24-hour psycho-emotional and informational support for parents of children with Down syndrome. 1,457 parents are members of the Association’s Parents Club. During 2019-2020, 3,274 parents received free consultation. The project is supported by the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF).
"Hello mom and dad of a child with Down Syndrome, grandmother, grandfather, sister and brother ..
There is a new member in your family, congratulations!
We have no doubt that you have a lot of questions, you want to know everything about your little baby. Information is also eagerly awaited by your relatives, friends or neighbors and you have no answer for them. We will try to share our experience and knowledge with you about what and how we did when our children were born. We, the parents, had different emotions, reactions and behaviors when we heard that our child was born with Down Syndrome. For someone it was a shock, someone did not believe it, someone had a question - why? Or why me? Neither denial of the fact, anger, self-harm and guilt were strange to us. This is a natural reaction, do not be afraid of it!
We soon changed this attitude when we started raising our children. Every success of them, even the slightest success, gives us a joy that no other joy in this world can compare to. Do you know how we’ve been cheered up by smiling of our kids, holding a new toy, releasing the first sounds? Each of them is so individual, each of them needs a characteristic and appropriate pace, time and environment for development, each of them is a person! Do not be afraid if you face difficulties. Our children are just like any other child: they smile, they cry, they grieve, they rejoice, they are angry with us, they make us stubborn, they behave badly, they give love. If there are other children in the family, distribute the time equally to everyone. An infant with Down syndrome does not need excessive attention. Another issue is if the child has health problems, but it is still very important not to overdo it. Involve family members alike in caring for the little one. Get the baby out as soon as possible. Do not refuse anyone if you receive an offer of help. Think Down Syndrome is just a small part of your child's huge genetic data. She/he should become a full member of your environment and community at birth and she/he will develop very well. Do not be distracted by the mention of Down Syndrome in an incorrect context, do not allow such expressions and attitudes to affect you and your child's life. Be empathetic, always try to provide the right information to such people. Rejoice that you are the parent of your child, be open to any news. Do not hesitate to talk about your child's diagnosis, talk to other parents, contact us, continue living in the usual rhythm. Be active and try to do everything step by step. "