Tue, Feb 22, 2011 page2

• Mother talks about raising a child with Down syndrome

  A LIFE TRANSFORMED: Lin Mei-chih spoke of the challenges and rewards of caring for her son, the need to encourage him and let him develop his talent

  • By Wei Yi-Chia / Staff Reporter
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  Lin Yung-sheng’s (林永盛) bright, innocent smile became famous after appearing on a billboard for President Chain Store.

  Lin Yung-sheng was born in August 1995. That year, China threatened to attack Taiwan, says his mother, Lin Mei-Chih (林美智).

  “They didn’t come, but my son did,” she said, an arrival that, at least for the family, would be as life-changing as a Chinese attack.

  “Yung-sheng couldn’t even drink milk,” his mother said, adding that at first she only thought her child’s nose was a little flat and that he was “somewhat ugly.”

  Three days after Yung-sheng’s birth, Lin Mei-chih’s husband told her their baby had Down syndrome, a condition also known as trisomy 21, which affects both cognitive and physical development.

  The news came as a shock, as Lin Mei-chih had had amniocentesis performed. Doctors had assured her that only one person in 407 gave birth to a Down syndrome child. She was the one in 407.

  Babies with Down syndrome lack muscle strength, which accounts for their difficulty breastfeeding. By the time they are done with their meal, it oftentimes is time for the next one.

  Suffering from severe sleep deprivation, Yung-sheng’s parents had no choice but to hire a nanny. However, after their son developed aspiration pneumonitis, Lin Mei-chih said she did not want to take any chances and decided they would take care of their child themselves.

  “The incident scared me witless,” she said. “I was so scared of losing my child.”

  For a while, the very sight of her child would make her burst into tears. Difficulties with her in-laws made matters even more difficult.

  During postnatal care, Lin Mei-chih said she couldn’t even finish the chicken that was the customary supplement of postnatal mothers. The conversations between new mothers in the postnatal center affected her and she only stayed 10 days before going home.

  Before leaving hospital, Lin Mei-chih was visited by volunteer workers from the Care for Down Syndrome Patients Association, who told her of the importance of early treatment and rearing — two very important elements in addition to rehabilitation — for her son.

  It was at this moment that she realized she wasn’t alone facing the challenge of raising a child with the condition.

  To make it possible for Yung-sheng to lead a normal life, Lin Mei-chih registered him for normal classes. Starting from an early age, Yung-sheng also underwent rhythmical training. He now plays drums and the metalophone and often performs in concerts, his mother standing behind him holding Care for Down Syndrome Patients Association posters.

  Children who are developmentally disabled can make bread, wash cars, work in sheltered workshops, or form bands and go on community tours, she said.

  “Applause is their reward and music their rehabilitation,” she said.

  Now the executive of the Down Syndrome Foundation, Lin Mei-chih hopes to form a “Down Syndrome Resort,” where families with children suffering from Down syndrome can live self-sufficiently and support each other.
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