful for everyone like me and helping their parents so that they can succeed with their children, and to face the community.

She had a lovely time with children and this is very&nbsp;good to her. She retained back normally with them, but she must get used to being in harmony with the environment in which she is so that her condition does not worsen if she mixes with other people. We at the center, from time to time, conduct awareness sessions between children with different cases&nbsp;in order to&nbsp;try&nbsp;reduce&nbsp;the problems of rejection among children, and to&nbsp;teach them that the difference between people is normal and they must accept the difference between each other.

- It started about a month ago since the beginning of the school, I noticed that she starts being absent for a couple of days, in the first two days she told me that she is tired, but on the third day she started crying and screaming and I make her to calmed down, I didn't insist on her, but in the next day I told her that I would go and spend the day with you. I wanted to see what’s happened to her at school, because she was very excited to go and start learning and meet a new friend at the beginning of school.&nbsp;The search period was difficult, as most of the schools rejected her, she was very sad every time they reject her, but when I found her school and finally that someone accept her, even though it required a lot of money, but upon seeing her smile, I decided to register her, thinking that they are good, but I discovered that they don't have enough experience to deal with these special cases. The children have no idea that there will be a student who has a special case and different from them, all the time they are laughing or saying hurtful words and calling her a monster and screaming and scared her, and the teacher she has no experience and she can't control the situation either screaming or taking her out of class because she is crying.&nbsp; Her condition was very sad and hard, I do not know how it lasted for a month in this situation, I blamed myself for not paying early attention and changing school.

Days went by and I got older and started to feel lonely.&nbsp;I see children playing and having fun together, and I am alone sitting on the side, and no one is playing or talking to me. The neighbors refused to play with their children, because they were afraid that I would harm them, they were laughing and bullying me, their words were very hurtful to me and they were making me cry, because I didn't choose to be like that.&nbsp; But my family taught me to love this difference, that I love myself, and that no one has the right to speak about my shapes or anyone else, because no one chooses his shape or disease. I faced many difficulties during my childhood, and one of the most disturbing was my inability to learn like other children, there were no specialized centers for our situation like now, it was very difficult for us to register schools, because not all schools were accepting us, there were some schools that accept us to registered, but it does not deal with us properly.

He submitted his case to my center; he wants to spend time with the children in order to learn more about dealing with them.&nbsp;And just before the birth approached, I greeted them and talked with them and started answering their questions, the father began to ask a list of questions, he was interested in all the details, and the mother was clear of fear and anxiety, she was listening silently and did not utter a word all the time, so I wanted to speak with her in private. - Mr. Gabriel, you have submitted a request to spend time with the children, you can, but accompanied by a responsible professor to guide you let me take you to him. - Thank you so much for the help &nbsp;- You are welcome, during your tour I will talk with your wife. I will give some advice to her to reduce her tension and help her to accept the situation. Wait here, the responsible will come to take you&nbsp; - I'd like to talk to you, tell me what do you feel?&nbsp;What scares you? - I am afraid of him and also afraid for him from society, every time I begin to accept, I reach a stage and then return to the beginning. I don't speak much mor, and didn't go out much to avoid their questions about the baby, because their words scared me, they telling me that he will not live long,

I cannot tell you how happy I was when I received a letter from the officials of this conference, stating that they had accepted me to participate in their new conference. I had no idea that my father had submitted a request for me to take part in this conference, because he wanted to give it to me as a special gift for my birthday, and I really got the most beautiful gift from him. I prepared myself for what I was going to say and trained myself to stand and speak in front of people, how I would talk to them about my life and about life experiences that I heard and learned about later in my center. I want to present something special for today, I want people to talk about it and put it in their minds, and I also want to help them change their ideas about the Down syndrome community. It is my turn to speak now, I hope to achieve my goal today. Your daughter is sick and will not live much, and if she lives, she will suffer from major illnesses and problems her life will be not normal. Your life will be difficult, may God be with you.

The first lesson I will teach Mateo is to love himself and to know that he’s special from the other and it’s s nice&nbsp;to be&nbsp;special, and then I will teach him to get along with people and to have friends, let him come throughout the week, but without coercion , he&nbsp;must be&nbsp;agreeable and happy, that he comes here and to accept what&nbsp;is being taught. Parents-&nbsp;Sure, thank you very much. What you are doing now is something more than wonderful. You devote your time to help your brothers and make them strong and cultivate confidence in them. It is good to have people like you. Thank you very much for your wonderful words, I did not do anything, it is my duty to help them so that they do not live the same that I went through before in my childhood, there was no one to help me and&nbsp;encourage&nbsp;me except my family. So I decided to stand up and help those like me so that they do not feel lonely, I want&nbsp;from the world to see what we can do and know that we can succeed and live with them.&nbsp;Mateo is very lucky to have parents like you who help and stand with him, always be like this and don’t leaving him alone.

- I understand what you are going through because I go over the same when I was child, and there were no supportive and specialized schools as now. There is now a wide-spread of schools that deal with special cases, and there are also trained cadres to deal with them. Our center is among these modern centers, through specialists, we offer courses for there to rehabilitation and education them, and we also teach them some handicrafts for those over ten years to acquire skills that will help them in their future. I will register here at the center. If you allow, I will like to take her for a two-hour walk with me to a park, today there is a special day for children we will go outside the center, we will play and eat outside and then return. If you want, you can join with us. - Absolutely no problem. I will finish the registration procedures and withdraw her file from the previous school, then I will join you. let her go with you and spend some time without me so that I do not influence her or get her distracted. &nbsp;- Good, then we will meet in the park behind the center and I will stay in touch with you if something happens, Bye.

I was excited to spend a new day in the center with the children and to receive a new case, I started reading the case file to prepare myself to deal with a new friend who will visit me today. My new friend today is Emily. She is in the first-grade suffering from lack of acceptance in school, so the students don't accept her because of her special condition and they feel afraid of her, these behaviors affected her and she doesn’t want to go to school anymore, Because of what students are doing for her. So, the mother decided to look for special centers near her, and she found our center and sent us an email explaining the child's cases and asking for help.

&nbsp;Very nice, I hope you&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;your dreams and now is the time to surprise, can you bring it Mr.&nbsp;Jone. -&nbsp;Ooo&nbsp;look what's here? &nbsp;- Hey! balloons, balloons, balloons. &nbsp;- want, I want... Everyone will take wait your turn, so let us end our day with a beautiful wish, come on and gather, close your eyes I will count to zero, and everyone says his wish and leaves the balloon flying in the sky so in future his/ her wish will become fulfilled. I saw Emily's mother had arrived -Welcome again. You came on time half an hour and we will go back, but I want to tell with you a bit about her. &nbsp;- Good, let's talk &nbsp;- Hey, kids, half an hour and then we will go back, play now, but don't get away from here. - I watched her movements all the time. She was happy and calm and responds when I asked her to do something, she is a bit shy but loves to deal with her colleagues. I asked her to choose game to play all of us. She chose a team game and her team won. If you saw her how happy she became. She talked with the students, and I asked them what they wanted&nbsp;to be&nbsp;in the future?&nbsp;She chose&nbsp;to be&nbsp;a doctor. &nbsp;

It is possible that this is our daughter!&nbsp;Impossible, there is a mistake, of course. Yes, this is how&nbsp;my family react and the first words said when they saw me. It was a different reception than usual, all the waiting and eagerness to embrace their first child turned in seconds into a great shock with sadness mixed with rejection and lack of acceptance.

To begin from here a new journey in their lives that requires a lot of understanding, patience and strength. The mother lived a period of shock and rejection of accepting the situation, all her dreams disappeared and the nightmare of society began to pursue her. As for the father, he was calmer and more understanding of the issue, knowing that he could not change reality, but he could change the future and make it better for his son. while they needed support and help from their parents, it was only the words that it has no meaning and a feeling of pity is present among them, the father need support to help his wife, but no one were there to support. But he helps himself, and became the biggest supporter for his wife, who needs psychological and moral care after she know the truth about their child's. He starts to read and search for information about this syndrome, and how he could deal with it and what are their needs for the next stage, what would harm them or make them happy. The father devoted his time to introducing and to prepared himself on how to deal properly with these cases, he was looking for specialized centers and even he was looking for schools and how to teach them, he wanted to be a good father, and to proves to the society that he can take on this responsibility.

Memories passed in front of my eyes as I was looking at my new friend, "Mateo", who had recently joined my private center for training and rehabilitation. From afar I saw him sitting in one of the corners of the park and he was looking at the other children while they were playing together. I knew that he was tense.&nbsp;I get this feeling when I go to a new place, because we find it difficult to&nbsp;socialize&nbsp;and get to know new people.

I went next to him and started talking to him. He was five years old. I introduced him by my name, "Hey, I'm Luna." I spoke and he did not respond, I attracted to the doll that he was holding in his hand, “Are you not introducing me to your beautiful friend” What is his name? To answer me “His name is Jake” His name is beautiful Do you like him?&nbsp;Yes, he is the only friend I have. Upon hearing this word, I remembered how I was alone and didn’t have friends and everyone would go and leave me alone most of the time, "Is this pretty sad and wants to play?", no answer, so what do you think that we go to the children and introduce to each other. He answered me with a smile. I understood his approval, so I hugged him and we went to them, all children at the same time with a smile "Hello" What is your name? to&nbsp;see a slight smile on his beautiful face&nbsp;and cling to his doll more to evidence of joy and enthusiasm "My name is Mateo and this is my friend Jake", come on, go get to know each other and play together I will come to play with you later I love you.

I saw his parents watching him from the window, welcome please sit down and talk a little about Mateo. Mateo is very nice, he’s not completely closed and this is very good for him, he will not face many difficulties and problems, if we&nbsp;cooperate&nbsp;together it will be good for him and we will help him and get the desired result&nbsp;as soon as possible. Parents - of course we&nbsp;cooperate. We are ready to do everything that will help him improve in mixing with the surrounding community and get to know new people. We came here to help him get rid of the loneliness that he lives. We do not want to see him sad and alone anymore. Seeing his smile makes us happy. See&nbsp;How happy he is and he plays with the children It has been a while since we have not seen him so happy. Thank you so much I’m very happy with your wonderful dealings and understanding of his situation, this is very important and it will be the greatest support you will give him, for now the most important thing I want from you is that you try as much as possible to stay away from everyone who directs hurtful words or acts badly with you and Mateo, because we don’t want you&nbsp;to be&nbsp;affected negatively, and to not&nbsp;have any problems with Mateo progress.&nbsp;

The bell rang, they arrived, I welcomed them, the mother thanked me for the quick answer and invited them to the office. - Hello beautiful, what's your name? &nbsp;- Hello, I'm Emily &nbsp;- What a nice name, I'm Luna, what would you like to do? &nbsp;- I like to draw and paint &nbsp;- Very nice. Would you like to go to the library? There are a lot of colors and coloring books &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She started clapping and laughing and she was so excited. We smiled and walked away.&nbsp;There were some children in the library reading books and drawing, when she saw them, she stepped back and was tense and afraid to laugh at her. &nbsp;- Don't be afraid, they are nice, come sit together &nbsp;She began by quietly coloring one of the drawings, she was very careful with the coloring and took care of the edges of the painting, she liked the arrangement and preserved the beauty of the painting, I asked one of the teachers to sit next to her so that she would not be afraid. I went back to her mother &nbsp;- Sorry, I was late. I did not leave her until I made sure that she was stable &nbsp;- Thank you, I noticed that she accepted the place &nbsp;- Yes, tell me how her condition began to worsen, I noticed that she is social but afraid of children, as when she saw the children she changed and tried to come back, but I inducement her and sat with her a little.

Fatemah Muthanna Grade 11 Teacher Hatham Ebrahem AL- Manar School

In the end, I would like to introduce you to my friends at the center, and ask you to clap for them to encourage them to face life. Please, come on my friends.&nbsp; And we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our happiness to this day.&nbsp; All thanks and love to you.

Every time I meet new parents and see them clinging to their children, and they struggle to&nbsp;make sure&nbsp;that their children live in a good environment that is accepting their own situation, I feel very happy for them. When I saw them, I remember my family and how they were always supportive with me, their rejection at the beginning was due to trauma, but after it came great love and attachment, I am lucky because they are my parents. I hope all children have strong parents and love them despite all the differences.

I always suffered from the people around me and how&nbsp;they look at me with amazement because I look differed from them in their facial features. I was sometimes exposed to bullying and hurtful words. They think that I do not understand what they say, but it was a wound deep inside me. They&nbsp;were&nbsp;and are still my family who support me and help me, so they accept my illness for my special condition and their confrontation with the surrounding community, despite everything that is saying&nbsp;to them, their&nbsp;position&nbsp;was very important to me, it strengthened and pleased me. So, accepting the truth of illness and understanding it is very important for continuation and steadfastness despite everything. My disease was not optional and no one has a reason for it, it is from God’s appreciation and how beautiful it is for God to distinguish you from the rest of society.

Having gone through these hardships during my studies, it was always in my imagination to open a help center, because I didn't want children to go through what I went through. With the help of my parents, I was able to open my center for education and rehabilitation (Luna Center), a special center for all kinds of special needs, which provides help and support for the child and the parents.&nbsp; Every time a new baby comes to me, I feel incredibly happy, and I feel proud of what I do because it is something special. How beautiful is that you can help the children, and make them happy and instill confidence in them.

New morning, I was preparing for a very special day in my life. Today I will stand on the most important stage in our life now, as the most distinguished and influential people ascend to it, to speak to the public about their lives and to convey their voice and ideas to societies, today I had opportunity to be in front of them and speak to convey my voice, and to let them know the truth of what we are facing in our lives. Today I'm going out in front of the most influential people who want to learn about our lives in society, I will be with you on the TEDx platform.

He will always be sick, and a lot of words frustrated, everyone started providing advice and unconfirmed information.&nbsp; My fear of birth increases day after day, afraid of my failure to deal with it and not accepting it. -I understand the anxiety and how you feel normal, but look at the positive side of this, as you have the opportunity to prepare yourself for the new stage and learn about it until the birth time. It is better to have prior knowledge so that you are not shocked after birth.&nbsp; - Certainly, prior knowledge is better, but it is so difficult. - I know that it is difficult, but you will be able to succeed and be a distinguished mother for sure. You can listen to them, so you can learn something from them, but do not be influenced by their negative words, and do not believe everything that is said before you ask it and hear it from a specialist in these cases.&nbsp; Always remember that now there are many centers that help parents in all ages, as well as there are emergency services, we are all ready to help you. You are so lucky. I am preparing a special section for newborns babies and training parents on the correct handling with the babies at the beginning. If you want to register with it, we will be happy to help you. Have you decided what will be its name? &nbsp;- Yes, we decided, his name will be Jayden &nbsp;- I'm excited to meet him and to start our lessons together, have a good day, see you later. Goodbye.