Celebrating Down Syndrome awareness month

Dr RADICA MAHASE

“…treat Down Syndrome persons with respect and inclusion. We are just like everyone else. We have the same feelings and would like to make friends with other people. We feel uncomfortable when people stare at us as if we are strange beings. We can learn like everybody else. It may take us longer but if the learning starts early enough and we are placed in regular but inclusive schools and classes, we could progress far. We like to be included in everything that everyone else does, like attending ordinary schools and being in sports teams like other students.”

This is a message from 28-year-old Kellie Shanice Simmons.

Kellie’s mother, Chery-Ann Simmons noted that, “We were told that even if Kellie learns to walk and talk, we should not expect too much of her as she would never be a brain surgeon. So, we should take her home and just love her and make her comfortable.”

Today, Kellie is a customer care representative intern at Scotiabank. She is an equestrian and a Special Olympian, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi in 2019. She is also a pannist and a member of the Invaders Junior Steel Orchestra.

Kellie’s achievement and successes show that with proper support systems in place and with access to opportunities, people with Down Syndrome and other special needs, can develop their talents and skills, can be gainfully employed and can live fulfilling lives.

Kellie’s mom noted, “Kellie was born in Barbados which has reasonably good healthcare services so even if she had complications most of these would have been treatable using Barbadian facilities.”

From age three to seven years Kellie attended a Montessori school, after which she was placed in a regular school where she continued her studies up to standard two. Kellie was enrolled in a special programme which catered to children with greater developmental needs. She was in a small class of eight students, with special developmental programmes for each child within the class.

“In addition to Kellie’s academic education, we had started her on a physical therapy programme designed for children with serious physical developmental issues from the time she was six months old to18 months and we then continued the exercises on our own until she was about three years old.”

Kellie was enrolled in piano, gymnastics, lawn tennis, ballet dancing and swimming classes from age seven until 11.

When the family returned to Trinidad, Kellie attended Eshe’s Learning Centre and Goodwill Industries of the West Indies. There she majored in food preparation and was a member of the Goodwill Steel Orchestra. She learnt to ride a horse at the Police Barracks in St James.

She belongs to the Down Syndrome Family Network and through the NGO’s mentorship programme, she was an intern at the Central Bank, human resources department for six months.

It has not been an easy journey for Kellie or her family. Her mom noted, “I have had to deal with many challenges during my daughter’s lifetime. Firstly, getting Kellie into nursery school and primary school. So many schools that I approached declined to enrol her because they thought that they would have to give her too much extra care and attention.

“Getting other children in the ‘normal’ schools that she attended, to stop taking advantage of her was also a challenge. Children prey on other children who they judge to be ‘different’ and can be very cruel. It was a challenge to get Kellie registered to vote in the general elections and to open her savings account. The common thread is that people look at her facial features and assume that she cannot understand what they say.”

Kellie’s mom wants other parents to know that their children “do not have to meet the same developmental targets at the same time as other ‘normal’ children, but if provided with the correct stimulation, therapy and effort you would be surprised that they might eventually meet all the targets, just not in the same time frame.”

As TT celebrates Down Syndrome Awareness Month (October) we celebrate Kellie’s achievements and the achievements of everyone with Down Syndrome. Kellie’s message to others, “There is hope. If you are determined and work really hard, the sky is the limit.”

Kellie’s message to society – “Don’t assume what we cannot do but presume that we are competent and expose us to varied situations. You will be surprised by what we are capable of doing or capable of learning to do.”

Dr Radica Mahase is the founder/director Support Autism T&T