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| down syndrome book reviews |
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Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic by Martha Beck is an extraordinary book that I
recommend without hesitation. Although the mother in the book is expecting a child with Down syndrome, anyone who
has ever considered parenthood or had a child herself would enjoy Beck's story. As one critic wrote, it is not
a "lemons-into-lemonade saga," but rather a convincing appeal to see life from a unique perspective. Another critic
commented, "I challenge any reader not to be moved by [this book]." I do, too.
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Choosing Naia: A Family's Journey, written by Mitchell Zuckoff, details the emotional struggles faced by a real-life couple,
Greg and Tierney Fairchild, when a routine ultrasound reveals that the fetus Tierney carries has a severe heart defect.
Making matters worse, the nature of the heart defect causes doctors to strongly suspect the baby has Down syndrome. The book
carries the reader through the Fairchilds choice to have their baby, their baby's birth and fight for life before her open-heart
surgery, the surgery itself, as well the barriers confronted by the Fairchilds on behalf of their daughter for all the days of their
lives. John and I feel a kinship with the Fairchilds as the discovery of their baby's condition so closely resembles our own
experience. Furthermore, because Archie has the same heart defect as the Fairchild's daughter, John and I find this book even
more pertinent to our own lives.
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Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents' Guide was given to John and me by the genetic counselor we met with the morning after we
received the results of our amnio. The book is written by "a knowledgeable group of parents, doctors, nurses, educators and lawyers who
cover everything parents need to know about raising their child in an environment of love, pride and achievement." It is an honest, upbeat
and readable guide. Although the photos of babies and children with Down syndrome initially made me cry, the comments from parents included
throughout the book reassured me that my emotions were not uncommon and that John, Archie and I would always belong to a community of parents
and children whose experiences closely resembled our own. |
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