Children with Down's Syndrome have been part of our society for at least as long as recorded history, yet only in the past few years has society begun to accept them. As recently as only twenty years ago, most children with Down's Syndrome failed to thrive due to a simple lack of medical attention. Those that did thrive entered into a society that was only prepared to ignore, ridicule, or at best remain indifferent to their plight. Most were hidden from society by parents who feared for their children's safety and the inevitable social pressure which would effect the entire family.

During the past twenty years, much has changed. Children with Down's Syndrome can be seen on television as professional actors, and are the subject of feature length films. They are seen in the workplace demonstrating a broad range of skills, and are often included in social activities with their chronologic peers. Today, children with Down's Syndrome are granted normal medical care, and have their basic needs met. They are treated with dignity, sent to school, and given vocational opportunities. Most significantly, the child with Down's Syndrome is loved and raised as a member of the family. Today, they can achieve a quality of life that was not believed possible only a few years ago.

In examining the factors responsible for such rapid and dramatic changes, the most obvious influence has undoubtedly been the family. Parents led this extraordinary social revolution, and they did so with virtually no help. Now, there are agencies, organizations, and concerned citizens who strive to provide a higher quality of life for all those who are afflicted with this specific chromosomal abnormality.

Dr. John F. Unruh has spent many years working with parents of Down's Syndrome children and has actively participated with them in their efforts. The foundation for The Centre For Neurological Rehabilitation's services is based upon the collective experiences of thousands of families, combined with state-of-the art science and educational techniques. The programs of The Centre, under the direction of Dr. Unruh, are designed to strengthen and support the efforts of parents, and to significantly influence the development of children with Down's Syndrome. To this end, The Centre For Neurological Rehabilitation and its staff are singularly dedicated.

In 1964, with the commitment and effort of many renowned specialists, The Centre For Neurological Rehabilitation opened for services. Its mission was twofold: first, to support, educate and encourage the families of handicapped children. Often, after looking at their options, families experienced feelings of hopelessness and despair. They became confused and frustrated, particularly after learning that specialists seldom agreed on medical, educational, social or behavioral management plans. There was clearly a need for information, counseling, and support strategies, and The Centre committed itself to providing them.

The second part of The Centre's mission was to seek out the best therapy solutions available, and then to teach parents how to help their children, in their own homes. They found solutions that produce results, and that help children with Down's Syndrome reach their full potential. They found solutions which can be suited to each individual child's and family's needs.

The Centre has never abandoned its mission, and recognizes that these needs are just as evident today as they were in 1964.

Since its inception, the staff at The Centre has worked with thousands of Down Syndrome children and their families who came to our clinics in. As families achieved encouraging results, word spread, and more and more interest in The Centre's work grew. The Centre has since, had the good fortune to service clinics in countries such as Spain, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Canada and New Zealand. These experiences provided not only a cross-cultural view of these families and children, but also exposure to international specialists who continue to enrich The Centre's knowledge and skills.

The programs and practices of The Centre for Neurological Rehabilitation are unique. For example, The Centre is one of the few services that works closely with the same child over a number of years. Although most families are active for several years, there are some who continue for much longer. This has provided The Centre with invaluable insight into what activities are likely to provide benefits as the child gets older. Another important aspect is that since results are achieved by the family in the home, The Centre has no need for a large staff or a sophisticated building; thus, it is possible to provide a comprehensive service in a cost effective way.

Generally, The Centre sees children with Down Syndrome every three months to review and monitor the changes in the child as well as the child's medical, social, educational, nutritional and dietary needs. This interval also provides an opportunity to support, counsel, and . In this way, family and staff find ft possible to develop a long-range therapy plan to meet the child's needs, and to monitor these needs effectively.

Our work with Down's Syndrome children has allowed us to grow with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and share in many of their courageous triumphs. We have seen the pride in the hearts of parents when their efforts bore fruit. We have seen the pain in the eyes of parents who felt helpless, and we have watched them glow with the excitement that comes from each achievement. We have seen the twinkle in their eyes and the happiness in their hearts when they discover that the answers they seek lie in their own hands.

Through it all these dynamic families have taught us better ways of understanding and solving problems. We learned about the role of professionals in guiding families in the decision making process. We know which techniques are successful, and which are not. We know just how significantly parents can influence the outcome of their handicapped loved one. But most of all, we know that all parents are powerfully capable of making the best decisions for their child's management when given proper information.

Currently, the work of The Centre For Neurological Rehabilitation provides three important areas of help for children with Down's Syndrome. First, we provide experienced guidance to families who need help, with answers to questions and solutions to management problems. For example, we know the importance of behavior management and proper educational opportunities for Down's Syndrome children. We can help parents plan an appropriate diet with proper nutrients and we can help identify medical needs. We know the importance of proper monitoring or medical issues such as thyroid problems, developmental hip problems, Atlanto-axial joint difficulties and when vision and hearing test are appropriate. We also know the value of helping parents with diet and nutrition which is extremely important to development, well being, growth and general health. Second, we provide sensory-motor techniques that have been shown to reduce some of the characteristics of children with Down's Syndrome such as tongue protrusion and squint. Third and most importantly, we provide programs that assure the best possible neurological development--an extremely important area that is generally overlooked or ignored.

Research now shows that children with Down's Syndrome suffer some degree of damage to their nervous systems. We have been able to demonstrate this with specific tests like the CAT Scan, Electroencephalogram and other diagnostic procedures. Beyond this, and perhaps most surprising was our discovery that every Down's Syndrome child we investigated methodically engaged in behaviors which interfere with proper, healthy, neurological development.

Since the brain does not complete its development until about the age of 6 years, environment can influence just how well its maturing process takes place. Generally, given a neurologically healthy environment, it takes place without incident. In the case of children with Down's Syndrome, however, the important stages of early development are either skipped or substituted with peculiar activities, the neurological effects of which are devastating. For example, instead of creeping around on all fours to explore the early environment, children with Down's Syndrome do so with one leg out to the side, or with one knee locked in a strange position. They may also simply bounce on their knees, or skip creeping all together and scoot around in the sitting position. Some just elephant walk on their hands and feet. Children with Down's Syndrome seem to be masters at finding activities that interfere with their natural neurological development.

Such behaviors seriously interfere with the normal maturing process of the nervous system. At age six, when other children approach life with a mature, functional nervous system that has developed the learning tools that they will need, children with Down's Syndrome move on with a nervous system that is immature and inefficient. Their undeveloped nervous system will prevent them from achieving their potential because ft is disorganized, inefficient, and lacking in essential learning skills.

Of course, we will never change the fact that these children have Down's Syndrome, but we have gained a new understanding of the problem and what can be done to help. Not only can good general management be of help, but specific neurological dysfunctions, ranging from mild to severe, can be identified. These dysfunctions can be significantly influenced with a program of therapy activities, done in the home, by families themselves, in order to narrow the gap between performance and potential. Many problems can be avoided if such objectives are addressed early in life. However, even when older Down's Syndrome children are treated, improvement is forthcoming because the nervous system can be taught the skills it lacks. The results families have achieved using The Centre's methods have shown just how dramatically parents can influence the quality of life for their children.

Overdue as it may be, a new age really is upon us. The past 10 years have been full of examples of positive, rapid change. Research moves forward providing new clues to the cause of Down's Syndrome. Programs of appropriate medical management are now readily available, and exciting contributions from the fields of bio-molecular medicine and diet are providing results that until recently were simply not available. Coupled with the guided energies of the family working to achieve neurological, behavioral, and educational goals, the future of children with Down's Syndrome is clearly better than ever thought possible.

Indeed, the rewards of parenting a child with Down's Syndrome today are significantly more gratifying than in the past. The fears and hopelessness of the past are gone, and thanks to thousands of determined families and courageous children, the future contains infinite possibilities.