Can some Down Syndrome people be independent?
By Judy890
@Judy890 (1644)
United States
October 29, 2012 11:57pm CST
Hello Everyone,
I was wondering if it is possible for an individual with down syndrome to be independent. What I mean by independent is for instance making their own food, washing their own clothes, or walking to school on their own. (basically not needing a parent or guardian to help them.) I usually see a young male who looks like he can be in his early 20's roaming around by himself outside. I would see him in the board walk looking down at the seagulls in the water, or like 10-20 blocks down from the board walk just walking. Sometimes in my mind I wonder if his parents or guardians are aware that he walks those many blocks. (these are long blocks I'm telling you, some people take the transit to get there. I once read there are different levels of mental disabilities in a down syndrome person, so I'm not sure if his is moderate or severe. But I can tell you he seems like he knows where he is going, but I could be wrong. Can down syndrome people be independent?
2 people like this
8 responses
@GemmaR (8517)
•
30 Oct 12
I think that this is something that is so different within people that it is hard to say. There will be some people who manage to live independently to some extent, but then there will be others who need care for the rest of their life. I know of one person who lives on their own in the village that I am from, and although he gets a lot of visitors to make sure that he is okay, he is certainly about to go out on his own all of the time and do his own shopping and cooking. So I do think that it is something that is possible.
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
30 Oct 12
Of course, some can. People who have Down Syndrome are not all the same. Symptoms can range from mild to severe--as is true of other conditions.
A good example of how widely varied people with the same condition can be is to take a look at autism. Temple Grandin, who has autism, holds a Ph.D. Meanwhile, there are plenty of kids out there with autism who are nonverbal or barely verbal.
Things exist on a spectrum.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (134522)
• Roseburg, Oregon
8 Oct 15
It depends on how the parents treat the children to. If they help them to learn they will go further than the parents who do not help their children at all.
@AJ1952Chats (2332)
• Anderson, Indiana
5 Sep 15
I've actually read about people with DS who have held local office; are motivational speakers; and even, with assistance, own and operate their own businesses. And, of course, there have been several who have become actors and writers. When it comes to learning, they're not so much limited by their own potential but, instead, from a combination of lower expectations from others and just not hitting on the right ways to work with their learning-styles.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Oct 12
I have worked with people with Downs syndrome, and I have seen people who were severely disabled and unable to eat, take a shower, get dressed etc without help. Those people lived in a home where they help got help 24 hours a day. On the other end of the spectrum there are people are almost completely independent. They live alone, they work in a sheltered workshop or a similar place and they commute daily. They live alone but they get weekly visits from a person called a "home counselor" who helps them with problems or questions. Those home counselors are common in my country, I am not sure if they also exist in other countries.
1 person likes this
@deafdiva (242)
• United States
8 Oct 15
I think there is a spectrum so I think it depends on the person! I also think it depends on if there are other problems besides the Down Syndrome.
@jstory07 (134522)
• Roseburg, Oregon
8 Oct 15
When my youngest graduated from hish school there was a down sydrome boy that got his high school diploma with the rest of his class. He was average inteiligent.
