Hello, my name is Geny Cook, and I am the Secretary for the Down Syndrome Association. I have three beautiful children, Stephen (8/14/93), Michelle (09/11/96), Rachel (07/28/04).  Stephen is my special guy with Down syndrome. I was only 25 years old when Stephen was born and did not know until after his birth that he had Down syndrome. The first two weeks I went through periods of crying, sadness and anger at what Stephen was going to have to overcome. Stephen was blessed being born with no medical problems. I immediately I began researching ECI programs. I found an MHMR center where they started Stephen at 3 weeks old. They had never had a child with DS come to them so early. We worked with Stephen in every area of therapy through his ECI program.

At 3 years old, he attended a PPCD program at our nearby elementary school. In 1997, we moved out to the Hill Country in Bulverde, TX, and he started kindergarten at Bill Brown Elementary School. Now at the coming age of 15, he will be entering 10th grade at Smithson Valley High School. He continues to have the "ups and downs" of being a person with DS.

At age 4, we discovered that he had hypothyroidism and sensory neural and conductive hearing loss, 100% in his left ear and 20% in his right ear. We tried a hearing aid, but Stephen refused to wear one and would find every opportunity to throw it away, destroy it, or hide it from his teachers and I. By the age of 8, we just decided to let him wear an FM System, and we would sit on his right side to verbally communicate with him and use sign language. Having DS on top of being deaf has been a big struggle for all of us. The loss of hearing makes it difficult for him to be understood at times, and it frustrates him when he can not communicate well. It breaks my heart that he has to overcome two handicaps. He is such a smart little man, though!

Stephen is becoming a typical teenager. He loves to antagonize his sisters. He is very good with all types of video games and reaches amazing levels on each one. He loves working on the computer and is quite the "computer hacker". He rides a four wheel ATV and can do donuts on it. He loves to play basketball and enjoys bowling. He participates in the Special Olympics in the fall and spring. Just recently, Stephen started to wearing a hearing aid again, and what a difference in his speech and communication skills!  We are so excited that he has reached that goal. His sister, Michelle, has been a very big help, and he adores his little sister Rachel. 

Overall, having three children, he has been the easiest child to raise. I am so blessed that God chose me to have Stephen and to be Stephen's mom. Stephen always has a hug for me every morning. I look forward to those every day!