CURRENT TERMINOLOGY
As you know, language evolves, and this is certainly true of the terminology used to describe individuals with Down syndrome.Here is a crash course on how to talk about Down syndrome:
Some countries use the term "Down's Syndrome", but the correct usage in Canada is Down syndrome, without the "s".
The term "mongoloid" is considered taboo and is highly offensive.
Remember the child is a person first, so you would say you have a baby with Down syndrome, not a "Down's child" or "Down syndrome baby".
The child is not "suffering from" or "afflicted with" Down syndrome; the child has Down syndrome.
The term "mental retardation" is still used in the U.S., but is falling out of favour in Canada. Other terms you can use are intellectual disability or developmental delay.
Each year there is a campaign to Spread the Word to End the Word. Visit this website for more information on how to stop the use of the r-word in your school, workplace, or community.