Family Adjustment and Adaptation With Children With Down Syndrome

Jim and Sally French* were both in their mid-20s when they got married. Sally worked as a teacher, and Jim was employed part-time as an electrical engineer, completing a master's degree with the goal of soon assuming a management-level position with his company. During Jim's school years the couple spent a lot of time dreaming about their life in the future. Well-educated individuals dedicated to their chosen professions, they saw themselves buying a house in the suburbs and starting a family. When Sally became pregnant, both parents-to-be were overjoyed and waited for the birth with great expectations. They planned for Sally to take a year off from work and then for her mother to assume child-care responsibilities. The pregnancy itself was without complications, and, as the due date approached, extended family members telephoned regularly to see what assistance they might offer the young couple. When Michael was born, at 6 pounds 8 ounces, he appeared to be a healthy little boy. Twelve hours later the attending obstetrician informed Sally and her husband that their son was "severely retarded-a child with Down syndrome." Although Michael had no obvious medical problems, his parents were informed that he would be at high risk for a variety of health complications throughout his life. Professionals suggested on several occasions that the best thing for the family and the child would be to place him in an institution where, according to their physician, "he will get the best care possible." Immediately rejecting this idea, both parents looked to their families for emotional support. Unfortunately, this was not forthcoming, as relatives on both sides of the family seemed to agree that the young couple would not be able to rear a child with a "severe disability" successfully. Michael's birth set into motion a chain of events that, according to Jim and Sally, "drastically changed our lives." Despite a lack of family support, Sally and Jim were adamant that Michael would be reared at home. Years later the couple seem sure they made the right decision. Jim describes Michael as "a determined young man who knows what he