Down syndrome: Breaking barriers one day at a time

When faced with some kind of disability, the emphasis is usually placed on the person’s abilities, and his capacities are left out, therefore, they are not developed,

Moisés Lacouture and Valerie Kristel Torres, both diagnosed with Down syndrome, are proof that people with this genetic change can fully develop, as long as they learn at their own pace and in different ways.

Trisomy 21 causes intellectual deficits and physical characteristics of the syndrome, however, the degree of involvement of this disorder can vary in each person, although in many cases it is not unpleasant to be self-sufficient and independent.

Heidy Lacouture Schmucker (@heimoilacouture), mother of Moses and president of Family SD (@familiasdpty), commented that parents are often the ones who put borders And it is fears They do not allow children to develop to the maximum of their abilities.

“(…) Sometimes we are the parents who have disability more so than our children,” said Lacouture Schmucker, who accepted from day one diagnosis Moisija and made an effort to provide him with the necessary accompaniment, together with multidisciplinary medical careso that you can achieve everything you set out to do.

Moisés, 11, is in the fifth grade before home school and extracurricular activities such as swimming, basketball or music, in addition, the group meets weekly to go to a museum, take painting or music classes, go on extreme adventures and more.

Moisés’ mother repeated that he had developed like a typical child of his age, that he had left summer campshe plays games and goes to the store with his friends from the block, all under his supervision.

In case of Valeriedaughter of Jorge Torres and Elizabeth de Torres, her condition became “love path“for your family ia opportunity for their parents to be tested.

The diagnosis implies dealing with cognitive, physical conditions and a number of other aspects that it carries with it, but Torres emphasized that this is not a reason to stop having the strength to achieve the maximum.

Torres faithfully believes that as parents we should create as much as possible occasions for your daughter to be self sufficient and can take care of herself, which they suggested after learning about the diagnosis they received at birth and which they had a hard time accepting. “(…) But in the face of adversity there must be a courageous response and that is what my wife and I did,” he said.

Valerie, 13 years old with two other brothers, expresses herself well, knows how to hold a conversation, and she started from the age of two learning processShe can write and continues the reading process, and on a personal level, her father describes her as a very tidy girl, she takes care of her personal grooming and sometimes even makes breakfast herself.

According to her father, Valerie has a penchant for beautyso it is very likely that I will be a professional in that field in the future.

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This March 21 is the commemoration of World Down Syndrome Daya state of life, not a disease, and must not be an obstacle to the complete development of the individual, which will depend on the monitoring and empowerment of parents.

Today, Jorge Torres, with a degree from the University of Panama on “The disabilitychallenge for the family”, he reminded that inclusive education in the country has certain shortcomings and adequate conditions for maximum development are not provided.

He also emphasized that people with disabilities are capable of being self-sufficient and have the same rights as others.