Question #2: Claire looks so "normal." Does she have a mild version of Down syndrome?
That's because Claire is normal, we are so much more alike than different. Down syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is the presence of three copies of the 21st chromosome, an individual either has three or they don't, meaning there is no such thing as a "mild" version.
Claire has a mixture of family features from Justin and I expressed with the presence of the extra chromosome. She has typical features of Down syndrome: beautiful almond shaped eyes, low set ears, small neck, short stature, lack of bridge in her nose, cute little curved pinkies, and my favorite, Brushfield spots in her eyes. Saying that she doesn’t look like she has Down syndrome can actually be hurtful. It implies that she’s pretty in spite of her chromosomal makeup but we think that she's beautiful because of it. Her face [and especially her eyes] tell the story of all that she has overcome and the way she loves life and people with such incredible authenticity.
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| Claire and her big sister, Anna, share a lot of common features! |
What other questions do you have? Please share them with us!!
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