OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER
Shock report by Down’s charity reveals system is failing families
MUMS come under huge pressure from health professionals to have abortions when tests reveal their babies have Down’s syndrome.
And when a baby is born with the condition, parents often feel alienated and unsupported, a damning report by Down’s Syndrome Scotland says.
The report – Listen To Me, I Have A Voice – uncovers “appalling behaviours” from health professionals.
Adults with Down’s syndrome and parents of children with the condition were surveyed on their needs and NHS staff attitudes towards them.
Many parents told how they were put under pressure to abort their child and were treated differently to other mums and dads when their baby was born.
There was a lack of dignity and respect, with kids often referred to as “the Down’s Syndrome child” – not by their name.
A lack of proper understanding among a lot of healthcare professionals was highlighted.
Many parents spoke of a “patronising” attitude towards people with Down’s.
But it is the way pregnant women are spoken to which is most shocking.
One mum said: “There was no discussion about Down’s, just the assumption we would want to terminate the pregnancy if the baby had it.” Other women spoke of consultants asking when, rather than if, they were coming in for a termination.
After children were born, mums faced poor attitudes. One was told “not to expect too much from her”. Another overheard a midwife tell a baby photographer to avoid her side room.
Dad Dave Patterson, 39, from Falkirk, began his blog Down with Dad after his wife Lynn, 41, gave birth to their daughter Eilidh almost four years ago.
He said: “We didn’t know before Eilidh was born that she had Down’s syndrome.
“We were just given a big bundle of leaflets to read about the risks and issues and then the staff left the room.
“When we saw the consultant, he just said it was nobody’s plan A to have a child with Down’s syndrome and good luck with it. Apart from him, there was no one particularly negative but there was no one supportive either.”
Down’s Syndrome Scotland have compiled 18 recommendations they want to see the Scottish Government and health boards introduce – including better training for pregnancy screening and better support for parents whose babies have Down’s.