By Avromie Adler, International Director of Yachad
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. My job and passion is working with individuals with disabilities, including Down syndrome, and their families. I’ve worked with hundreds of individuals with Down syndrome and I’ve seen the stigma that they and their families all too often experience. At Yachad, we’ve identified three pillars that create feelings of self-worth and belonging in our community and in society – relationships, education, and employment. Our programs are designed with these pillars in mind. Unfortunately, each of these areas is negatively impacted by stigma.
With this in mind, this Down Syndrome Awareness Month, let’s break the stigma in…
…Relationships
Treat your child/relative/neighbor/student with Down syndrome the same as you would treat anyone else. Above all else, this means treating them with respect. For example, if your neighbor is a grown 30-year-old man, don’t infantilize him by calling him cute. If you have a child with Down syndrome, try not to lower the bar of expectations too much for them. If they are doing something that you would discipline your other children for, you should try to do the same for them. The higher you can set expectations, the better off they will be in the long run.
…Education
I have spoken with parents of children with various disabilities who did not want their kids to learn in the same classroom as students with Down syndrome. The parents cited a negative stereotype that people with Down syndrome have severe cognitive delays – more so than other types of disabilities. It was sad for me to hear that parents were calling for exclusion. More than that, though – and what I told them – was that their claim was based on inaccurate information. In reality, less than 10% of people with Down syndrome are considered to be severely cognitively delayed. I would challenge parents and teachers to rethink this stigma. Moreover, I have actually seen students with other disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder benefit greatly – especially socially – from being in the same classroom as students with Down syndrome.
…Employment
Employment can be a big part of an individual’s feeling of belonging in society. Unfortunately, some employers may overlook a candidate with Down syndrome even if the candidate has the necessary qualifications. One way to reduce this stigma is to understand people with Down syndrome’s unique strengths. Many individuals with Down syndrome are extremely sociable. This could make them well-suited for people-facing jobs, such as event greeters. From what I have found, people enjoy supporting businesses staffed by people with disabilities. One of our many employment initiatives is the Yachad Kosher Grill – a kosher stand at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium staffed by Yachad participants. It will be open all football season, and has already attracted hundreds of customers for the couple of weeks it has been open. The Yachad participants have been doing a phenomenal job of serving customers – no easy feat – with a smile. And while they benefit from having a job, customers benefit by reducing their stigma about the capabilities of people with disabilities.
October is not only Down Syndrome Awareness Month – it’s also the High Holiday season. During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are at our most reflective. This is an opportune time to commit to becoming aware of our preconceived notions. Only once we are aware of our thoughts and actions can we work towards changing them. If we as a society commit to actively trying to reduce our stigma, we can improve daily life for people with Down syndrome, and improve achdus across our community.
Avromie Adler, LCSW is the International Director of Yachad, an organization that helps individuals with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities develop a sense of belonging in society. Yachad provides educational, employment and social-relationship programs, and works within communities to sensitize and educate them on how they can be more inclusive. Yachad is a division of the Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization.
