MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has participated with the countries of the world in the World Down Syndrome Day celebrations on Monday, March 21.

The slogan for this year’s celebration is ‘participation and effective integration into society’ as well as to raise awareness regarding Down Syndrome and the recognising valuable contributions in this aspect across the schools, rehabilitation centres, businesses, communities and public life and in other walks of life.

The total number of “Down syndrome cases” benefiting from the system of programs and services provided by the rehabilitation centres of the Ministry of Social, Private and Civil Development is 1,117 cases, including 638 males and 479 females, and they are distributed among the various rehabilitation centres located in the various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.

Down syndrome is defined as a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately one child for every 700 natural births. Of the 46 chromosomes, this extra genetic material causes a change in growth, physical features and health problems which characterises as Down Syndrome causing intellectual disability ranging from mild, moderate to severe and delayed development for life.

Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jabri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Omani Down Syndrome Society, said, “The association works to provide the main services for this category in the Sultanate of Oman through methods of rehabilitation and education to contribute to achieving an actual and real integration of them in all areas of life and society.”

In a statement, he added that the association works according to a vision of humanitarian work and from the perspective of society for all, and to create an integrated environment for people with Down syndrome who are an integral part of the Omani society as a whole.

He stated that the association provides primary and comprehensive care with the aim of achieving social empowerment for the Down syndrome category through: education, rehabilitation, psychological and family counseling, training and empowering cadres working with children with Down syndrome and their families. Down’s syndrome.

He stressed the great role that the private sector can play by contributing to the provision of some qualification, educational and training requirements for the continuity of the role played by the association in educating and rehabilitating this category.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Down Syndrome Association explained that the association aims to implement preventive strategies, whether to reduce the effects and their severity or bypassing them, or to overcome the results and negatives of Down syndrome through solidarity and integration, and to help families with newborns characterised by the syndrome, enumeration and inventory of old and new cases and at birth, providing the necessary services and linking the family In order to provide rehabilitation to parents, educate them and guide them in knowing how to deal with these newborns, how to raise and raise them in a correct and sound manner, and strive to develop health, psychological, educational, educational and employment services.

He added, “The association works to provide training, rehabilitation and educational courses for affected children from birth to adulthood, to provide induction and awareness programs about the syndrome, its causes and how to deal with it, and to strengthen relations with local, external, professional and civil associations, clubs and schools for children with disabilities, and to clarify and highlight the true image of the syndrome in the local and global environments. In addition to establishing an information centre to support and encourage studies, research and specialised services.”

For her part, Hala bint Musa Al Wahaibi, Director of the Al-Aman Rehabilitation Center at the Ministry of Social Development, said, “The Ministry of Social Development pays great attention to people with Down syndrome through continuous development in the services and programs provided to them to improve the quality of life and meet their needs and provide rehabilitation, support, guidance and empowerment services in various areas of life In rehabilitation centres equipped with the appropriate equipment that helps to receive and enroll a number of cases of Down syndrome by specialists in various fields according to appropriate capabilities that help them achieve their selves and develop their social, cognitive, kinesthetic and other skills.”

She added that the Ministry of Social Development, with the participation of all partners, is working to implement the provisions of the ‘Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’, which stipulates the need for these people to enjoy a dignified and purposeful life under conditions that guarantee dignity, encourage self-reliance and facilitate their effective participation in the local community, in line with the vision of “Oman 2040” and the executive work plan for the axis of persons with disabilities in the “Social Work Strategy 2016-2025”, which aims to advance persons with disabilities in various aspects of public life, and involve them in the social and economic aspects.

Fadwa bint Obaid al-Kharbushiya, a special education specialist at the Al-Aman Rehabilitation Center, indicated that the center provides rehabilitation sessions for children with Down syndrome from three to five years old, and is also evaluated and diagnosed by a team according to an action plan determined according to cases.

In the same context, Nasser bin Mubarak Al-Dhamri of the Omani Down Syndrome Association stressed the role that the family of children of this group can play, noting that it is the first and most influential supportive environment in the development of their children, especially in the early childhood years, so the child acquires various skills that he shares with his family.

He added, “Early intervention programs help in the development of delayed various developmental skills, such as language and motor skills, as well as provide guidelines for parents and caregivers to help them deal with and modify the behaviour of their children to suit their abilities and developmental skills.”

Howaida Gweny, an occupational therapist at the Ministry of Social Development, indicated that during occupational therapy sessions, children with Down syndrome are evaluated at the Al-Aman Rehabilitation Center and a treatment plan is drawn up for each case according to age and different mental abilities, focusing on building sensory and movement skills that include standing, balance and fast walking, as well as cognitive skills. These include understanding, responding, colour recognition, similar picture matching, and feeding self-reliance.

Yasser bin Muhammad Saeed, a speech therapist at the Al-Aman Rehabilitation Center, indicates that each child has an individual quarterly treatment plan that matches his mental abilities and is evaluated according to a specific schedule, carried out by an integrated team consisting of a speech therapist, a special education specialist, a physiotherapist and a social worker.

In the same context, Najeeb bin Abdul Razzaq Al-Awadi, an occupational therapist at the Omani Down Syndrome Society, stresses the importance of the role played by the occupational therapist by modifying the therapeutic environment to improve ensuring the rehabilitation of the individual. individual and ensuring his independence.

Ashraf bint Abdullah Al Majeriya, a physiotherapist at the Omani Down Syndrome Society, indicated that the chromosomal imbalance for people with Down syndrome causes muscle relaxation and joint flexibility, which causes a delay in acquiring motor skills and motor growth such as head control, crawling and sitting, adding that exercises and exercises work to strengthen muscles to accelerate the acquisition of motor skills. skills and reduce the abnormal postures of the body that appear in the long run.

Afaf bint Abdullatif Al-Azabiya, a specialist in special education, said, “There are several individual educational methods and educational methods that in turn help children with Down syndrome in stimulating their mental and physical abilities that they possess to the largest possible number and helping them to achieve themselves and adapt to the environment around them.”