As a biologist, I spent several years learning the names of things and more interestingly learning that most things are named after the people that discovered their existence. This made for some very tough spelling challenges along my academic path! When I first heard the reference, Down syndrome, I wondered why is called ‘Down’?

For centuries, people with Down syndrome have been alluded to in art, literature and science. It wasn’t until the late nineteenth century, however, that John Langdon Down, an English physician, published an accurate description of a person with Down syndrome. It was this scholarly work, published in 1866, that earned Down, the recognition as the “father” of the syndrome. Although other people had previously recognized the characteristics of the syndrome, it was Down who described the condition as a distinct and separate entity.

To say that Lily is a Down’s baby is actually incorrect- she is not Dr Down’s baby- she is all mine! J