A healthy environment should be a birthright for all children. Indoor air and water pollution, inadequate sanitation, and other environmental dangers to children often require home water filtration systems; better stoves for cooking and heating. and other measures to reduce infection and disease.

The 2012 Hallmark movie "A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Special Education Teacher, His Class, and Their Inspiring Journey Through U.S. Space Camp" is as inspirational today as it was in 1989. The actor playing the student with Down syndrome is Peter ten Brink.

Some babies are late to learn 'self-soothing' because they are not developmentally ready to take on that responsibility. Teaching a baby to self-soothe without being aware of what might be causing them physical discomfort or other distress is counterproductive to raising a resilient child.

In 1995, Sandra Jensen was initially denied a heart/lung transplant because she was born with Down syndrome and medical professionals felt she would be unable to manage post-operative care. In 2012, a young patient with intellectual disability was denied a kidney transplant even with a family donor

The first early intervention programs for children with developmental disabilities began as preschool studies of children with Down syndrome. Films, photos and videos showing their potential and accomplishments raised professional and public awareness, like today's advocates using social media.

Parents and caregivers of babies and children with disabilities should be familiar with the symptoms and lack of symptoms seen with bacterial and viral varieties of pneumonia.

New Year resolutions for parents of children with disabilities, delays, or chronic health conditions often have less to do with the child or the diagnosis than they do the relationships we have with family, friends, and professionals involved in our children's care.

There are many reasons that winter holiday stress complicates the lives of families of children with disabilities, developmental delays or chronic health conditions. There are more reasons to dwell on the joy and let the stress take a holiday.

I became sensitive to certain words and phrases when my son was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome. I am grateful that his pediatrician developed his own awareness without my intervention. A good doctor can learn from every new patient. Some average doctors may overwhelm by their own ignorance.

Moya Moya disease is a rare condition slightly more common in children with Down syndrome and should be considered if an individual with DS of any age shows symptoms of stroke, seizures, headache or continued loss of cognitive abilities. The Stanford Moyamoya Center has treated patients since 1991.