By Jesal’s mum, Priya
Tell us about Jesal…
Jes is three years old and has two older siblings, brother Rio aged nine and sister Eva aged six. He and Rio’s birthday are a day apart and we always have a joint birthday which Jes loves. He is a happy boy and always has a smile on his face. He comes from a loving family where his siblings and parents adore him as well as his extended family. He is a very loving boy with a lot of love to give. Jesal has had many hospital admissions, with the most recent one being lung failure. But he is a fighter and bounced back. Jesal was born with a hole in his heart but it’s not a concern at this stage and I’d like parents to know sometimes the scary news isn’t so bad.
Jes only started walking just after he turned three. Having private physio for him helped massively to get him to walk. He feels independent now and is always wanting to explore. He is now nearly running and trying to jump even! This is a huge deal for Jes as his muscle tone weakness is on the slightly severe end. He is very sociable regardless of his challenges.
What does Jesal enjoy doing?
Jes loves to play. He will play with toys all day long. His favourite toy is playing with the ball. He has a cricketers throw on him! He enjoys reading books sat on his little chair in his house. He also enjoys nursery rhymes and loves to sing and dance.
How does Jesal get on with his siblings?
Jes loves his siblings and loves to play with them. They get on very well and his siblings enjoy playing with him and involving him in their games which they’ve been waiting for, so now being able to do it is a joy for them. Life as a family is challenging as both parents work full-time, but we all have a good routine and Jesal’s needs are met. Our life is crazy but fun! We try to have days out whenever we can as Jes loves to explore the outdoors.
Does Jesal go to a nursery?
Jes attends nursery four days a week. He is at a standard private nursery so to him and the others there is no disparity between him and other children. It’s nice to see that he doesn’t feel or is treated to be screened out. He participates in all activities the other children do. He enjoys reading, playing in the kitchen and puppet show time.
How would you describe Jesal’s personality?
Jes is a very stubborn little boy. Determined to say the least and once he’s made his mind up, it’s not easy to take him away from it. He is a very loving boy, always happy and very sociable. He’s also very funny and laughs a lot – his facial expressions are priceless. He really is a character!
What are your hopes for Jesal’s future?
We want Jes to be independent, achieve his desires and succeed in life. We feel no matter what, no mountain is high enough and we will always push him to do more.
We didn’t know Jesal had Down’s syndrome until he was born. This was a shock to us and we had a rollercoaster first few years with his health and trying to come to terms with all the different health and SEN professionals involved and all the different appointments. But there is light at the end and things get better, and a routine kicks in and we know whom he needs to see and for what. It’s all help for us and not a hindrance, even though it can be overwhelming. I want to tell new parents not to feel they can’t carry on as normal when they can. Nothing should stop us from being us and our families from being them. Jesal is an absolute joy to all of us and we wouldn’t change a thing. He is a special little boy that brings happiness to us all.
Thanks for reading!