Maria and Myra seem to be joined at the hip. Inseparable since they met at the tender age of three, the pair of 11-year-olds have shared many a happy occasion together.
In adolescence teenagers with Down’s still linger within the innocent confines of childhood, feeling lonely and alienated
Today, Myra has accompanied Maria, who has Down’s syndrome, to the Fun Day organised by Inspire Foundation to mark World Down’s Syndrome Day.
However, not all indivi-duals with Down’s are as lucky as Maria to have a bosom buddy to play with.
Rosette Gatt, Inspire’s programme manager at the Department for Intellectual Disabilities, said the foundation is striving to take the inverted commas out of the word inclusive.
“Granted, children with Down’s are included at school. However, outside school hours, many are not invited to other children’s houses to play.”
Adolescence proves to be the toughest and most delicate period for people with Down’s. While other teens abandon the playground for Paceville and their dolls for boyfriends or girlfriends, teenagers with Down’s, still lingering within the innocent confines of childhood, feel lonely and alienated.
“What worries me is that many people do not look beyond the oblique eyes and the face. They fail to see the ability beyond the disability,” she said, watching a host of children and teens with Down’s toss a ball on the soft turf at the Marsascala Family Park.
Ms Gatt explains that the condition does not merely affect the intellect but also has a medical side to it. Many are not aware of this, chiding instead what they perceive as an obstinate refusal to cooperate.
However, individuals with Down’s often suffer from thyroid disorders. Low thyroid level causes lethargy while an overactive thyroid equals a hyperactive child. Learning Support Assistants need to recognise such instances, Ms Gatt said, and administer medication.
The employment world also needs to be more welcoming towards people with Down’s.
“A lot of money is invested in education but once completed, individuals with Down’s still don’t manage to find employment. Many can do a variety of activities, depending on their individual abilities. Some can do office work, while others are very good at manual work. They just need proper support – they need to be taught how to learn.
“At Inspire, we look at a person holistically. We teach them grooming, leisure skills and how to take care of both themselves and their money.”
Ms Gatt was also critical of the Maltese education system, which was too exam-oriented.
“Children with Down’s need more time to cement their learning. LSAs need to focus more on consolidation, rather than trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Sometimes, they are even pressured by the parents, who are adamant that their children should be doing the exact same class work as the rest of the students.
“But individuals with Down’s have different needs. Such pressuring might lead the children to develop depression and behavioural difficulties because they cannot keep up.”
Jane James, Maria’s mother, feels that people with Down’s need places to meet and socialise.
“We’re blessed to have Myra in Maria’s life but not everyone is so lucky. They need to be more accepted by others – people’s staring is bothersome. The children love to be among others and socialise – Maria would get bored spending time solely with my husband and I.”
Joanne and Silvio Xerri, parents to nine-year-old Karl, who also has Down’s, echo Ms James’ plea for more acceptance.
“For instance, the Drama Centre accepts people with autism but, strangely enough, does not accept people with Down’s. Karl is independent – he is toilet trained so he shouldn’t cause any problems.”
Ms Xerri also stressed the need for more employment opportunities. She believes that subsidising employers who welcome people with Down’s would be a better bet as opposed to merely providing people with Down’s with allowances and pensions.
“People who employ individuals with Down’s always remark on their loyalty and diligence,” Mr Xerri put in.
“They are free from conniving and very trustworthy. All they need is some encouragement to make the best of their abilities.”