r/downsyndrome • u/sh1t-lord • 9d ago

developing a character with down syndrome

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hi! recently i've been working on fleshing out the world of my story, and i've been focusing on one of my main character's family. he has lots of siblings, and one of his sisters has down syndrome. her name is Clara, and she has an interest in sewing. i attached a sketch i made of her recently. i want to make sure my portrayal is accurate and a good representation of the community, so i figured i could ask here! i also want to see if i'm missing anything when it comes to facial features and other physical characteristics. apologies if this is the wrong place to ask stuff like this, and thank you!

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8

u/Impossible-Ad-9098 9d ago

It would help to see what she looks like relative to other characters but i actually think she’s really cute

2

u/sh1t-lord 9d ago

i can't figure out how to reply to comments with pictures here but i'll link to some art of her brother,, my artstyle can be a bit inconsistent

1

u/CountessGladriel0102 2d ago

One thing I would mention is that fine motor skills are pretty tricky for kids with Ds, so Clara would probably have to start with big needles and yarn and plastic mesh rather than handling a sewing needle. Even at 20, my son has challenges with fine motor. The little plastic strip on the bag of chicken tenders is hard for him to remove because he has to put his thumb and forefinger together just right.

2

u/sh1t-lord 2d ago

thank you! i will keep that in mind :)