Ryan Wasko is a thriving young man who does an excellent job of balancing his schoolwork, two jobs, and volunteer positions. Ryan also has Down syndrome.
She became her son's biggest advocate and greatest supporter, learning a lot along the way.
"Ryan taught me to find my voice," she said. "You need to speak up. Sometimes you can't take no for an answer. Over the years I have learned to have more compassion. To be less defensive."
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Barbra describes her son as a "charming, kind, and funny young man that also happens to have Down syndrome." For Barbra, understanding her son as much more than a diagnosis was imperative to help him shine.
But it wasn't always easy. Barbra was concerned with how Ryan would integrate into adulthood, especially considering the difficult task of societal acceptance of individuals with special needs.
Aging can be scary for some special needs parents, as transitions can get tougher as their kids get older. When the time came for Ryan's 20th birthday, Barbra said that "He was still Ryan, just older!" Her fears were soothed when she saw Ryan continue to flourish.
Diagnosis
When physical therapist Barbra Wasko had her second child, Ryan Wasko, her world changed. Ryan was diagnosed with Down syndrome (DS) at birth. Barbra, whose older child was neurotypical, didn't know much about DS at the time. Learning of her son's diagnosis wasn't easy for Barbra, or her loved ones. "As I struggled with the diagnosis, so did everyone who interacted with me. [They wondered] "˜Do we say sorry? Do we cry with her? Or pretend it is ok? Or ignore her?' I just wanted to celebrate my baby boy and now there were too many emotions and unanswered questions. Looking back on that time I would tell myself: YES, celebrate your baby!" Celebrating the life of her son was Barbra's catalyst to acceptance.Acceptance
Upon her acceptance of her kiddo's diagnosis, Barbra realized that she needed to take a step back from her career to make sure Ryan had the appropriate therapies and medical issues addressed.
She became her son's biggest advocate and greatest supporter, learning a lot along the way.
"Ryan taught me to find my voice," she said. "You need to speak up. Sometimes you can't take no for an answer. Over the years I have learned to have more compassion. To be less defensive."
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Barbra describes her son as a "charming, kind, and funny young man that also happens to have Down syndrome." For Barbra, understanding her son as much more than a diagnosis was imperative to help him shine.
But it wasn't always easy. Barbra was concerned with how Ryan would integrate into adulthood, especially considering the difficult task of societal acceptance of individuals with special needs.
Aging can be scary for some special needs parents, as transitions can get tougher as their kids get older. When the time came for Ryan's 20th birthday, Barbra said that "He was still Ryan, just older!" Her fears were soothed when she saw Ryan continue to flourish.