A new movie, Yonker's Joe, was released on Friday that features a main character with Down Syndrome. Tom Guiry, plays Joe Jr. the son of Yonker's Joe, a con man with few scruples played by Chazz Palminteri.

I haven't had a chance to see this movie yet, but I was struck by the fact that Guiry, who does not have Down Syndrome, was cast to play a character with Down syndrome. Knowing that there are several actors will Down syndrome out there, I wondered why they were not cast? But perhaps it is is called "acting" for a reason.

I am very interested to see Guiry's performance in particular, and the movie in general. From the very short trailer that I watched, Guiry seems to do a credible job and the movie review that I read indicates that this movie touches on the important issue of transitions for adults with Down syndrome. I just hope that it doesn't fall into the trap of portraying people with Down syndrome by cliched stereotypes.

Has anyone seen this movie? What did you think?

As part of my job as a guide here on About.com, I frequently search the Internet for news regarding Down syndrome. In my endless web surfing, I have come across a lot of personal blogs about Down syndrome.

I am a bit of a privacy freak, so I was somewhat astounded by the sheer number of these blogs. I also have to admit that I was blown away by the energy of some of these parents - raising a couple of kids, working, and finding time to blog! The blogs run the gamut from recording ordinary events of day to day living, to being an advocacy site for people with Down syndrome. Some have a distinct religious tone and others are markedly pro-life, but the majority are really just diaries about daily living. I have to admit that there is a voyeuristic quality to reading these blogs but I do worry about privacy issues. Am I just being old-fashioned (I'm old, I know it) or is this a legitimate concern?

I also started wondering why people blog? Many of these blogs started out as a communication tool with far-flung friends and family, but they seem to have evolved into something else. Is there something therapeutic about blogging about your life? Does it allow you to connect to a larger community? I would love to here from readers out there who have a personal blog! Why did you start blogging and what do you get out of blogging? Drop me a line and let me know.

Atlantoaxial instability (at-lan-toe-ax-ee-ul instability), often referred to as AAI, is a condition affecting the two bones at the top of the spinal cord. About 15% of people with Down syndrome will have AAI diagnosed on an x-ray. Because people with Down syndrome can have somewhat stretchier ligaments, the two bones at the top of the neck (called C1 and C2) may be prone to excessive movement. Often this condition causes no problems, but very rarely it can affect the underlying nerves leading to serious neurological problems.

There are two forms of atlantoaxial instability: asymptomatic AAI and symptomatic AAI. Asymptomatic AAI means that the condition is not causing any symptoms in the person that has it. Symptomatic AAI occurs when the excessive movement of the vertebrae cause neurological problems which can range from mild to severe. People with symptomatic AAI should see a neurologist immediately to assess their symptoms and come up with a plan to manage the disorder.

Most people with Down syndrome do not have AAI in either form. Approximately 10-20% of people with Down syndrome will have asymptomatic AAI and will not require any medical treatment. Only 1-2% of people with Down syndrome will have symptomatic AAI. The treatments for symptomatic AAI include a soft collar or neck brace, muscle relaxants and sometimes surgery.

Read more about atlantoaxial instability here.

In a previous post, I mentioned that Bert Holbrook and his friends were attempting to get him into the Guinness Book of World Record as the oldest living person with Down syndrome.

Well - it's official. At the age of 80, Mr. Holbrook has been recognized as the oldest living person with Down syndrome by the Guinness Book of World Records. Born in 1929, when the life expectancy of children with Down syndrome was 9 years of age and institutions were the norm, Bert thrived. He was raised at home and was an integral part of the Waseca community where he lived with his parents and older sister. He worked in the family grocery and was known as Junior.

While Mr. Holbrook now holds the official Guinness World Record, I suspect that there are many other people out there with Down syndrome in their eighties. Do you know of anyone in their sixties, seventies or eighties with Down syndrome?