My sibling has down syndrome; a teenager’s perpsective

My Sibling has Down Syndrome

When a mom learns that her baby has Down Syndrome she can often be overwhelmed with the thought of how this will impact other children in the family.  She can sometimes feel guilt that her other children may be affected negatively because their sibling has Down Syndrome.  However, Gabe shares with us just how a teen feels when his sibling has Down Syndrome.

My name is Gabe and I’m 17 years old. I am the third oldest of 10, and my youngest sibling has Down syndrome.

Her name is Lanie, she is one year old, and she’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

 

Before she was born we were told Lanie would likely have a lot of health issues like no stomach, heart problems, and other frightening things. The only thing she did have wrong with her when she was born was bilateral cataracts. Those were removed and she wears contacts or glasses for now until she is old enough to get lens implants. She also had some mild heart issues but just this week we found out that those have resolved and that was a relief.

 

I don’t know if this has anything to do with Down syndrome or that we were so worried about her health issues or just that she’s my sister and I love her but I feel exceptionally close to her. I actually don’t find myself viewing her as a person with special needs.  She’s learning things a little slower but, really, she’s just my sister who reaches for me and smiles easily with me. She makes me happy and I’m so proud of her and how far she’s come.

Having a sibling with Down syndrome has definitely been a positive experience for me and my life. I am so much more comfortable with people with different needs and I am more compassionate and patient with people in general. I’ve wanted to be a nurse for a long time now and having Lanie as a part of our family has given that more focus and I’m now hoping to eventually become a NICU nurse.

 

When we found out that my sister might be born with Down syndrome my parents sat us all down and taught us everything we needed to know about what this could mean for her and for our family, good and bad. They also taught us to not be afraid to talk to people with special needs and that it is important to ask questions and get to know them as people instead of just seeing their diagnosis.

In my experience working at a fast food establishment, I’ve seen people with Down syndrome who are very quiet and seem to be in their own world light up at a smile or simple question.  I have discovered that there is no reason they should be treated differently because they are more like everybody else than most people think and having a sister with Down syndrome helps reinforce this for me.

I wish the world was more accepting of people with Down syndrome so Lanie could have better opportunities in her future.  However, even though I’m open about my sister having Down syndrome I have not once had anybody say anything negative to me about her. Maybe the world is already becoming more accepting.
I have been trying to think of ways that Down syndrome has negatively impacted our family but I cannot think of one bad thing, even organizing a contact lens search party after one of her lenses has popped out of her eyes is challenging and fun. I can honestly say that Lanie having Down syndrome has only had a positive impact on our family.

 

Like this story?  Here is another you may enjoy: My Baby Brother; A teenagers perspective

 

Gabe is a 17-year-old high school graduate who has his sights set on a nursing career. He is the third oldest of 10 and was homeschooled. He has many hobbies including playing his cello, playing sports with his brothers, and streak running (running every day for a year). He also enjoys activities such as paintball, archery, and weekend getaways with his older siblings when he has time. For right now, while he is waiting to start college, he spends much of his time helping his younger siblings with their schooling and playing with his baby sister, Lanie.