Introduction: Down syndrome is chromosomal disorder that occurs approximately in the ratio of 1: 700. In each body cell, three copies of the 21st chromosome occur instead of two. Children with Down syndrome grow and develop more slowly than other children. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma work is to research the process of relatives accepting a child with Down syndrome. Methods of work: A qualitative method was used - an in-depth interview was conducted with five relatives of a child with Down syndrome. Results: Fear and uncertainty are the prevailing feelings and thoughts when hearing that a girl is born with DS (they described the day as horrifying, full of questions – why it happened to them), devastation, sadness, and confusion. They face various fears – what will happen to her when she grows up and how hard school would be for her. All participants of the survey stated that they received the most support from their family. Their happiness when seeing how the child progresses, their love, the optimism they have received from the child, as well as laughter and joy, were listed as some of the positive sides of their experience. People accepted the girl differently. Some needed more time (several months), others a couple of days. One person stated they accepted her immediately. Questions about the meaning of the event were present in the process of acceptance. We divide it into three phases: initial shock, facing the fact, acceptance. Discussion and conclusion: The process of accepting the child was different for each person involved. One of them accepted the fact immediately, but they often still think about the event and ask themselves questions about it. The father needed several days to accept what happened, but he does not think about it anymore. Others needed more time – several weeks or even months. The process of acceptance includes thinking about the meaning of the event, which was accompanied by fear, uncertainty, and worry. One person's goals were: to accept the child, to socialize frequently, to help the family, and to cooperate with one another. Connecting with other parents helped, as well as informing about these children, additional experiences, and gaining knowledge. The process of accepting the child can be described as a curve that rises and falls and consists of good and bad days.
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