Sofía, The Girl With Down Syndrome Who Touches The World
Sophia is a beautiful girl. He is 7 years old and shines above all for his inner strength and such a positive attitude, that despite his young age, he has managed to move everyone. As she explains herself, having Down Syndrome does not hurt or scare her, in fact, life seems exciting to her.
We know that it is not the first time that we have talked to you about this genetic alteration that calls Down Syndrome, where the presence of an extra chromosome determines the common characteristics that we all know . Not long ago we explained the case of Asher Nash, the adorable baby to whom the world of advertising closed the doors only because of his appearance, because of his different features, because of his deficiencies.
Now, on this occasion, we are going a little further to tell you about a very large person contained in a very small body: Sophia. This Californian girl has achieved something that we very much needed: she is raising awareness. This is so because there is something that we cannot deny: we are facing a group that is generally disadvantaged or forgotten in our society.
It may sound cruel to say it, but it is an obvious fact: people with Down Syndrome are respected by society, but we have not yet taken a real and authentic step towards inclusion. Children, young people and adults with this characteristic do not need our compassion, they do not want us to understand them, what they really want is to be integrated with total naturalness, either in our work environments, in the ordinary classrooms of schools, advertising, art, cinema …
They want their space, they deserve to have a voice and that we see them as one more part of our society and not as “sick” people. Because as Sophia herself tells us, having Down Syndrome doesn’t hurt.
Sophia, a very dear girl
Sophia is adopted. She came into the world 7 years ago, in Ukraine, but when her parents saw her appearance and discovered her genetic condition, they decided to abandon her. Her first months of life were spent in an orphanage, until Jennifer Sánchez and her husband, accidentally crossed paths in her life, and they could not close their eyes, they could not leave that girl so needy to her fate.
Sophia’s adoptive parents were immediately aware of her for a very specific reason: one of her two sons, Joaquín, 8, also has Down syndrome. We cannot forget that we are facing a genetic peculiarity that undoubtedly demands an evident particular attention:
- These children often have congenital heart abnormalities
- Maturational delay
- Slow learning
- Eye problems
- Delays in muscle tone
- Bone problems and hypothyroidism …
They are undoubtedly conditions that require very special medical, emotional and personal attention that these parents did not encounter again. So when Sophia was 8 months old, she started a new life with a family that adored her from the first moment.
I am not afraid, I think that having Down Syndrome is exciting
Only a few months ago Jennifer Sánchez, Sophia’s mother, posted a video of her daughter on social networks without knowing that soon, it would become a viral video. It was a simple conversation between the two, where Sophia answered some questions about Down Syndrome.
In it, this girl explains that her particularity is in her blood, and that far from being afraid of feeling or looking different from the rest of the children, our protagonist explains, simply, that for her it is something exciting. It is because he can do anything, because his heart is excited in the same way as the rest of the children and because in his eyes, there seems to be no impediment to being happy.
- The video of Sophia did not take long to go around the world, and the reason for its impact was due above all for that self-confidence, for feeling excited, happy and satisfied for how she is, for what characterizes her.
- For Sophia being different is a great thing. She feels loved, she feels happy, she looks pretty because of how she is, because of her features and that own identity that she is building in the most positive way.
This girl shows us that having Down Syndrome is celebrating beauty in all its forms. Because a pretty face doesn’t have to have the classic lines we’re used to. Authentic beauty is that which stands out from a heart full of life, from a look that wants to take over the world and that feels good for the way it is.
Let’s do everything possible so that that feeling, that happiness, is present in her and in all children with special needs throughout their lives. Let’s encourage their inclusion, let’s normalize their presence so that we all win.
