Chromosomes & Chaos

Meet your hosts: Patty & Amber!! On this trailer episode we give you some insight on who we are, how we both have kids with Down syndrome (who also happen to be our oldest) and how we both juggle multiple kids, busy schedules, and all the chaos in between.

Together, we’re sharing the laughter, the tears, the chaos, and the beauty of this journey—because no parent should feel alone. We are so excited your here! 

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

On this episode of Down with the Robinson's we discuss how our first IEP meeting went, what an IEP meeting is and our initial thoughts going into the meeting to talk to the teachers. We also talk about Pierce's first day of preschool and how excited we are about his future and next chapter of his life. 

This poem from Jillian Benfield also gives us all of the feels as we start this school journey:

I pray my child is embraced for who they are. I pray they are wanted not in spite of their differences, but because of them. May their diversity be celebrated.

I pray teachers and staff have a healthy balance of patience and high expectations because they are capable of much.

God, I pray you open up my child’s mind with readiness to grow. May they learn more about your world, so they can fully embrace the beautiful life you’ve given them.

God, I pray kindness abounds. May it flow steadily from both kids and adults through the classroom, playground, and hallways.

Beyond kindness, beyond inclusion, I pray my child makes a real friend. Because life is hard, disability can be complicated, and we all need someone to lean on.

God, this is my prayer above all, more than academic progress or meeting IEP goals, I pray my child walks into school every day knowing they belong.

Amen

On this podcast we want to share our journey with down syndrome and how it has completely changed our lives, We are here to spread awareness and information, make an impact and give back to the community that has given us so much!

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

We are so excited for this Down With The Robinsons podcast episode. We talk about Addi's diagnosis, how they handled the words "YOUR CHILD HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITIY, DO YOU WANT TO TERMINATE?" What the biggest struggles have been so far and what advice she gives someone who has a diagnosis. .

You don't want to miss this episode!!! We absolutely love this family and are so thankful that we get to see them weekly and Pierce has a bestie for life!!

On this podcast we want to share our journey with down syndrome and how it has completely changed our lives, We are here to spread awareness and information, make an impact and give back to the community that has given us so much!

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

What is early intervention?
It is the term used to describe the services and supports that are available to babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. May include speech therapy, physical therapy, and other types of services based on the needs of the child and family.

What is speech therapy?
Speech therapy is the assessment and treatment of communication problems and speech disorders. ... Speech therapy techniques are used to improve communication. These include articulation therapy, language intervention activities, and others depending on the type of speech or language disorder.

Disclaimer: We are NOT experts and always recommend getting advice from a professional if you are concerned about your child. We are using this space because we love sharing our experiences in hopes that it can shine light on Down Syndrome & help other families.

Listen to the episode by clicking on the link below! As always, thank you for being a part of our journey! ❤

On this podcast we want to share our journey with down syndrome and how it has completely changed our lives, We are here to spread awareness and information, make an impact and give back to the community that has given us so much!

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

What are the health risks associated with Down Syndrome? Are kids with disabilities in the same classroom as typical students? Is Pierce excited to start school? 

On this episode of Down With The Robinson's we switch it up to a Q&A style and answer some questions from our followers. Give it a listen and see if your question was answered.

As always, thank you for following our journey and for your interaction in helping is spread awareness. We are so thankful for our community. Keep spreading the love! ❤❤

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

On this weeks episode, we discuss all of the resources that have been most valuable to us since Pierce's birth. After we posted his diagnosis on social media, the outreach and connections we made allowed us to utilize these resources and do more research on them. The saying "it takes a village" is so true and I am so thankful for our incredible down syndrome community and all of the resources that are available to us where we live. Be proactive and ask questions! That is the only way you are going to learn and be an advocate for your child. 

Here are the links to the resournces we refrenced in the podcast: 

Gigis Playhouse: https://gigisplayhouse.org/about-us/

DSDN: https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/about2

Special Olympics Iowa: https://www.specialolympics.org/

DHS Waivers: https://dhs.iowa.gov/ime/members/medicaid-a-to-z/hcbs/waivers

Iowa AEA: http://www.iowaaea.org/about/aea-services/

This podcast is meant to spread awareness and spread the love that the Down Syndrome community has blessed our lives with. Thanks for tuning in and for being a part of our journey! Please let us know if you have any questions. 

SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME: https://kraveathlete.com/collections/frontpage

On this weeks episode, we discuss how we felt the 7 days waiting to get the test results back from the pediatrician. There were a lot of tears, confusion and denial & uncertainty.

And for those of you who have never read the Welcome to Holland poem, here you go. Read it, keep it for yourself or tag someone who might need to read it.
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"When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
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After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.” “Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
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But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.
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So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you never would have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice Holland has windmills…and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
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But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy…and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”
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And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away…because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.
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But..if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to go to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things…about Holland."

This podcast is meant to spread awareness and spread the love that the Down Syndrome community has blessed our lives with.