My letter to Pix11 News

I can't believe it, but I actually sent it to them. Oh my. I do believe strongly though that the news has a much further reach than any of "us" could have. Ya know? And so I did it. I sent it!

Here is the email I sent. I don't know if it'll be read or even considered, but I hope it is.


To whom it may concern:


I am a loyal viewer of your morning show. When I wake up in the morning I make my coffee and sit down to watch my morning news at 6am. I watch it until 8:30am when Disney takes over. I enjoy my time with your newscasters. 


This week you featured Autism Awareness Week. I applaud your efforts at showcasing everything autism. I’m glad that people who may not know what the signs are now do. I’m thrilled that people know there are services available to them if they find themselves in a position to have to look for them. I’m happy that you showed parents that there is life after diagnosis & that there is autism after childhood.  


I am also really proud that Jim Watkins was able to come forward & share his experiences as a dad of a child with autism. I’m sure your features made autism very real for many folks who do not have a child with autism or any special need. I’m sure it also helped many who have a child or children with autism.


While I’m happy that you featured autism, I’m more than a little disappointed that Down Syndrome Awareness has never been featured. I know October is breast cancer awareness month, but did you also know it’s Down syndrome awareness month? Did you know that March 21st is also an awareness day; 3/21 for trisomy 21. 


Did you also know that many children with Down syndrome also have a dual diagnosis of autism? I didn’t know that until very recently. 



I’m pretty sure I would’ve noticed if the news had featured it somewhere. If I’m wrong, I apologize. 


I am a mom of a child with Down Syndrome. When I received the diagnosis, it was so important for me to connect with other parents, professionals, etc so that I would know that Down Syndrome wasn’t a death sentence. It was important for me to know there were services out there that would help me help Sean, my son now 9 months old, reach his full potential. I searched high & low in NYC for something. We live in Brooklyn, by the way. 


It was very rough for me in the beginning. Here is the link to my blog http://itsgooditsbaditsugly.blogspot.com/. It illustrates the turmoil I went through when we received the diagnosis when I was 28 weeks pregnant and our growth as a family much more than I can do in a simple letter. I can’t imagine how I would’ve felt if I had, like so many parents do, received the diagnosis after my son was born. I can’t imagine looking at my tiny baby & wishing him away like so many parents often do. 


My 2nd trimester blood work came back abnormal. It put me at a higher chance of having a baby with Down syndrome. When I spoke with a genetic counselor at 19 weeks pregnant I was told that I should have an amnio done as soon as possible so I could terminate my pregnancy if I wanted to. I wasn’t given any hope for the future if my baby had Down syndrome. When I expressed that termination wasn’t an option for me, my counselor said to me, “But what about your older daughter? Do you really want to burden her with a Downs brother?” Can you imagine? Can you imagine how hard that is for a mother to hear? I can’t imagine hearing something like that after my baby was born. There were plenty of other instances during my pregnancy that were pretty much the same. 


If it hadn’t been for my obstetrician, my son might not be here today. He might have been born, but he probably wouldn’t be raised with our family. My OB was instrumental in telling me that there is a wonderful life after the diagnosis of Down syndrome. 


Our family was supportive. Our friends were supportive. I happened to be in a position where I was able do the research and get the help for my son that he so desperately needs in spite of the funding cuts. I was able to make the connections I needed to make. Not everyone has the kind of support that makes them strong enough to fight for their kids. Not everyone has the kind of support that helps them to know that “it” will be ok. 


What am I getting at? If I had been assured from the beginning that my life would take on a whole new normal...... If I had known from the beginning that my son would be perfect with his designer genes and perfect for our family........ If I had seen adults, teenagers, known there were resources for me right from the start (prenatally and from birth) my mourning period might not have been so hard on me, my family, my daughter, my marriage. My mourning period might not have had to be a mourning period. 


Is the lack of coverage for something as common as Down syndrome going to cause me to stop watching your news program? No probably not, but your show reaches so many households. So many people. Your show reaches a demographic that most news shows don’t, in my opinion. Wouldn’t it be nice to showcase something as wonderful as Down syndrome and show parents & parents to be that there is so much more than the negative connotations that go along with the label Down syndrome? 


Thanks for reading this. I do appreciate all the help you do give various groups (Autism, breast cancer, school bus/train passes, etc) and I do realize that you can’t possibly do a whole “to do” about every cause, but a little mention here & there would be nice. I know it would help me to feel like my son and his designer genes are not forgotten. Not to mention that it would probably do a lot for the Down syndrome community in helping to break down those negative associations of yesteryear. 


Very truly yours,
Jennifer Scott


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