In my diploma thesis, I wrote about the everyday life of families who have a child with a
chromosomal specialty called Down's syndrome. A child with Down syndrome presents his
family with many challenges related to his development and upbringing. All family members
struggle with the challenges of living with Down syndrome, including siblings who are often
overlooked. The theoretical part of the thesis covers various topics of everyday life with a child
with special needs. These are, in addition to medical care, education, daily routines and social
interactions. The empirical part contains the analysis and findings of semi-structured interviews
with mothers of children with Down syndrome. I analyzed the testimonies of the interlocutors
regarding everyday life, their habits and routines, relationships within the family, acceptance of
children in the cociety and mothers' satisfaction with life. The findings indicate that everyday
life with a child with Down syndrome requires careful coordination of the various needs of the
child and all family members. Mothers, who are the most involved in their child's development,
experience a mixture of different feelings, which they manage successfully with different
approaches.
|