The truth about Jon Gosselin and Down syndrome — Does he really have it? It’s been suspected for quite some time now that Jon Gosselin has Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a form of mental retardation, and people who have this condition have a distinct facial appearance. People with Down syndrome used to be commonly referred to as mongoloids. Since Jon Gosselin has been in relentlessly news since the start of this year, many people have been wondering if he has this genetic form of mental retardation.
The answer is NO. It amazes me that people cannot tell the difference between a person with Down syndrome, and a person of Asian descent. Jon Gosselin is one-half Korean. The other “half” of him is French and Irish. This information comes from the International Movie Database. However, from time to time, Jon Gosselin’s ethnic heritage is mentioned on “Jon & Kate Plus 8.”
So why, then, have so many people wondered if Jon Gosselin has Down syndrome? Much has to do with his behavior. There are many Asians in the news, and you don’t hear about people wondering if they have DS. But then here comes Jon Gosselin, who does not look 100 percent Asian, behaving in a most irresponsible way. This stirs up negative perceptions of him. The combination of his facial features, and the immature behaviors he has repeatedly committed, leads some people to suspect something is wrong with him — and might it be Down syndrome?
This suspicion doesn’t mean that people are cruel. It means they are ignorant. Though there are comments about Jon Gosselin having Down syndrome on posting boards, many of these are meant as jokes. Many of the comments simply say that Gosselin looks like he has Down syndrome, rather than he has it. There have been thousands upon thousands of posts in cyberspace about him, and usually, the references to Down syndrome are meant as jokes (in poor taste, of course), rather than indicative of people actually, truly believing or wondering if Jon Gosselin has Down syndrome.
However, there still exist ignorant individuals who genuinely wonder if he has this genetic form of mental retardation. After all, he doesn’t have a track record of making intelligent decisions. And there are his facial features…
People have erroneously put two-and-two together and are wondering: Does Jon Gosselin have Down syndrome? First of all, people with this condition are sterile. The fact that eight of his sperm united with eggs from Kate (stimulated via hormone treatments) and produced babies should be a tip-off that he is far from sterile.
Next, look at his children. They all look part Asian. To assume that Jon Gosselin has Down syndrome is to assume that his children – all eight of them at that — inherited the condition. This is absolutely impossible. DS is not an inheritable condition, and even if it were, what would be the odds that all eight kids would have it? Very low.
Another tip-off that he does not have DS: Though you may think that the words coming out of Jon Gosselin’s mouth to the media are reprehensible, you have to admit that his voice sounds completely normal. People with Down syndrome have a distinct sound to their speech. They also have other physical characteristics that come with the disorder, including a particular body build and gait, short fingers and a flat head. Jon Gosselin has none of these, though he’s of course overweight and lacking muscle tone.
DS used to be commonly called mongolism because, originally, the eye features of the disorder were compared to those of people from the Mongolia continent, which is now currently known as the Far East. People with Down syndrome have a tell-tale fold over their eyes, and people of Asian heritage also have a characteristic eye fold. People of Mongolian descent found the comparison to be insulting, and over time, the term “mongoloid” has been replaced with Down syndrome.
There are three basic races: Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid, hence the association between Down syndrome and “mongoloids.”
Jon Gosselin is free of Down syndrome, which is a genetic disorder caused by the triplication of chromosome No. 21, which is why the disorder is also called “trisomy 21” in the medical community. I’m not a doctor, nor am I a geneticist, but I know this information as a result of READING and being interested in the human body, particularly genetic anomalies.
My credentials aside, the IMDB states that Jon Gosselin is half Korean, which explains his physical appearance. So rest assured, Jon Gosselin does not have Down syndrome.
