We all know how adorable children with Down syndrome are, but did you know there are many children, such as this little girl, that are living in orphanages? It has recently been brought to my attention that there is a waiting list in the US to adopt these kids. Still, many remain institutionalized. My curiosity on this subject prompted me to join the yahoo group, Reece's Rainbow, a parents group whose children have Down syndrome. Many of them have happily adopted children with Down syndrome as well! My goodness! It is the most active and supportive group of parents I have ever encountered! It inspired me to organize a Down syndrome seminar for our volunteer trip. We will be presenting information on Down syndrome and associated medical conditions, PT techniques and OT techniques helpful to children with Down syndrome. We hope to inspire the orphanage staff that their children with DS are very adoptable. Families here in the US have emailed me photos of their children (bio and adopted), and over and over they describe their joy and delight in their child and cannot imagine life without them. I love the passage written by Emily Perl Kingsley called Welcome to Holland:

http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html