My DH and I are both 21 y/o and have been married 2 1/2 yrs. I am 18w1d pregnant with our first baby. I had an amnio done because I have a rare genetic hereditary skin problem and the baby has a %50/50 of being born with it. All that'll mean is he has to be delivered via C-Section because babies with my skin problem EHK have a higher risk of infection from natural birth due to open skin lesions.

SO I was already expecting a special person, just knowing my baby could have that. Well my biggest fear in the world has been that my baby's would have D/S or Autism. I think it's because I never learned how to deal with developmental disorders?

So last thursday my Genetic counsellor calles at 7:30pm and says "well I have some bad news, the testing came back postive for Down Syndrome" I felt as tho my world was spinning. I literally felt dizzy. I asked "are you sure? " and she said %99.9.

It turns out he's a boy, (TYLER JAMES IS HIS NAME or TJ), and he has a Trisome 21 or D/S. I have done as much learning as possible about D/S since finding out. I was AMAZED to see a woman at my work today applying for a job with D/S. Simply because I'm uneducated about the wonderful brightness and skills that people with D/S can achieve. Each day I'm looking more forward to my little boy. I realize I shouldn't EVER put boundaries on him, even tho I'm scared to death that mentally he will be severely stunted. There's no way of knowing it. and I'll only be holding him back if I think he can't do some things

I spoke with a family in my town who has a 5yr old boy named PJ and he has D/s. they got prenatal diagnosis also. The father was telling me about how wonderful and smart he is. I know that now I am scared and so is my husband that we may not be able to take care of this little boy well enough. but You only ever learn by DOING something right?

My next biggest fear is that our next child will have it also. We've been given a %1 of having another baby with it. I'm not hardly worried about the skin problem because I can deal with that. But I pray that he doesn't have it and I can consider myself lucky.

If anyone wants to talk to me, my email is Beauty3551 @ Yahoo.com Or Myspace.com/martikadragoon