Chase’s Diagnosis Story | Black History Month

Jasmine, Chase’s mom, wrote a beautiful story about her son, who has Down syndrome. She walks us through the story of Chase’s diagnosis after birth and her emotions during and soon after. Jasmine also talks about the importance of representation in the Down syndrome community and how she feels blessed to be a role model for other young Black mothers.

“Chase was my first child. He was my introduction to motherhood. I had the best pregnancy and delivery, and everything was going “accordingly”. I was staring at him in amazement in my postpartum room when I began to hear him make a little gurgling noise. I let my nurse know, and they examined him and decided he needed to go to the nursery to flush the fluid from his lungs. It was nothing major, and he would be back with me within a few hours. I visited him in the nursery, and he was doing well.

I went back to my room to let him rest, and a few hours later, a nurse came in and told me that another nurse passing by thought that he may have Down syndrome. I was caught so off guard but I just wanted to know what that even meant. I had no experience with Down syndrome at all but had heard the term before. They let me know that they would call a geneticist over to do a bedside examination of him, and they would let me know how we would all proceed.

The geneticist came and said she couldn’t tell 100% by looking at him, and the only way to know would be by testing his DNA. She asked what we would want to do if he did have it. I responded, “Excuse me, what do you mean?”. She told us some people don’t want their babies anymore. I was stunned! I said, no, I think I will keep him and shook my head. I can’t believe she even asked me that.

Fast forward a month later, I officially got his diagnosis of Translocation Down syndrome. Within that month of waiting, I googled and researched so much about Down syndrome. One thing that stood out to me was that I didn’t see many babies of color. I told myself that regardless of his diagnosis, I would share Chase with the world. I wanted young moms and moms of color to feel like they could see someone who looked like them, going through a similar life experience as them, and feel encouraged.

That’s exactly what I did. Chase started modeling at 10 months old he was trending over social media, and the world had fallen in love with him just like I did the moment I held him in my arms. Representation matters so much, and I know a young black mom like me, maybe who received a diagnosis during pregnancy, has come across our page and decided to keep her baby regardless of the diagnosis. Down syndrome is the gift God has given the world to help people view the world from different lenses.”