Sharing love with the Down Syndrome

Last Sunday at Ragunan zoo, South Jakarta, hundreds of kids with Down Syndrome smiled as they celebrated the World Down Syndrome Day. At the event themed "Love Sharing with the Down Syndrome", organized by the Association of Parents of Children with Down Syndrome, the kids performed various traditional dances, songs and played numerous games.

Down Syndrome (DS) is a chromosome irregularity caused by a genetic mutation in one in every 800 live births in all races and economic groups. DS was first discovered by Dr. John Langdon Down in 1866 in England. An estimated 300,000 Indonesians have DS.

It is believed the odds of having a baby with Down Syndrome increase with the age of the mother. In other words, a woman aged 30 has one in 1,000 chances of giving birth to a baby with Down Syndrome, while a 35-year-old woman has 1 in 400.

Too often kids with Down Syndrome are excluded from society, or made fun of. They should be treated like any other child. When given the chance, these kids achieve amazing deeds.

- Text and photos by JP/Wendra Ajistyatama