This qualitative study explores the experiences of families who choose to internationally adopt a child with Down syndrome. This study was conducted in order to address the current scarcity of research on this population and their specific needs and strengths in order to equip social work practitioners to more effectively work with these families. Mothers were interviewed about their family's adoption process, the service they utilized, and the process of integrating the newly adopted child into the existing family unit. A sample of nine families who had completed an international adoption of a child with Down syndrome were gathered. These families were selected from a pool of families who participate in an online forum through Reece's Rainbow, an organization that seeks to raise awareness of children with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities waiting for adoption in foreign orphanages.

When life looks radically different than the plan we have for ourselves, it's the lucky few that recognize God's plan is best. That's what adoptive mom Heather Avis learned, and that's the invitation of this book. As the mother of three adopted children - two with Down syndrome - Heather Avis has learned that it's truly the lucky few who get to live a life like hers, who actually recognize that God's plans are best, even when they seem so radically different from the plans we have for ourselves. When Heather started her journey into parenthood she never thought it would look like this, never planned to have three adopted children, and certainly never imagined that two of them would have Down syndrome. But like most things God does, once she stepped into the craziness and confusion that comes with the unknown and the unplanned, she realized that they were indeed among the lucky few. Discover in this book what 70,000+ followers of Heather's hit Instagram account @macymakesmyday already know: the power of faith and family can help us stay strong in the toughest times. This book will also be especially touching to those with adopted family members or children with Down syndrome in their lives.

An argument that more people should have children with Down syndrome, written from a pro-choice, disability-positive perspective. The rate at which parents choose to terminate a pregnancy when prenatal tests indicate that the fetus has Down syndrome is between 60 and 90 percent. In Choosing Down Syndrome, Chris Kaposy offers a carefully reasoned ethical argument in favor of choosing to have such a child. Arguing from a pro-choice, disability-positive perspective, Kaposy makes the case that there is a common social bias against cognitive disability that influences decisions about prenatal testing and terminating pregnancies, and that more people should resist this bias by having children with Down syndrome. Drawing on accounts by parents of children with Down syndrome, and arguing for their objectivity, Kaposy finds that these parents see themselves and their families as having benefitted from having a child with Down syndrome. To counter those who might characterize these accounts as based on self-deception or expressing adaptive preference, Kaposy cites supporting evidence, including divorce rates and observational studies showing that families including children with Down syndrome typically function well. Himself the father of a child with Down syndrome, Kaposy argues that cognitive disability associated with Down syndrome does not lead to diminished well-being. He argues further that parental expectations are influenced by neoliberal ideologies that unduly focus on the supposed diminished economic potential of a person with Down syndrome. Kaposy does not advocate restricting access to abortion or prenatal testing for Down syndrome, and he does not argue that it is ethically mandatory in all cases to give birth to a child with Down syndrome. People should be free to make important decisions based on their values. Kaposy's argument shows that it may be consistent with their values to welcome a child with Down syndrome into the family.

This commemorative 10th anniversary edition of Gifts will include 10 new personal stories, along with "where are they now" updates on many of the children and families featured in the first edition. Gifts is the much-loved collection of over 60 essays written by mothers who share their truths about raising children with Down syndrome. Powerful then and powerful now, it affirms over and over that a life with an extra chromosome is one worth living.

Up, Not Down Syndrome is a love letter and a map. Experience how it feels to think your life is over after having an unlovable baby. At first the loss seems impossible to overcome. Alex becomes the author's greatest teacher. Love is stronger than fear. Everyone has gifts. The book consists of three parts: the story, the lessons Alex taught the writer and Alex's perspective. Up, Not Down Syndrome is a promise to stay positive, no matter what: up, not down. Nancy's journey gets to the core of what it is to be human: * Explore what it feels like to think life, as you know it, is over. * Discover the fierce love, joy and peace a baby diagnosed with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) brings. * Learn the lessons this child taught his mom. * Understand the gift this baby brings to our world. * Realize the depth of the love this family has for the child. "A beautiful, honest account of not just accepting--but embracing--the unknown. Nancy shows us the blessing of an unexpected gift and the enormity of love." --Sara Byala, Ph.D. "This is a wonderful book to remind you that the joy of love is possible in unexpected places when you open your heart to it." --Barbara Taylor Bowman, Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development "A moving and wise story of how a family navigates through hope, loss, learning and, most of all, love." --Rabbi David Wolpe, author of David: The Divided Heart "The truth and beauty of Nancy Schwartz's words tell an ongoing story of love, learning and the power of acceptance. All can learn from this family's boundless hope and from their source of joy and strength: Alex." --April Beard, Music Educator and Cellist Learn more at www.UpNotDownBook.com From Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com

The first edition of this book is now unavailable. The second edition will be published in Summer 2007. For more information, visit [email protected]

GUIDANCE FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME