There is only one step from sadness to joy. This immutable truth is familiar to every person. However, in all cases, trouble overtakes a person absolutely unexpectedly. The statistics are relentless: in the US, autism affects one out of every 88 children, Down syndrome - every 700th. Many celebrity families have faced developmental disorders in their own children, but have not given up.
1. Irina Khakamada
Irina amazed many by deciding to have a baby at 42. In 2004, she experienced a terrible family tragedy. Doctors diagnosed her youngest daughter Masha with a terrible diagnosis - leukemia. The girl underwent a course of chemotherapy. Fortunately, she overcame this disease. And two years ago, Irina Mitsuovna came to the premiere of the blockbuster "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" with the matured Masha. This publication was not easy even for the strong-willed Khakamada. Everyone saw: her daughter suffers from Down syndrome - and imbued with respect for this persistent woman.
2. The Beckham family
Athlete's wife Victoria, she former member musical group Spice Girls, she herself confirmed the information about the illness of the offspring. According to the mother, her middle son reacts very painfully to camera flashes, which make the child fall into tantrums, the continuation of which may well become a seizure.
It is known that people suffering from epilepsy, although not terminally ill, are nevertheless extremely limited in their actions. So they are forbidden to ride cars and motorcycles. Almost all patients are required to take mountains of pills throughout their lives, since it is extremely difficult to cure epilepsy.
3. Lolita Milyavskaya
Lolita does not hide the fact that the child has health problems. Until the age of four, Eva could not speak, besides, she has poor eyesight. The singer herself never mentioned what the girl was sick with. But it has long been rumored that Eve has Down syndrome. They say that, having learned about this diagnosis, the singer was initially shocked, and now she is trying to do everything so that her daughter can realize herself as fully as possible.
The singer said that the birth began in the sixth month of pregnancy. The baby weighed less than one and a half kilograms, and she was nursed for a long time in a pressure chamber.
4. Evelina Bledans
The 43-year-old actress became a mother in the spring of 2012 - the first-born Bledans and her husband Alexander Semin were born.
the boy was named Semyon and soon the whole family moved out of town, deciding that village life on fresh air much more suitable for mom and baby. No one could have imagined what was hiding behind this pastoral idyll.
The baby, whom Bledans gave birth to on April 1, suffers from a severe genetic pathology - Down syndrome.
According to the actress, doctors noticed the first signs of an anomaly during an ultrasound examination at the 14th week of pregnancy. Then the doctors suggested that Bledans have an abortion. But the couple resolutely refused.
5. Katie Price
Recently, former model Jordan defended the title of a good mother in court. Inspired by the fact that the court found her completely right, Jordan decided that she could well take another baby into her family (recall that she has three children). Katie is determined to adopt a disabled child, something no celebrity has yet dared to do before her. By her own admission, Jordan's thoughts about a foster child with developmental disabilities arose after she saw a report on TV about the life of disabled orphans.
It is worth noting that it is Kathy who knows how to take care of a child with a diagnosis - her first son, Harvey, was born blind and suffers from autism.
6. Colin Farrell
4-year-old son James suffers from a rare disease - a neuro-genetic disorder. Colin has been praising his baby ever since he revealed James's Angelman syndrome.
7. Sylvester Stallone
Sergio (born 1979), the youngest son of Sylvester Stallone, was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. For the actor, this news was a real blow, and his then wife, Sasha Czack, saw her husband's fault in the child's illness.
8. Toni Braxton
In October 2006 American singer burst into tears at a concert at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, talking from the stage that her youngest son Diesel (born March 31, 2003) has autism, and also stating that if the diagnosis had been made earlier, the boy could would be of much greater help.
9. John Travolta
Jett, the son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston, suffered from autism.
10. Fedor and Svetlana Bondarchuk
The daughter of Fedor and Svetlana Bondarchuk Varvara mostly lives abroad. Barbara was born ahead of time, after which the girl began to have developmental problems. In the Bondarchuk family, they do not use such words as illness, and they believe that they are raising a child with developmental disabilities. True, since the adaptation of such children in Russia is difficult, the girl has to spend most of her time abroad. There she studies, there she receives appropriate medical care.
There is an erroneous opinion that people with Down syndrome are absolutely not adapted to life, they can neither study, nor work, nor achieve any success. However, this is not at all the case. Our heroes act in films, teach, walk the catwalk and win gold medals!
Among the "children of the sun" there are talented actors, artists, athletes and teachers. Read our selection and see for yourself!
Judith Scottsad and amazing story Judith began on May 1, 1943, when twin girls were born into an ordinary family from the city of Columbus. One of the girls, named Joyce, was born completely healthy, but her sister Judith was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
In addition to this, while still a baby, Judith fell ill with scarlet fever and lost her hearing. The girl did not speak and did not react in any way to the remarks addressed to her, so the doctors mistakenly believed that she had a profound mental retardation. The only person who understood Judith and could talk to her was her sister Joyce. The twins were inseparable. The first 7 years of Judith's life were absolutely happy...
And then… her parents, under medical pressure, made a disastrous decision. They gave Judith to an asylum for the feeble-minded and abandoned her.
Joyce broke up with her beloved sister for a long 35 years. All these years she was tormented by longing and guilt. What Judith was going through at this time, one can only guess. At that time, no one was interested in the experiences of the "mentally retarded" ...
In 1985, Joyce, unable to endure many years of moral torment, tracked down her twin and took care of her. It immediately became clear that no one was involved in the development and upbringing of Judith: she could not read and write, she was not even taught the language of the deaf and dumb. The sisters moved to the Californian city of Oakland. Here Judith began attending an arts center for people with mental disabilities. A turning point in her fate occurred when she got to a class in fiber art (the technique of weaving from threads). After that, Judith began to create sculptures from threads. Any objects that appeared in her field of vision served as the basis for her products: buttons, chairs, dishes. She carefully wrapped the found objects with multi-colored threads and created unusual, unlike sculptures. She did not stop this work until her death in 2005.
Gradually, her creations, bright, powerful, original, gained fame. They fascinated some, others, on the contrary, repelled them, but everyone agreed that they were filled with some kind of extraordinary energy. Now Judith's work can be seen in museums of outsider art. Their prices reach up to 20 thousand dollars.
Her sister said of her:
“Judith was able to show the whole world how someone who was thrown out of society in the trash can come back and prove that he is capable of outstanding accomplishments”Pablo Pineda (b. 1974)
Pablo Pineda is an internationally renowned Spanish actor and teacher. Pablo was born in the Spanish city of Malaga. At an early age, he was diagnosed with a mosaic form of Down syndrome (that is, not all cells contain an extra chromosome).
Parents did not send their child to a specialized boarding school. He successfully graduated from a regular school, and then entered the university and received a diploma in educational psychology.
In 2008, Pablo starred in the film Me Too - touching story love of a teacher with Down syndrome and healthy woman(film translated into Russian). For the role of the teacher, Pablo was awarded the Silver Shell at the Saint-Sebastian Film Festival.
Pineda currently lives and teaches in his hometown of Malaga. Here, Pablo is treated with great respect. A square was even named after him.
Pascal Dukenne (b. 1970)
Pascal Duquinne is a theater and film actor with Down syndrome. With early years he became interested in acting, took part in many theatrical amateur productions, and after meeting with director Jaco Van Dormal, he received his first film roles. The most famous character embodied by him is Georges from the movie Day Eight.
At the Cannes Film Festival for this role, Dukenne was recognized as the best film actor. Later, he starred in "Mr. Nobody" in the episodic role of the double of the protagonist, played by Jared Leto.
Now Dukenne is a media person, he gives numerous interviews, starred in television programs. In 2004, the King of Belgium consecrated him a Commander of the Order of the Crown, which is equivalent to a knighthood.
The paintings of the American artist Raymond Hu delight connoisseurs. Raymond draws animals in traditional Chinese technique.
His passion for painting began in 1990, when his parents invited the artist to his home to take some private lessons from him. Then 14-year-old Raymond painted his first picture: flowers in a measuring cup. Painting fascinated him, he moved from flowers to animals.
Maria Langovaya (born in 1997)
Masha Langovaya is a Russian athlete from Barnaul, world champion in swimming. She took part in the Special Olympics twice and won gold both times. When Masha was little, her mother did not even think of making her a champion. It’s just that the girl was often sick, and her parents decided to “harden her up” and sent her to the pool. Water turned out to be Masha's natural element: she loved to swim and compete with other children. It was then that her mother decided to send her daughter to professional sports.
Jamie Brewer (b. February 5, 1985)
Jamie Brewer is an American actress who gained fame after starring in several seasons of American Horror Story. As a child, Jamie dreamed about acting career. She attended a theater group and took part in a variety of productions.
In 2011, she landed her first film role. The authors of the series American history horror" needed a young actress with Down syndrome. Jamie was invited to audition and, to her surprise, was approved for the role. Jamie tried herself as a model. She is the first woman with Down Syndrome to parade at New York Fashion Week. She presented a dress by designer Carrie Hammer.
Jamie is an active fighter for the rights of people with disabilities. Thanks to her efforts, in the state of Texas, the offensive phrase "mental retardation" was replaced with "intellectual malformation."
Karen Gafney (b. 1977)
Karen Gafney is another amazing example of how people with handicapped can achieve the same results as healthy people, and even surpass them. Karen has achieved amazing success in swimming.
Can every healthy person swim across the English Channel? And swim 14 kilometers in water with a temperature of 15 degrees? Karen did it! A tireless swimmer, she bravely overcame difficulties, taking part in competitions with healthy athletes. At the Special Olympics, she won gold medals twice. In addition, Karen founded a foundation to help people with disabilities and received a Ph.D.!
Madeline Stuart
Madeline Stewart is perhaps the most famous model with Down syndrome. She advertises clothes and cosmetics, defiles on the catwalk and takes part in photo shoots. Her dedication can only be envied. In order to reach the podium, the girl dropped 20 kilograms. And in her success there is a great merit of her mother Rosanna.
“Every day I tell her how amazing she is to me, and she unconditionally believes in it. Maddie truly loves herself. She can tell you how great she is."Jack Barlow (age 7)
The 7-year-old boy became the first person with Down syndrome to take the stage with a ballet troupe. Jack made his debut in The Nutcracker. The boy has been seriously engaged in choreography for 4 years, and he was finally entrusted to perform with professional dancers. Thanks to Jack, the performance, performed by the Cincinnati Ballet Company, was sold out. In any case, the video posted on the Internet has gained more than 50,000 views. Experts are already predicting Jack a brilliant ballet future.
Paula Sage (b. 1980)
The versatility of Paula Sage could be envied by an absolutely healthy person. Firstly, she is a wonderful actress who won several prestigious awards for her role in the British film After Life. Secondly, Paula is a brilliant athlete who plays professional netball. And thirdly - a public figure and human rights activist.
A wonderful teacher with Down syndrome works in one of the kindergartens in Argentina. 30-year-old Noelia does an excellent job with her duties, the kids adore her. At first, some parents were opposed to the upbringing of their children by a person with a similar diagnosis. However, they soon became convinced that Noelia is a sensitive teacher, who loves children very much and knows how to find an approach to them. By the way, kids perceive Noelia absolutely normal and do not see anything unusual in her.
It is still shrouded in myths and prejudices. Many are convinced that Down syndrome is a profound mental retardation or a rare disease that needs to be treated. That such children are born to alcoholics and drug addicts and will never appear to young and healthy parents. That people with Down syndrome are unteachable, aggressive or, conversely, always happy with everything. That it is better for children with Down syndrome to grow up in specialized closed institutions and that they do not belong among ordinary children ...
Such myths can be listed for a long time. But is it necessary? After all, like all conjectures, they arise only from a lack of information.
Facts
Down syndrome is the most common genetic disorder. It cannot be “cured” and it cannot be “infected”, because it is not a disease. But people with Down syndrome often have reduced immunity and a range of comorbidities, and their life expectancy is, on average, less than that of others. Every 700th child in the world is born with Down syndrome. This ratio does not depend on the nationality of the parents, nor on their health, lifestyle or wealth.
It is indeed more difficult for children with Down syndrome to develop than their ordinary peers. But with the support of the family and the help of specialists, they, like all kids in the world, can learn to walk and talk, read and write, draw and ride a bike, play music or sports, go to Kindergarten or to school. And they can also be friends, get carried away, fall in love, be happy and make others happy. Like any of us, each person with Down syndrome is unique. He has his own character, his own abilities, his own interests. A person with Down syndrome can become a famous athlete, like Andrey Vostrikov and Maria Langovaya, an actor, like Pablo Pineda and Sergey Makarov, an artist like Raymond Hu or assistant teacher Maria Nefedova. Or just someone's - and yours too - a child, friend, neighbor, acquaintance. And, of course, he deserves respect at least for the fact that he overcomes daily difficulties that are not familiar to us.
Yesterday and today
Unfortunately, not everyone knows about this. Therefore, even today in Moscow, almost every second child with Down syndrome is abandoned by parents at birth. In other cities, the percentage of refusals ranges from 20 to 80. And even 15-16 years ago, only five percent of such children got into their families! other countries. Not on the streets, not in transport, not in cafes, not in offices. While abroad, a person with special needs can easily turn out to be your postman, waiter, hotel administrator, child's classmate or office colleague. In our country, for many years, people with Down syndrome practically did not have the opportunity to leave the system: a maternity hospital - a hospital - a specialized children's home - a specialized institution for adults.
However, few survived to the end. After all, the orphan system destroys even the strongest and healthiest. What can we say about babies with reduced immunity and developmental features ...
The same units that ended up in the family still found themselves in isolation: they were not taken to kindergartens and schools, other children were taken aside at the playgrounds, they looked askance on the street ...
What has changed today? Many things: kindergartens and schools have appeared that are ready to accept children with Down syndrome - both correctional and ordinary, inclusive. Down's Syndrome was eagerly talked about by the media and famous people, and the parents of special children have ceased to hide the diagnosis from relatives and friends. There are more specialists - doctors, teachers, psychologists - who know the truth about the potential of children with Down syndrome. And most importantly, the Downside Up Russian charitable foundation has appeared, which has been promoting these changes for 16 years. Yes, a lot has changed. But not all. Indeed, as before, in maternity hospitals it sometimes sounds: “The child has Down syndrome. Write a refusal - still give birth to a healthy one. Although changes are taking place here too: last fall, Olga Golodets instructed the Ministry of Health to pay attention to such cases and recommended that doctors stop advising parents to abandon children for health reasons. As before, people thoughtlessly use the word "down" as an insult, not being afraid to hurt someone's feelings and not thinking about the fact that this is, in fact, the name of a doctor. As before, myths often replace facts. As before, cases of adoption of children with Down syndrome in Russia are very rare... But in other countries, the attitude towards people with special needs has not changed overnight. It just happened a few decades earlier than ours.
Make a step
Any, even the longest road begins with a small step. If you are reading this article, then you have already done it. And I'll tell you a story. One of the thousands. I think that after reading it, you will no longer laugh at the rude joke “about downs”. Or maybe you will take even more important steps - about them at the end of the article.
Nastya and Lesha. She was 19, he was 23. A beautiful young couple. Unplanned but happy pregnancy. Excellent results of all tests and examinations. The long-awaited birth of a daughter. And silence.
“All the doctors suddenly fell silent. I saw that they were bending over her and did not understand what was happening, ”recalls Nastya. Later, the pediatrician told Nastya that the newborn girl was suspected of having Down syndrome. A blood test is needed to confirm.
“But don’t worry,” the doctor added cheerfully. “After all, there are defective toys - you can take them back to the store.” The world swayed and shrunk to the size of a microscopic particle called a chromosome. 46 or 47 chromosomes? All life now depended on it.
Anastasia waited a week for the test results. Each of these days will remain in her memory forever. Children were brought to other mothers for feeding, but she didn’t: “Why do you need it? You'll get used to it!.." Wherever she went: to the procedures, to the corridor, she heard: “Urgently refuse, this is a freak. Have you seen her diagnosis? Young - you will give birth to others. And then the husband will leave, and the friends will all turn away, you will be left alone, and even with such a burden. Barely recovered from childbirth, not having the opportunity to meet with her relatives, she approached the children's room, peered into her tiny face. Doctors told her: “Look, everything is written on her face!”. And Nastya saw a small child - with rosy cheeks, huge blue eyes and blond hairs, standing like a "mohawk" on the top of the head ...
She already knew it was Dasha. After all, that's the name they gave her when she was in her stomach. Daughter Dashenka is the most beloved, the happiest ...
There was a discharge department under the window of Nastya's ward. And every day she saw through the window how joyful mothers come out with children in their arms, how their relatives meet them ... Nastya could communicate with her family only by video phone. As shocked and confused as she was, they didn't know what to say. Everyone was waiting for the test results. Meanwhile, the doctors, it turns out, personally met with each of them in turn: with her husband, mother, mother-in-law. And, like Nastya, they were told terrible forecasts: “This is not a child, but a vegetable in the garden: he will never go, he will not speak, he will not recognize any of you. And in general, he will die in your hands. Bring it home and die." A week later, confirmation came that Dasha had Down syndrome. On the same day, without consulting Nastya, the relatives removed all the children's things from the house - a stroller, a crib, the first tiny clothes ... And a little later, under the constant pressure of doctors and in the presence of a lawyer, Nastya and Lesha wrote a refusal from the child. Each separately, because they never had the opportunity to meet and talk with the whole family. The lawyer woman was very lively and cheerful: “Well, we found something to grieve about! Young, healthy, give birth to a dozen more and forget everything, how horrible dream". Dasha's parents met only when Nastya left the doors of that same discharge department. One.
They told friends and acquaintances that the child had died. And tried to live as before. “We were able to pretend to others, even to each other. But in front of myself ... Then I was ready to go to any job, do anything - just not to think ... ". Nastya still remembers her first visit to the orphanage. They went along with Lyosha - and from the street they heard children's crying. For some reason, it immediately became clear that this was Dasha. She lay in the infectious box and cried - her leg was stuck between the slats of the crib. She could not get her out, and there was no one to help - there were not enough staff for everyone ... Then it was already easier to come, they got used to it. It was harder to leave. “She lay and looked at us. And we had to turn away from this look and leave ... ".
love syndrome
Once Nastya realized that next time she simply wouldn’t be able to leave like that - without Dasha. The doctors said that you can take the child home for the weekend. Then Nastya took a vacation and took her daughter for a whole month. “When we were dressing her, the nanny decided that we, as usual, dress for a walk. And when she suddenly realized that we were taking her home for a visit, she suddenly burst into tears: “Lord, if only you, Dasha, would never come back here again!” The nanny did not know that her words would be prophetic. However, no one knew this at the time. And Lyosha was categorically against taking the child even temporarily. To visit, to somehow help - yes, but not to take on such responsibility. They even agreed that they would live separately this month: Nastya and Dasha with their mother, and Lyosha with theirs.
All month Nastya was waiting for other doctors' predictions to come true: when friends and relatives would start to turn away, when they would point fingers at her daughter. But everything was different: the whole family immediately fell in love with Dasha, and her husband came every weekend and fiddled with her. On the street, it was no longer Nastya who looked longingly into other people's carriages, but they looked into her carriage with the words: “Oh, what a miracle! So glorious!" During this month, one-year-old Dasha, who, upon arrival home, could only lie down, learned to sit down on her own and walk by the arms, she changed a lot ... Meanwhile, the month was coming to an end. "Can you get her back?" - once asked Nastya's mother. Of course, Nastya could not. But Lyosha could not change his mind either. She persuaded him for a long time, citing a variety of arguments: “I just can’t give it away now. She needs at least support, let her get stronger ... ". But then I realized that you can not demand from a person what he cannot give. “The innate maternal instinct spoke in me, which Lesha could not have. And I didn’t have time for disputes and insults: I had to raise a child. ” Lyosha and Nastya officially divorced. Later, Lyosha will remember this - the rejection of Dasha and the divorce - as the biggest mistake in his life. However, he still continued to visit Nastya and her daughter and help them.
Dasha grew and developed. Nastya is already used to the fact that even doctors, seeing her, are amazed: “And this is a child with Down syndrome ?! But we didn’t even know that this was possible, we were taught quite differently ... ” But still, the first place where she heard the words: “What a wonderful child you have!” was the Center early development Downside Up Foundation. Nastya accidentally found out about him from other parents, came with two-year-old Dasha to classes - and realized that she had begun new life. “It was there that I finally began to“ let go ”. And not only me, but also Lyosha, because he also came with us. There we saw other parents, other children - both small and grown up - and were finally convinced that this was not scary. We saw how much work is being done to help us, and we realized that we are not alone.”
Dasha recently turned 15 years old. Having completed her studies at Downside Up at the age of seven, she studies at a regular school, on the basis of which a specialized class for children with special needs was created: they take part of the subjects together with all the rest, and Russian and mathematics - according to an easier program. She has a big loving family: mother, father, grandmother, great-grandmother, beloved younger sister Anechka.
At the invitation of the First Lady of Great Britain, Dasha went to London to light the lights on the Christmas tree, took part in photography for the Love Syndrome calendar, and talked to journalists and celebrities. She is very polite and caring, it is easy and pleasant to work with her. Dasha finds mutual language with everyone, but with special tenderness she treats children and the elderly, who answer her in the same way. Nastya thinks that Dashina future profession will be about caring for people. And nothing that so far in our country people with Down syndrome have practically no employment opportunities. This is next step and one day we will definitely do it.
After all, if until recently the only officially employed person with Down syndrome in Russia was Maria Nefedova, an assistant teacher at Downside Up, now everyone has learned the story of Nikita Panichev, who works as an assistant cook in one of the Moscow coffee houses. And recently, a case of employment of a person with Down syndrome occurred in Omsk - a young man, 20-year-old Alexander Belov, began working as a cleaner to prove that special people can also be useful to society. Well, at the same time save money for a course of dolphin therapy and new jeans.
And Nastya and Lyosha are still together. They began to live as a family soon after Dasha went to classes at Downside Up. And after some time they got married again. This time - getting married in the church. Parents still come to their house and call, faced with the same situation and do not know what to do. Nastya and Lyosha firmly made it a rule not to convince or persuade anyone of anything. They only tell their story: only the facts, hiding nothing. Of course, more than once Nastya was asked the question: “Have you ever regretted your decision to take the child?”. You can probably ask it only without seeing them all together: Nastya, Lyosha, Dasha, Anya ...
But Nastya simply replies: “No, not once. The only thing I regret even now is that I didn’t take it right away, that we didn’t live the first year together. And then, as soon as I brought Dasha home, although it was difficult and scary, somehow it immediately became clear: it was bad before, but now everything is fine.
How to help special people?
A few ways to make March 21 a really special day, and life special people- usual:
— donate a lesson, a package of specialized literature or a home visit of a specialist to children with special needs>>
- put on an orange tie, scarf or neckerchief in support of people who are also called "sunny" - and tell others about this day.
smile at a special person.
After all, people with special needs suffer the most not because of the state of health, but from the prejudices of others.
The appearance in the family of a child with special needs - with developmental disabilities, disabilities or multiple disabilities - is a gloomy lottery of fate, from which no one is immune. AT last years society turns its face to families with such children, is engaged in their social integration.
These processes are also taking place in Russia, albeit unevenly; in the fall of 2017, a certain lady on television reported that "special children" are born from "drunken conceptions", which is both factually false and insulting. In response, a flash mob #yanealkash began on social networks, in which the mothers and fathers of the children told about their families. Among celebrities, there are also many such families. We invite you to read about them.
Evelina Bledans
Actress and TV presenter Evelina Bledans is raising her son Semyon with Down syndrome. Bledans became the first Russian celebrity who openly and proudly declared that she had " sunny baby". She participates in the work of a specialized charitable foundation, works with her son and says a lot in an interview that raising a special baby is not a sentence, but simply different living conditions. In 2017, Evelina Bledans divorced her husband, but this, according to her, did not affect the child in any way.Danko
Singer Danko is married to model Natalya Ustyumenko. The couple is raising two daughters, and the youngest Agatha was born with cerebral palsy - children's cerebral palsy. There were complications during childbirth. The result was a difficult diagnosis. The editors of uznayvse.ru clarifies that Danko does not live with his family, but regularly visits his wife and children. Natalya devotes almost all her time to rehabilitation classes with her youngest daughter. 
Irina Khakamada
The second child - daughter Masha - Irina Khakamada gave birth at the age of 42. As it sometimes happens, she had a girl with Down syndrome. It was in 1997, so in the maternity hospital Khakamada was persuaded to abandon the child. However, conditions in Russian orphanages are such that the mother decided not to leave the girl. AT adolescence Masha suffered from leukemia, but she was saved. In 2017, the girl turned 20 years old, she has a boyfriend - a young man with the same diagnosis. 
Anna Netrebko
Opera diva Anna Netrebko gave birth to her son Thiago in 2008 in Vienna. The boy's mother noticed something was wrong by his three years, when Thiago still did not begin to speak. It was only then that doctors diagnosed him with a mild form of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Anna decided to find specialists abroad, and not in Russia, and took her son to New York - the field of therapy and integration of such children is well developed in the USA. 
Sergei Belogolovtsev
TV presenter Sergei Belogolovtsev's youngest son, Zhenya, was born much prematurely and with a heart defect. In addition, after the operation, he developed cerebral palsy. For several years, the parents hid the diagnosis of their son from the press and the public, but later they spoke about the features of Zhenya. The young man himself graduated from a school for gifted children (with cerebral palsy often the intellect remains intact) and hosts the TV show "Various News" on one of the TV channels. 
Tatyana Yumasheva
The daughter of the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Tatyana, gave birth to a son, Gleb, in 1995. The boy was born with Down syndrome. For many years, the press did not report the features of the child in order to divert unsolicited attention from the family. However, the editors of the site note that Tatyana Yumasheva recently wrote about her son herself - she said that Gleb swims well, remembers and loves many pieces of music, and also plays chess well. 
Lolita Milyavskaya
Rumors about the features of Lolita's daughter, born in marriage to Alexander Tsekalo, began to circulate almost from the moment she was born. They also wrote that she had Down syndrome, and that the girl was autistic. Lolita Milyavskaya herself denied these speculations. According to the singer, Eva, born in 1999, was born very premature, and her features are connected precisely with this. At birth, the girl weighed a little over one and a half kilos, she barely managed to get out. 
Konstantin Meladze
The son of producer Konstantin Meladze was born in 2005 and until recently the family hid that the boy was diagnosed with autism. Details difficult life the boy's mother told the autist only after her divorce from her husband (Konstantin left Yana for the singer Vera Brezhneva). According to her, parents should not repeat her mistakes and consult doctors as early as possible - if ASD is diagnosed in time, the ability to compensate for it is much higher (at the same time, we note that in Russia for a long time children under three years of age were not diagnosed with autism in principle). 
Svetlana Bondarchuk
The daughter of Fyodor Bondarchuk and his wife Svetlana lives away from her parents in London. According to Svetlana Bondarchuk, she studies and undergoes rehabilitation there. British specialists in working with special children suit the couple more than domestic ones. The girl Varya was born in 2001 a little ahead of schedule, the peculiarities of her development are connected with this. 
Raising a child with special needs is not an easy task, even for parents with opportunities. However, it also happens that quite ordinary children of stars do not stand the test of parental glory and indulge in all serious. We invite you to read about the most unlucky children Russian celebrities.
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Down syndrome did not prevent the Spaniard Pablo Pineda from getting higher education, and also become a film actor: he played leading role in feature film"Me too" (2009).
Pablo Pineda is a convincing proof that even Down syndrome is not a final sentence for a person (like, probably, any disease or disability in general). A lot depends on the courage of the person himself, his willingness to fight for himself and his future, as well as, of course, on the love and help of his loved ones.
What is Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is a congenital genetic pathology in which a person has one extra chromosome: instead of 46, there are 47 of them in the chromosome set of the cell: one chromosome, namely the 21st, is represented by three copies instead of two.
For the first time this syndrome was described by the English doctor John Down in 1862, erroneously qualifying it as a form of mental disorder. Signs of people with Down syndrome are a flat face with slanted eyes (this pathology was even called “Mongolism” for quite a long time), an open mouth, a small nose, a short wide neck, a flat nape, low muscle tone, etc.
In the early 20th century, with the advent of eugenics, people with Down syndrome began to be forcibly sterilized in many US states. The same thing was done first in Nazi Germany, and then they were completely destroyed in order to “purify the Aryan race” as part of the T-4 killing program (“Action Tiergartenstrasse 4”).
It is recognized that the birth of a child with Down syndrome (an average of 1 birth in 700-800) can be affected by the age of the mother. Very often, such children are born to women over 35 years old. Usually people with Down syndrome are called "children of the Sun" - for peacefulness and kindness, the absence of any aggressiveness.
In Russia, about 2,000 children with Down syndrome are born every year, and 85% of them turn out to be superfluous in their family: their parents refuse them. In Europe and the US, if prenatal diagnosis diagnoses a baby with Down syndrome in the womb, more than 90% of mothers will have an abortion. Doctors have been sounding the alarm about this for a long time, but so far it has not been possible to cope with the problem.
Pablo is the first
Meanwhile, it is a delusion to believe that such children are not taught. They do have delays in intellectual and physical development varying degrees of severity. These may be problems with speech and hearing, the development of fine motor skills and communication skills. However, they can still develop: learn not only to walk and talk, but also to read and write, like other children, albeit with a lag.
A striking example of the learning ability of people with Down syndrome is the Spaniard Pablo Pineda, who was born in 1974 in the Spanish city of Malaga. He grew up in a family where, in addition to him, his two older brothers were brought up. Pablo became the first person in Europe with Down syndrome who was able to get a higher education. He graduated in 1999 from the University of Malaga with a degree in Educational Psychology.
The fact that he was not like everyone else, the boy first learned from his teacher at the age of seven, when he had to go to school. "I am stupid?" Pablo asked him. "No," shrugged his interlocutor. "Can I go to school?" He answered in the affirmative, although at that time it was unusual. It is today that 85% of Spanish children with Down syndrome go to general, non-specialized schools. Then Pablo became one of the very first such children who studied in a regular school along with the rest of the children.
Pablo remembers the school with gratitude. In one of the interviews about school years he said this: “School is the best time. It was a wonderful, interesting, but also tough experience that enriched my life incredibly. It was especially difficult when I was a teenager.”
Fortunately for him, his parents took great care of his development and did a lot of work on him. Pablo himself says this about this: “I grew up in a cultured family, with daily newspapers and a library, curiosity woke up in me very early ... In general, such a child should be brought up as a child, and not as a “disabled person”: he needs to be educated. Parents should talk to him, because the worst enemy of children with Down syndrome is silence ... Parents should always be with them, they should show that this is their child. Children with Down Syndrome do not need to be overprotected: they need constant mental and physical stimulation and learn on their own.”
Another secret to Pablo's success is hard work. For example, he said that he works out 6-7 hours a day. At the same time, Pablo explained that for him this is largely a necessity: after all, people with Down syndrome study and assimilate educational material are harder than usual.
In his early youth, Pablo wanted to become a lawyer or a journalist. However, in the end, he chose the profession of a teacher at the university. For some time after graduation, Pineda worked in the municipality of the city of Malaga. Now he is busy teaching at a school in the Spanish city of Cordoba.
At the 2009 San Sebastian International Film Festival, Pineda won Best Actor in Me Too, where he played a university teacher with Down syndrome. It can be said that in the film, Pablo largely plays himself.
We bring to your attention excerpts from one of the interviews with Pablo Pineda, where he talks about his life and how, in his opinion, society should treat people with Down syndrome.
Pablo Pineda: we should be seen as ordinary people
– What do you remember about school? Was it difficult to adapt?
- I remember the school period as useful enough for me. The difficulties I encountered were often caused by distrust and fear on the part of senior teachers. They were prejudiced and took it for granted that I would fail in my studies. But I got lucky. I was supported by young teachers. They approved my stay at the school and insisted that I stay.
With early childhood I have always studied at the state educational institutions. I must admit that because of Down syndrome my path was not covered with roses, and I had problems with integration.
– How do you fight for your integration? What is the most difficult thing here?
– From the very beginning until today, I have to constantly prove and show what I am capable of. It is very difficult, it is a very difficult struggle, the most difficult in my life. I always have to go one step ahead. I've hit "no" hundreds of times, but I've learned to fight and get "yes." Some things offended me. For example, they told me that my case was artificial, that it was a substitution, that I had a “mosaic” form of the syndrome (a variant of Down syndrome, in which only some, and not all, cells of the body contain tripled chromosome 21 - ed.).
- In your opinion, are young Spaniards able to truly integrate a person with Down syndrome into society?
I have many friends and have great memories of school. Children are more tolerant, more solidary. As a teenager, it was more difficult for me. The guys at the institute were not so understanding ... Well, okay, in any case, the good outweighs. Everyone has their own experience. Everything happened to me, but, in general, my student life was happy.
– How did you get involved in the work?
– … I am a certified teacher in the field special education in the direction of "pedagogical psychology". I'm the only person with Down syndrome who has managed to make a career. I consider myself lucky, I do not sit without work. For almost a year I worked in the department of social welfare of the Malaga city hall, then in a project for socialization and involvement in professional activity people who are on the verge of marginalization… I really enjoy working.
- Do you understand that most people with Down syndrome do not have the same opportunities for a self-sufficient life?
- I feel my exceptional position and I think that several circumstances contributed to this: firstly, I myself very clearly saw myself as such. In addition, my parents helped me with all their might. They believed in my strength and always supported me. They once and for all decided for themselves that I was absolutely normal in everything and did not distinguish between me and my brothers. Of course, this was not easy for me.
– So you think that parents play a key role in the development of a person with Down syndrome?
- The most important, without a doubt. But, unfortunately, many parents who have a child with Down syndrome instantly lose hope, do not invest in it as they should, because they simply do not realize its capabilities. This is where I differ from most guys with Down syndrome. At the same time, it is very important not to overload such children with care, they must be given the freedom to develop.
– Have you had moments when you wanted to quit everything, moments of complete loneliness?
Yes, in my second year of undergraduate studies. Everything was going against me that year. The teachers were full of prejudices, I suffered from classmates, they looked down on me, contemptuously ... that was still the situation. I didn't tell my parents anything. As a result, I endured everything and came to the conclusion that I was able to overcome everything myself. In general, I began to live on. It's funny that in the worst moments of my life, I always meet someone who helps me and supports me. I always have a guardian angel.
– What is your goal for the near future?
- I have always believed and still believe that my goal is to fight for the liberation of society from prejudices and stereotypes. Our voice must be heard by society, we must be seen ordinary people. Until now, I sometimes ask myself if society really understands me. It seems to me that people with Down syndrome are not yet sufficiently understood and appreciated as individuals. Ignorance and often ignorance reigns in this topic. In general, the road ahead is long, you have to prove a lot.
– What is your advice to a person with Down Syndrome who is having difficulty tolerating their condition?
– My advice is to never lose your presence of mind, to feel strength and courage in yourself, to accept yourself as anyone and love yourself. In no case be afraid, do not envy anyone and discard complexes! We must fight with all our might. Surely, you have some abilities, and they need to be cultivated. For example, I manage to write well and study well, but then a bear stepped on my ear. Everyone decides for himself what to develop.
Can you remember a day that fills you with pride? The day when you felt that your efforts were not in vain?
- I can, and not one such day. Once, when students of a professionally oriented course were awarded for the successes, I was awarded a special award. I was bursting with pride when I saw a crowded assembly hall in front of me, heard applause and shouts of approval. It was truly an indescribable feeling. Another time I did an internship at school, and they gave me an incredible honor, prepared a bunch of surprises, poems in my honor. I still get goosebumps when I remember…. At the end we all cried!
