The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is an American organization that offers support to people with

Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...

, their families, friends, teachers, and coworkers, and educates the general public about Down syndrome. The mission of the NDSS is to be the leading

human rights organization A human rights group, or human rights organization, is a non-governmental organization which advocates for human rights through identification of their violation, collecting incident data, its analysis and publication, promotion of public awareness ...

for all individuals with Down syndrome.

History

The NDSS was founded by Betsy Goodwin and Arden Moulton. Goodwin's daughter, Carson was born in 1978 with Down Syndrome. The parents soon discovered that the support and resources available to parents with Down syndrome children were very limited. Goodwin and Arden created the NDSS, which gained official

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

status in 1979. The National Down Syndrome Society envisions "a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations and become valued members of welcoming communities."

Areas of programming

NDSS focuses on four items of programming to enhance the

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

for those with Down syndrome.https://ardownsyndrome.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NDSS-Brochure.pdf * The National Policy Center creates systematic change through legislative policy. * The National Buddy Walk Program honors and celebrates individuals with Down syndrome in their communities. * The Public Awareness Initiatives bring new and positive presentations of Down syndrome to the public. * The Community Programs provide information and resources about Down syndrome.

Other Initiatives

*NDSS holds an annual Times Square Video Presentation to highlight individuals with Down syndrome and promote acceptance and inclusion. Approximately 500 individuals from around the world are celebrated each year, in Times Square, during their hour-long video presentation. *NDSS has garnered recognition for its "National Advocacy & Policy Center's" legislative agenda. NDSS' advocacy team has worded to pass legislation intended to help people with Down syndrome overcome stated challenges. This includes a bill 2021 bill that was introduced called "Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act". The Act's intent is to prevent transplant discrimination at the State and Federal level, against people with Down Syndrome.

Public Webinar

In January 2019, the NDSS had offered a free public webinar on

facilitated communication Facilitated communication (FC), or supported typing, is a scientifically discredited technique that attempts to aid communication by people with autism or other communication disabilities who are non-verbal. The facilitator guides the disabled ...

. This communication method is based on the theory that many people that are unable to speak and are not cognitively impaired, but are simply unable to produce the sounds for speech. A helper or "facilitator" assists by guiding the non-speaking person's hand over a keyboard. Many masked independent tests and studies have suggested that the facilitator is actually the one doing the typing, and not the person with the disability.

Stuart Vyse Stuart Vyse is an American psychologist, teacher, speaker and author who specializes in belief in superstitions and critical thinking. He is frequently invited as a speaker and interviewed by the media as an expert on superstitious behavior. His ...

, reporting for ''Skeptical Inquirer'', commented that "Given NDSS's mission of being 'The leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome,' it is not surprising the organization supports a communication method that hristyAshby hDdescribed as a 'human right and a civil right.' Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that a leading Down syndrome advocacy group is promoting a belief system over evidence-based methods that work."

Probability of conceiving a child with DS (maternal age)

Information provided by NDSS: * At age 20, 1 in 2000 * At age 24, 1 in 1300 * At age 25, 1 in 1200 * At age 29, 1 in 950 * At age 30, 1 in 900 * At age 34, 1 in 450 * At age 35, 1 in 350 * At age 39, 1 in 150 * At age 40, 1 in 100 * At age 44, 1 in 40 * At age 45, 1 in 30 * At age 49, 1 in 10 Whose information can be found on their website.

References

External links

National Buddy Walk Program
* {{Authority control Down syndrome organizations Disability organizations based in the United States Non-profit organizations based in New York City Organizations based in Manhattan Organizations established in 1979 1979 establishments in the United States