About Down's Syndrome : Tell It Right® information pack

Our Tell It Right® information pack will help you provide up to date, accurate and balanced information about Down’s syndrome to prospective and new parents.

Please just click on the images below to download the documents.

We know it is vital for expectant parents, from the beginning of the screening process right through pregnancy and birth, to be supported by maternity professionals who have easy access to correct information about Down’s syndrome; the life prospects of people with the condition, the impact on families, support available in the community and the joys and challenges of having a child with Down’s syndrome.

Tell It Right® Start It Right Training

We have trained over 6,000 midwives and related health professionals across the UK and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, ‘I realise now that lifelong messages are taken away from words spoken at a sensitive time’ Midwife, South Wales.

Lots more information

Please explore our website to find comprehensive information about Down’s syndrome, including many films and stories told by people of all ages who have the condition.

You can also request to be sent our Helpline flyers (A6). The flyer signposts expectant and new parents to our Helpline for information and support.

We would love to see a stand of these on every midwifery desk across the country.

Resources

A picture of the Did you know...? posterDid you know…? poster

10 facts about people who have Down’s syndrome.

 

 

Antenatal, Neonatal and Postnatal Care: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals

 

 

 

Our Tell it Right top tips

 

 

 

NIPT Fact Checking Guide.

 

 

 

Down’s syndrome: Your Questions Answered

 

 

 

Looking forward to your baby

 

 

 

The cover of one of our leaflets: Congratulations on the birth of your babyCongratulations on the birth of your baby

 

 

 

The cover of one of our publications - Down's syndrome: A leaflet for friends & familyDown’s Syndrome: A leaflet for friends and family

 

 

 

the cover of a leaflet about our Tell It Right trainingTell It Right® Start It Right

A leaflet about our Tell it Right training for midwives

 

 

A poster for the DSA HelplineNational Helpline poster

 

 

 

Our helpline flyer

Email us on info@downs-syndrome.org.uk to request copies for your department.

 

 

Who we are. What we do. Why we need you.

A leaflet about the Down’s Syndrome Association

 

 

 

Social media language cards

New mum Becca approached us as she has designed a range of digital social media cards. She wants to help share with people the terminology she would like to see used when talking about her son Arthur.

You can download Becca’s social media cards as individual jpegs by clicking on the image below of the card you want to share…or download all of them as individual files in one zipped file by clicking here

You can download a PDF featuring all of the cards to print out here

With our support, Becca has now created a set of cards in Welsh. Click here to access the Welsh cards.

Rather than defining people by their disability, people-first language conveys respect by emphasising the fact that people with disabilities are first and formemost that - peopleDown syndrome is a medical condition named after the physician who first defined it, John Langdon Down

All people with Down syndrome are individuals, not a 'they' or an 'other'. As humans, with or without Down syndrome, we are all unique. It's about the human, the person, the individualWhen referring to the majority, it is more appropriate to use the word 'typical' than the word 'normal'. Differentiating a child who is typical with a child who had Down syndrome by using the word 'normal' can cause offence.A compliment with 'but' or 'though' is not a complimentDown syndrome is a chromosomal condition that occurs when the egg and sperm meet. Each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, in Down syndrome chromosome number 21 sticks on the very first divide at the very, very beginning, it then divides in threes. It is not a disease or an illness, it is a condition or syndrome.Down syndrome was first described by an English physician, John Langdon Down, in 1862. Hence the name Down syndrome or Down's syndrome. Medically the syndrome is called Trisomy 21 (3 copies of chromosome 21).Use 'chance' not 'risk'...'There is a high chance your baby has Down syndrome'. 'The language used during scans can have a powerful emotional impact on the parents...it can influence how they respond to the news, and any decisions they make regarding how to move forward.' Dr Judith JohnsonWhen unexpected news is shared, the choice of language will influence how a person hears, understands and processes it. The first moment Down syndrome is mentioned will often stay with a parent for the rest of their lives, so it needs to be non-judgmental, accurate and fairly balanced'Language is very powerful. Language does not describe reality...language creates the reality it describes' - Desmund Tutu

 

 

 

 

 

 

terminology-guide-email_wb

Tell it Right® is a registered trade mark of the Down’s Syndrome Association

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