Expecting Parents
People with Down syndrome should always be referred to as people first. Instead of “a Down syndrome child,” one should say, “a child with Down syndrome.” Also avoid “Down’s child” and describing the condition as “Down’s,” as in, “He has Down’s.” Down syndrome is a condition or a syndrome, not a disease. People “have” Down syndrome, they do not “suffer from” it and are not “afflicted by” it. While it is clinically acceptable to say “mental retardation,” you should use the more socially acceptable term “intellectual disability.” The Connecticut Down Syndrome Congress and The National Down Syndrome Society and many others strongly condemn the use of the word “retarded” in any derogatory context. Using this word is hurtful and suggests that people with disabilities are not competent.