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www.cdadc.com : An affirmative action site loaded with Down Syndrome Information.As a positive action information web site on Down Syndrome, the information provided here reflects the ethos of inclusion, non-discrimination and social justice for those with Down Syndrome. Information is knowledge, knowledge is power. By providing Down Syndrome information, it is hoped that parents and others charged with the care of those with Down Syndrome, will also become more empowered to make more informed decisions. People with Down Syndrome have the same rights as anyone else to live a safe, integrated and normal life in the society in which they live. This ethos should certainly exist and be firmly encouraged within childcare centres, kindergartens and schools, as they form the back bone of learning social interaction skills - what is tolerable, acceptable and worthwhile. Should the education system fall down at any part, it is the child with Down Syndrome that will be most hurt by their attitudes.
History of www.cdadc.com as a Down Syndrome information web site:In the beginning, www.cdadc.com started out as a business web site, with the Down Syndrome information part put up because I wanted to communicate what I was learning about Down Syndrome to other parents, especially new parents concerned about their child being born with Down Syndrome. Cdadc also served the purpose of being a crisis site, with many parents coming and seeking information on Down Syndrome shortly before or after their child with Down Syndrome was born. As the number of people visiting the web site for it's Downs Syndrome information became more and more, the business side was withdrawn, so that www.cdadc.com could become focused purely on the Down Syndrome information that so many people, particularly parents, were hungry for. Particularly the information on Down Syndrome treatments and interventions.
The information on www.cdadc.com is always changing as new information on Down Syndrome becomes available.We keep updating the information as newer insights and findings on Down Syndrome become available. At times pages have had to be rewritten, as the newer information over turned previous thinking or research. That's one of the reasons why I say, nothing is yet written in concrete or stone. Science keeps adding new knowledge and keeps comeing up with new ways of dealing with old problems. The information is priceless - one moment it may be worth it's weight in gold, the next it may be a screwed up piece of paper. However, our understanding that that information gives us on Down Syndrome, adds to our ability to make better informed decisions for our children with Down Syndrome. You only have to see the ever increasing life span to realise how pertinent new information is, especially when you push to have it applied to those with disabilities. When resources are scarce, professionals will often try and find a way to decide who will get the benefit - eg heart transplant - and who wont, often people with DS can find themselves on the no resources for you list, including in the schools. It is only by standing up and fighting, based on the informatin one has, that such discrimination has a chance to be ended and done away with.
Keeping the Down Syndrome information unbiased.Keeping all this information on Down Syndrome isn't always easy. Some people with vested interests in selling products to those who have children with Down Syndrome, have sometimes become quite abusive when I refuse to bias the web site to give misleading information. I recall receiving one request from a Down Syndrome support web site, telling me I should not include the information on the disadvantages of some Down Syndrome treatments, as by giving parents the information, may stop some from using some commercial vitamin treatments. At one point I even got inundated with abusive emails from several sales reps from one business in 2006, for providing truthful information about their product's non-benefit to those with Down Syndrome. One big round of abuse, August 2007, came from a large USA company - the same company that had the reps above on their payroll - who kept sending cease and desist orders against one of our Down Syndrome information pages and whose legal department would refuse to acknowledge nor answer any of my emails concerning their threats. They were objecting to one of our Down Syndrome information page, which clearly showed their product appeared to have very limited benefit - if any - to those with Down Syndrome. Even phone calls to their branch office in Sydney, Australia, proved fruitless, with them stating they would not try and sort anything out - it was just too bad if the parent company was acting that way and shut us down. So, because of that type of abuse, this web site was then moved to a non-US server, which would require them to take out a court order to try shuttting www.cdadc.com down - which means they would have to prove what they were saying in the public arena and we would have to be notified etc. It went like this: They claimed I was selling their products on this Down Syndrome information web site - I don't - therefore I came under their company's rule and regulations - which I don't - under their company's rules and regulations they stated they had a legal right to force a cease and desist order for someone making claims about their products who worked for them in any way - I don't work for them and never have. I am told that many people would have buckled under and just complied. We didn't. We don't accept that that type of bullying has any place in this world. People with Down Syndrome and their carers and parents have the right to informed information on Down Syndrome treatments - should not be preyed upon nor abused by people and companies like that one, by having Down Syndrome information suppressed. You will be happy to hear though that the incident had a happy ending. The company apologized and stated they were trying to crack down on sales reps that were misleading consumers into buying their products under false pretenses. Cdadc.com has since returned to an American server. :) I still continue to try and provide unbiased and accurate information on Down Syndrome, in spite of such, so that parent's and others can be better informed and know what other information on Down Syndrome may be out there. When we first started providing the Down Syndrome information, it was because our fifth born, Jacob, was born with Down Syndrome. In order to try and help our son, we actively sort out information on Down Syndrome, that we thought may benefit him. That's one of the reasons too, why we refuse to bias the Down Syndrome information we provide. We believe that you are going to be like us and want the truth about how to better develop our children in every way - intellectually, physically, socially ... This starts with unbiased information, so that we don't waste our time and money on products or services that have limited or no benefit; some may actually be harmful. Still, you will likely need to search out other sites with Down Syndrome information, to gain an even bigger perspective - some parents may have tried treatments or products that we haven't - their information on Down Syndrome may be just as valuable.
When checking out a web site for information on Down Syndrome, try and remain alert to possible biases in the information presented to you.You can often pick such web sites with biased information, as they will tend to play down or not mention problems or limitations with the treatment, try and sell you products that treat Down Syndrome in some way, or boast no end about how this product or treatment worked incredibly well with their child with Down Syndrome and should be used with all. Another thing to watch for that suggests biased information on Down Syndrome, is when the web site presents lots of non focused research and information, claiming it supports the treatments use on those with Down Syndrome, when in actual fact the information doesn't support the conclusions they are drawing - more than likely you are being snow balled / conned. These are some of the indicators that the information being provided to you on Down Syndrome may be biased.
Also, when searching other sites for Down Syndrome information, be aware of the different names of Down SyndromeMasses of people used masses of time, effort and money to change the name from Downs Syndrome to Down Syndrome. I also found myself using the term trisonomy 21 right up until early 2008. So, when you are looking at Down Syndrome, the other names that mean the same include Downs Syndrome, Down's Syndrome, Trisomy 21 and Trisonomy 21.
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