Could it be that Jeb Bates has Down's Syndrome?

[3 is enough]

Check out the latest update on their blog.

 

In one of the photos the little guy really looks like he has Down's Syndrome.

 

Also, Kelly writes about how

Quote

God makes everyone different and has a special purpose in mind for each person

 

(highlighted in bright red, no less)

 

She goes on to talk about challenges and accepting God's plan.

 

Seems rather telling to me.

[Feberin]

I'm surprised they wouldn't be right out there about it. I'd think the Bates would want to brag about how they didn't abort thier Down's Syndrome baby like heathens would and such.

[chiccy]

Is he the one with the lisp? Or is that Nathan?

[Kitty]

Is he the one with the lisp? Or is that Nathan?

Jeb is the newest one.

Also, I don't think he looks like he could have Downs.

[Witsec7]

Kelly mentions excessive amniotic fluid, which sometimes indicates a risk of a trisomy.

[chiccy]

Is there something wrong with Nathan, then? (or whichever one has the lisp...) Or does he just not talk properly?

[HOTW]

I hink perhaps the post is referring to FJ

[lilwriter85]

I remember one of the posters here who is a nursing student mentioned Jeb looking like he as Down Syndrome in another thread. Maybe he has it, but Kelly and Gil aren't sure of how to make an official annoucenment.

[super skeptic]

It doesn't look like Down syndrome to me. His eyes might look similar, but he's very small. Look at his other physical characteristics. His ears look normal-sized (DS ears are small), his hands/feet also look normal to me instead of smaller. His profile is not flat, his tongue is not protruding in that picture.

Either way, I doubt they wouldn't share something like that since it's not like people wouldn't notice eventually.

[emmiedahl]

I think they would probably share, although they might worry about being encouraged to stop breeding now that the eggs are old.

In this photo, he looks like he has some kind of trisomy:

It could also just be newborn puffiness, or part of the infection he had.

[mschelseae]

I feel like this photo is the only one that looks like that, so it could just be a bad photo

I have a cousin w/ DS, and it's kind of hard to tell, based on facial features, when they're that little

[3 is enough]

To be honest, there's only that one photo that makes me wonder.

But combined with a message that seems quite cryptic, I am suspicious that something is not quite right. There are no updates on how he's doing either, and he's been home for almost 3 weeks.

[Witsec7]

Gil mentioned that he is learning to update the blog. I'm not buying that crap.

[HOTW]

My youngest ha the facial look of t21 but it was just stage. Jeb has prety long fingers and most t21 have short stubby fingers. Time will tell if Jeb is affected

[adidas]

There's one photo where his facial features could indicate some characteristics of babies with Down Syndrome, but in the rest of the photos I don't see it. I think it was just the expression the camera caught in that one photo.

I don't see any other markers for Down Syndrome in any of the photos. I would be very surprised if he has it.

[adidas]

I feel like this photo is the only one that looks like that, so it could just be a bad photo

I have a cousin w/ DS, and it's kind of hard to tell, based on facial features, when they're that little

That's the same photo I was referring to.

[loratliff]

I don't see any Down markers either... Typically you'll see a "sandal gap" between the first and second toes, which he definitely doesn't have, and a simian crease (which you can't tell). As others have said, he doesn't have any of the facial markers either.

[polabear]

I think most people have pics of their babies looking kinda weird in the face at some point. My nephew is gorgeous, and there are a few pictures where I'd think he had downs or some sort of genetic issue.

[freealljs]

I don't know. That message was pretty odd.

But wouldn't they have done testing for Downs Syndrome, given Kelly's maternal age and increased likelihood of having a baby with a chromosonal issue?

As for not having Downs just looking at a photo, it's hard to tell. I find it quite telling that no new pics have been released of the baby at home.

[Lana]

I'm leaning toward not Downs.

I get the sense if he had Downs they would be explicit about it and using it to promote their pro-life agenda (a la Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum for Bella's trisomy 18).

[MrsKay]

I think it's just newborn puffiness. BabyKay is "normal" (there seriously has to be a better way to phrase that!), but on the day that he was born, there were a few times when I asked the nurses if they were SURE he was okay. He was the first of my 3 who got to stay with me after birth, and I'd never seen the changes that a newborn goes through right after birth, like, within 24 hours or so, and if you're watching them all the time. He did have a few moments when I wondered if he might have a Trisomy disorder. I blame the morphine. I think something is up with Jeb, but wouldn't put money on Down's.

[meow139]

I don't see anything to indicate DS to me.

[PennySycamore]

I don't know. That message was pretty odd.

But wouldn't they have done testing for Downs Syndrome, given Kelly's maternal age and increased likelihood of having a baby with a chromosonal issue?

As for not having Downs just looking at a photo, it's hard to tell. I find it quite telling that no new pics have been released of the baby at home.

Testing for genetic abnormalities is optional and cannot be forced upon the pregnant woman. Kelly likely would turned any genetic testing down

[BayLee_10]

Dare I say that perhaps someone told Kelly, or she read about, the 'Poor Michaela Bates' post and this has nothing to do with Jeb? Just a thought.

[alaeangelorum]

Not that I like internet diagnosis, but he does have a bit of a 'sandal gap' in his toes (could just be the way he is moving his feet) which is another sign of Down's.