Down sufferers should register

Star: MALACCA: Parents should not feel ashamed if one of their family members were to have Down Syndrome, said Malaysia Down Syndrome Association patron Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.
With some 50,000 cases in the country, less than 3,000 were registered with the association, thus making efforts to give aid difficult, he said.
He said the association had difficulty in channelling aid to cases due to limited information about them.
He said many parents, especially those in rural areas, did not register their children due to low awareness.
“Some parents feel shameful when their children are born with Down Syndrome,” he said after the launching the association's family day in Ayer Keroh here yesterday.
Over 700 Down Syndrome children and their families took part.
The association also launched a prototype database which would be operational by the end of the year.
“Through the database posted on the website, parents can share information and discuss their problems and their children's development,” Mukhriz said.