Cure/Therapy for Downs Syndrom possibly on the horizon

enda1

Nature publication link

The gist of the research seems to be a possibility of chromosome therapy to be developed to relieve or eliminate the symptoms of or the actuality of downs syndrome.

I've no personal connection to the syndrome, nor am I in the medical profession. So I was just wondering how any of you who do have a loved one who has downs syndrome would feel about the possibility of a "cure".

I imagine there could be profound personality and physical changes associated with such therapy, would this be something you would feel comfortable with?

It seems a promising but difficult concept.

Hopefully in either case we see such marvellous science being applied to other disorders.

Scruffles

personaly speaking,as someone who has spent whole life in education with DSers and also lived a decade with them in institutional and residential care;hope they dont cure down syndrome-hope somehow they can cure the medical impairments that plague people with downs though [eg, heart issues, insulin dependant diabetes, early onset alzheimers etc].
DS adults have been the kindest,most tolerant,calmest,willingest to please others, easy going of all human groups-woud still be living with them if social services LD residentials were better able to cope with the severe autistic and challenging behavior needs of mine.

pure DSers [ie,those who have not also been born with autism which is quite common] lack the pressure from peers and lack social rules awareness-both of which also affects those of us with autism,theyre also very honest and can announce their care/love/worry for another being/object no problem, whereas a neurotypical woud usualy have problems doing that,because of how they think it makes them look to others.
they often have huge sense of humours and are so ego less they will so often put others before themselves when they shoudnt.
honestly we shoud not be deleting downs we shoud be making more awareness of it so that people stop treating them as people with no worth in society,supporting DSers to have decent quality of lives,also supporting DSers to help them learn how to spot when someone is trying to take advantage of their kind nature.

people who want to get rid of downs are people who see it from the outside in and dont understand what its like to have DS,they think, oh itd be horrible not to be able to do this or that; thats not how life works,we are all born into different lives and are on different levels that are perfect for some of us but not for everyone,in the same way people think those of us with intelectual disability have a poor quality of life because we dont function at a neurotypicaly teen or adult level,many of us also cannot understand the concept of having boyfriends/girlfriends,fashion,peer pressure,holidays etc.
one persons junk is another persons treasure,waffle over and out.:p

inlikeflynn86

Scruffles wrote: »

personaly speaking,as someone who has spent whole life in education with DSers and also lived a decade with them in institutional and residential care;hope they dont cure down syndrome-hope somehow they can cure the medical impairments that plague people with downs though [eg, heart issues, insulin dependant diabetes, early onset alzheimers etc].
DS adults have been the kindest,most tolerant,calmest,willingest to please others, easy going of all human groups-woud still be living with them if social services LD residentials were better able to cope with the severe autistic and challenging behavior needs of mine.

pure DSers [ie,those who have not also been born with autism which is quite common] lack the pressure from peers and lack social rules awareness-both of which also affects those of us with autism,theyre also very honest and can announce their care/love/worry for another being/object no problem, whereas a neurotypical woud usualy have problems doing that,because of how they think it makes them look to others.
they often have huge sense of humours and are so ego less they will so often put others before themselves when they shoudnt.
honestly we shoud not be deleting downs we shoud be making more awareness of it so that people stop treating them as people with no worth in society,supporting DSers to have decent quality of lives,also supporting DSers to help them learn how to spot when someone is trying to take advantage of their kind nature.

people who want to get rid of downs are people who see it from the outside in and dont understand what its like to have DS,they think, oh itd be horrible not to be able to do this or that; thats not how life works,we are all born into different lives and are on different levels that are perfect for some of us but not for everyone,in the same way people think those of us with intelectual disability have a poor quality of life because we dont function at a neurotypicaly teen or adult level,many of us also cannot understand the concept of having boyfriends/girlfriends,fashion,peer pressure,holidays etc.
one persons junk is another persons treasure,waffle over and out.:p

I agree 100% with you... Having grown up with someone with DS they are beautiful people inside and outside.... I don't see why the need for a "cure" ..

I'm 6 months pregnant and was offered to be tested to see if my baby had DS. Never in a million years did it cross my mind to find out as either way I love my child already...

My relative has a better social life than me and has had a brilliant quality of life...
I don't agree with this 'cure'.

Johnboy1951

Scruffles wrote: »

personaly speaking,as someone who has spent whole life in education with DSers and also lived a decade with them in institutional and residential care;hope they dont cure down syndrome-hope somehow they can cure the medical impairments that plague people with downs though [eg, heart issues, insulin dependant diabetes, early onset alzheimers etc].
DS adults have been the kindest,most tolerant,calmest,willingest to please others, easy going of all human groups-woud still be living with them if social services LD residentials were better able to cope with the severe autistic and challenging behavior needs of mine.

pure DSers [ie,those who have not also been born with autism which is quite common] lack the pressure from peers and lack social rules awareness-both of which also affects those of us with autism,theyre also very honest and can announce their care/love/worry for another being/object no problem, whereas a neurotypical woud usualy have problems doing that,because of how they think it makes them look to others.
they often have huge sense of humours and are so ego less they will so often put others before themselves when they shoudnt.
honestly we shoud not be deleting downs we shoud be making more awareness of it so that people stop treating them as people with no worth in society,supporting DSers to have decent quality of lives,also supporting DSers to help them learn how to spot when someone is trying to take advantage of their kind nature.

people who want to get rid of downs are people who see it from the outside in and dont understand what its like to have DS,they think, oh itd be horrible not to be able to do this or that; thats not how life works,we are all born into different lives and are on different levels that are perfect for some of us but not for everyone,in the same way people think those of us with intelectual disability have a poor quality of life because we dont function at a neurotypicaly teen or adult level,many of us also cannot understand the concept of having boyfriends/girlfriends,fashion,peer pressure,holidays etc.
one persons junk is another persons treasure,waffle over and out.:p

That was a pleasure to read ..... thank you.