Guest guest Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Borrowed from another forum: THE RIGHT WORDS I'd like you to choose carefully, the words you might say When you see my baby in the general day-to-day. He is a darling baby boy who happens to have Down's syndrome The result of a small chemical accident and an extra chromosome. But don't call him 'Downs Baby', 'A Downs' or 'Downs Boy', It makes him sound like a different breed, an animal or stuffed toy! And please don't make judgements like a book by its cover, Like all other children, he's very different from any other, Don't offer some generalised statement that's patronising and might go... 'He'll be so loving and cuddly'. How on earth do you know?! It might not be easy to say words that don't offend, So just be honest and considerate so together we can mend Society's choice of words - because we need to emphasise that Your words do make a difference to the way we feel inside. So let's get it right. He is a baby WITH Downs. Not a 'Downs baby'. Remember, other way round!! He's a human, like you, with just a little bit more And if we were all the same, wouldn't life be a bore? Do please share this poem with others that you know So down the road to 'thoughtful language', we all can humbly go. And if you're a professional or involved in any way, You're the forefront of our campaign. Get it right. WATCH WHAT YOU SAY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2008 Report Share Posted January 5, 2008 Sorry about the blurb of a " chemical accident " being left in there. This is from an old DSA article. The date was not given. This must have been written at a time when the " how " Ds happens wasn't fully understood. Sorry for not giving more of the " origins " of this. Re: The Right Words i don't understand... the " the result of a small chemical accident " ? what does that mean? On Jan 5, 2008 3:41 PM, shmeegs2003 <shmeegs2003@...> wrote: Borrowed from another forum: THE RIGHT WORDS I'd like you to choose carefully, the words you might say When you see my baby in the general day-to-day. He is a darling baby boy who happens to have Down's syndrome The result of a small chemical accident and an extra chromosome. But don't call him 'Downs Baby', 'A Downs' or 'Downs Boy', It makes him sound like a different breed, an animal or stuffed toy! And please don't make judgements like a book by its cover, Like all other children, he's very different from any other, Don't offer some generalised statement that's patronising and might go... 'He'll be so loving and cuddly'. How on earth do you know?! It might not be easy to say words that don't offend, So just be honest and considerate so together we can mend Society's choice of words - because we need to emphasise that Your words do make a difference to the way we feel inside. So let's get it right. He is a baby WITH Downs. Not a 'Downs baby'. Remember, other way round!! He's a human, like you, with just a little bit more And if we were all the same, wouldn't life be a bore? Do please share this poem with others that you know So down the road to 'thoughtful language', we all can humbly go. And if you're a professional or involved in any way, You're the forefront of our campaign. Get it right. WATCH WHAT YOU SAY! Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for messages to go to the sender of the message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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