How Much Do You Know About "Down Syndrome"

DOWN’S SYNDROME. 

Down syndrome is named after John Langdon Down, a British physician who was the first to classify the condition in 1866. John Langdon Down began his career as chief physician of Earlswood, an institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to Earlswood, John Down had no experience caring for people with these types of disabilities. But something about them interested him. He saw their value and their humanity in a time when others didn’t. He genuinely enjoyed being around them, and he became infuriated by the way they were treated. Corporal punishment was common, there was poor hygiene, high mortality rates, and nothing enjoyable or worthwhile for the patients to do. John Langdon Down insisted on change. He hired all new staff, demanded proper care and hygiene, prohibited punishment, and offered crafts and hobbies to his patients. He took beautiful portraits of his patients, dressing them in their nicest gowns and suits, and posing them in flattering ways. He used this portrait collection of over 200 photos to support his clinical description of Down syndrome, pointing out the physical features he noticed as well as the other clinical observations he made.

In 1868, he bought a large white mansion as a home for people with Down syndrome, rather than an “institution”. He ensured that the mansion met the highest standards of comfort and hygiene. All people who were brought to the mansion were privately educated. They were taught to ride horses, garden, and craft. Creative outlets were provided and he had a small theater built as an additon to the mansion. This mansion was called Normansfield, and is still around today in the UK. Now, it is named The Langdon Down Center and Normansfield Theater.

So “Down” has nothing to do with delays, or disposition, or prognosis of the syndrome. It’s just named after a really, really cool person.

Credit: African Tribe