What are the attitudes that infantilise people with Down’s syndrome?

Society tends to perceive people with Down’s syndrome as younger than they actually are, due to their physical appearance and certain characteristics of the condition. As a result, they are often treated like children, without considering their real age or the knowledge and skills they have acquired over time.

One of the main infantilising attitudes is the mistaken assumption that a person with Down’s syndrome needs the same repetitive reminders as a young child.

When they are constantly reminded of things they have already internalised, without taking their abilities into account, they are treated as if they were much younger. Unlike small children, people with Down’s syndrome have already developed many skills and have worked hard to become independent and autonomous. However, they are often given unnecessary instructions for tasks they already know how to do, or they are not given enough time to apply what they have learnt.

Another common attitude is doing things for them without asking. For example, in restaurants, people often order food on their behalf rather than allowing them to speak for themselves, making them feel invisible. Additionally, society tends to rush, not giving them enough time to express themselves or clearly communicate what they want.

Other forms of infantilisation include constant over-explanation, such as giving exaggeratedly detailed instructions for simple tasks:
➡️ “Go and buy some milk. The shop is to the right, not the left. And don’t forget to buy milk.”

It is also common for people to speak to them using diminutives (“little one”) or to treat them with a level of maturity that does not align with their desires as adults.

It is essential to change these attitudes and recognise the autonomy and abilities of people with Down’s syndrome, respecting their right to express themselves and make their own decisions.