How My Son’s Life Was Saved by Down Syndrome

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saved by Down syndromeDown syndrome saved my son’s life. That wonderful extra chromosome sitting there on his 21st is the reason he is here today. You see, shortly after a miscarriage, my husband and I found out we were expecting a baby. We were over the moon! My pregnancy was rather easy, and at every appointment with our doctor, I was assured that both baby and I were a picture of perfect health. That is, until my 34-week appointment.

On this visit, I had a sonogram before seeing the doctor. While she was working, the technician was friendly at first, then all of a sudden became very quiet. I asked if everything was okay, and she said I would need to speak with the doctor. I immediately began to panic. Thoughts of losing this baby so far along was too much to bear. I tried to calm myself before speaking with my doctor — who informed me that the baby was fine, but that his femur bone was only measuring at 31 weeks and should be longer by now. She said she wasn’t sure what was causing the stunt in his growth and wanted me to go see a specialist to make sure the baby didn’t have an infection.

Feeling slightly numb, my mom and I rode the elevator up to the seventh floor to find the specialist. Once there, I was told his stunted growth could be one of three things: (1) an infection that causes the baby to grow at a slower rate, (2) Down syndrome, or (3) natural shortness (seeing as his mommy is only four-foot-ten). The doctor felt it was most likely the first or third options, but drew some blood to make sure. I was told to go home and rest. The doctor wanted to see me again in two days, which happened to fall on Christmas Eve. Because Christmas Eve is a big day for my family, I scheduled the appointment for 7:00 a.m.

I spent December 23 relaxing and arrived at the doctor bright and early the next morning with my mom and husband in tow. The plan was to attend the checkup, grab some breakfast, and begin the holiday festivities. Our son Alexander, on the other hand, had another plan in mind.

After a quick sonogram to check his progress, I was told we were going to walk across the parking lot to the hospital because it was time for me to have a baby. Apparently Alexander’s cord flow was low, and without an emergency C-section, we could lose him. On December 24, 2014, at 1:45 p.m., my sweet angel entered this world.

I was pretty heavily sedated and my blood pressure kept dropping, so I don’t remember much from the delivery — but I remember hearing him cry for the first time. I remember my husband telling me how incredibly beautiful he was — the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. I remember seeing him in the incubator as they wheeled him out of the room to the NICU. I remember feeling relief as I drifted to sleep. My baby was okay. My baby was healthy. My baby was PERFECT.

I found out about 24 hours later that Alexander’s umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck three times, attempting to take the life from him. He would not have made it through the day. We didn’t find out about his extra chromosome until about a week and a half later — but if it weren’t for his little leg measuring short because of that extra chromosome (and some of his mama’s genes), my angel wouldn’t be here today.

I am thankful every day for that extra chromosome. It made me a mommy. It brought special people into our lives through Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Services and Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas. It allows my son to break down misconceptions about limitations. Alexander’s extra chromosome by no means defines who he is — but I sure am glad it’s a part of him!

The Fort Worth Moms Blog hosts 20 Neighbor Groups via Facebook, including the Moms of Special Needs Tarrant County. These groups are free to join and offer online and offline opportunities to build relationships and gain resources from other moms in the area.

saved by Down syndrome

Sara is a full-time teacher a mommy of two. Alexander, her oldest, is three and was blessed with an extra chromosome. Her youngest, Brennan, is one and a giant ball of energy. Between teaching fourth grade and raising two boys, she stays pretty busy. In her free time, she enjoys museum and zoo days and lots of laughs with her kiddos.

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