Life expectancy for people born with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades. According to the Down Syndrome Association of St. Louis life expectancy has gone from 25 years in 1983, to 60 years in recent years.
Erin Suelmann is the Executive Director for Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis, she said that the medical community has given greater recognition to people with Down syndrome.
“We have made great strides in the disability community about understanding and treating medical issues associated with Down syndrome.
Congenital heath defects, respiratory issues and other birth defects that can co-occur with Down syndrome can be treated early at birth," Suelmann says.
Suelmann said there can be false information or misunderstandings about people with Down syndrome. She said the Down Syndrome Association has been working to change the early conversation between health professionals and parents expecting a Down syndrome child. Saying it’s important for family to get the most accurate information about Down syndrome.
“We have a lot of great relationships with health professionals," Suelmann says. "We work to connect with genetic counselors at local hospitals, hoping that parents are linked to us as soon as they hear they may have Down syndrome child.”
Finding from a study published in the US National Library of Medicine indicates that people with Down syndrome have an overwhelming happy self-perception. Among those surveyed, nearly 99% of people with Down syndrome indicated that they were happy with their lives.
Suelmann said people with Down syndrome have the ability to appreciate the small things in life. She said her brother, who has Down syndrome, loves his job, his family and his friends.
"He doesn’t spend a lot of time worrying about silly things," she says.
Suelmann said her brother has worked for 11 years at a doggy daycare. Saying it’s really important for communities and businesses to provide jobs and opportunities for people with disabilities. She said transportation is a big barrier for those with disabilities.
“People with Down syndrome can do many of the things everyone else does," Suelmann says. "It’s the barriers that the community can set up that can make their lives more challenging.”
Suelmann said her brother has made her and her family more compassionate and understanding.
"If everyone in the world was the same it would be so boring. Let’s not think about what people can’t do, but what they can do," she says.
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