Understanding Down Syndrome And Other Disabilities

On July 24, 2006, my twin siblings, Audrey and Austin, were born. My parents sat my sister and I down and told us the babies were fine but Austin was going to be a little bit different. They said he has Down syndrome but we will love him just the same. It’s not going change the fact that he is our brother and a very important part of our family. I was so young at the time and the weight of this information hadn’t clicked yet, all that mattered was finally being able to hold my brother and sister after nine months of waiting. Over the last 10 years I have grown to understand Down syndrome and other disabilities in a different light, seeing how many people, despite their disability live productive and successful lives. I find so much†¦show more content†¦What I find most fascinating about occupational therapy is that therapists strive to improve the lives of individuals by working on activities and skills that will benefit the clients in their everyday lives. It is not simply the treatment of a specific injury or certain part of the body; it aims to help individuals live more independent and fulfilling lives. Throughout my time in college I have had the opportunity to participate in things that allowed me to use my passions while simultaneously growing me as a person. In 2015, I was selected by my peers to be the Vice President of Philanthropy of my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. During my time in office, I was able to grow in my leadership, communication and delegation skills through planning our annual 5K run benefitting children’s literacy. This event raised over $39,000 and the money came back to the Northwest Arkansas community to provide books and resources to help with literacy programs in local elementary schools. One in four children in America grow up to be illiterate and I am honored to be a part of an organization working to change that statistic by showing these kids the importance of literacy. I also had the chance to collaborate with The Miracle League of Northwest Arkansas to provide volunteer opportunities for the members of my sorority. Miracle league is a baseball league for kids with special needs in which volunteers are paired with a child and help them play baseball. The league gives themShow MoreRelatedChildren With Down Syndrome : A Developmental Disorder1615 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Down Syndrome is a developmental disorder caused by an error in the process of cell division. This disorder is characterized by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy)(Segal Pesco, 2015). It is the most common chromosomal disorder and affects 1 in 700 live births (Ramia, Musharrafieh, Khaddage, Sabri, 2014). 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