A mum whose son waited two years for treatment is calling on the Scottish Government to do more for people with Down Syndrome.
The Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill is making its way through the Scottish Parliament and those with Down Syndrome are included under the learning disability part of the Bill.
But campaigners believe Down Syndrome should be added to the title to ensure the complex needs of those with it are adequately met.
Danielle Urie, 28, is concerned by “diagnostic overshadowing” – when a health professional assumes the behaviour of a person with learning disabilities is part of their disability without exploring other medical factors.
And she is being backed by SNP MP Christopher Stephens.
Steven, 11, waited two years before he was finally treated for a condition unrelated to Down Syndrome which caused chronic pain and bleeding, and resulted in “irreversible damage”.
Danielle, of Hillington, near Glasgow, also told how Steven was sent for speech therapy but after a short time was told there was no more they could do.
She said: “They wrote him off because he has Down Syndrome but I have persevered myself and he has begun to speak.”
Adding Down’s to the Bill would mean protocols would be laid down for medical tests which must be adhered to.
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