Down syndrome isn't what she IS—it's what she HAS

Enough is enough.

A French mom wrote a beautiful post on Facebook about the insensitive comments people make about her sweet little baby. "This is my daughter, Louise," she wrote. "She is 4 months old, and has two arms, two legs, two great chubby cheeks, and one extra chromosome."

Yes, Louise has Down syndrome, but her diagnosis doesn't define her.

"This 47th chromosome isn't what she IS; it's what she HAS," she says. "You wouldn't say, 'Oh what a little cancer sufferer...etc.'"

It makes me sad that in 2015 a mom had to write a letter like this. And she actually has to tell people not to ask her, "Was it not detected during pregnancy?" Doesn't that make you want to cry?

I think what's most powerful about this letter is that it's not written in anger. In frustration, yes, but not anger. This mom realizes people don't intend to be hurtful. She just wants them to understand their comments are insensitive, and they don't need to treat Louise as anything but an adorably chubby, sweet baby.

Maybe Louise, like Pip (our former cover star!), will help people realize that different is beautiful.

One can hope that people will stop using the R-word. And more than that, stop asking parents these hurtful questions. Because as this mom pointed out, "There are 500 new 'Louise's moms' every year whose days are ruined by unkind words."

Read more:
Why we put this little girl on our cover>
#DifferentIsBeautiful: The special calendar everyone should see>
The gifts of a child with Down syndrome>