Even amid the adventures of parenting and grandparenting a beautiful child with Down Syndrome, we live in a time where there are many positive developments the give our miracle kids the opportunity for a positive and meaningful life. A look back at the history of our understanding about the elements that so mix to create a person with Down syndrome is both heartbreaking and hopeful as we see how it’s possible for attitudes to change with knowledge and understanding.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, individuals with Down syndrome were often institutionalized in settings that were more punitive than compassionate. Labeled as “feeble-minded” or “incurable,” many were placed in overcrowded asylums where neglect and isolation were routine. These practices reflected a broader societal misunderstanding and fear of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Historian James W. Trent Jr. describes this era as one where people with disabilities were “invented” as a separate and inferior class, set apart from the rest of society (Trent, 1995).

The Medical Discovery of Down Syndrome

Down syndrome was first clinically described in 1866 by British physician John Langdon Down, who observed a consistent set of physical and cognitive characteristics in a group of patients. Although his classification reflected the racialized thinking of his era, his work laid the foundation for medical understanding of the condition (Down, 1866).

Nearly a century later, in 1959, French geneticist Jérôme Lejeune identified the chromosomal basis of Down syndrome—an extra copy of chromosome 21, also known as trisomy 21.

Down Syndrome Has Existed for Millennia

While the medical identification of Down syndrome is relatively recent, the genetic condition itself is ancient. A remarkable archaeological discovery in 2014 revealed the 5,500-year-old remains of a child with Down syndrome in a Neolithic burial site in modern-day Spain. The child was not abandoned or buried in isolation—on the contrary, the burial treatment suggested care and inclusion within the community (Villalba-Mouco et al., 2014).

This finding strongly suggests that Down syndrome has existed for thousands of years—and challenges the idea that exclusion has always been inevitable.

Were Ancient Societies More Inclusive?

Some scholars have speculated that ancient Mesoamerican societies, particularly the Olmec civilization, may have recognized and even honored individuals with Down syndrome. A small number of Olmec sculptures, known for their highly individualized features, appear to depict people with the facial characteristics associated with the condition.

Dr. Colleen Moriarty proposed in a 1992 article that these sculptures may represent individuals with Down syndrome and that their artistic prominence hints at a role of respect or spiritual significance (Moriarty, 1992).

While this interpretation is debated—and should be approached with caution—it opens the door to thinking differently about how past cultures perceived neurodiversity.

A Legacy That Challenges Our Assumptions

The history of Down syndrome is not only one of stigma and exclusion. It also includes evidence of care, integration, and possibly even reverence. While modern society still has much work to do in embracing true inclusion, these ancient traces remind us that our ancestors may have seen—and valued—people with Down syndrome in ways we are only beginning to understand. We can model the best of those attitudes as we advocate for more research, support and love.

Sources and Further Reading:

• Down, J. L. H. (1866). Observations on an Ethnic Classification of Idiots. Clinical Lectures and Reports by the Medical and Surgical Staff of the London Hospital.
• Lejeune, J., Gautier, M., & Turpin, R. (1959). Étude des chromosomes somatiques de neuf enfants mongoliens. C.R. Hebd. Seances Acad. Sci. (Paris).
• Trent, J. W. Jr. (1995). Inventing the Feeble Mind: A History of Mental Retardation in the United States. University of California Press.
• Villalba-Mouco, V. et al. (2014). A 5,500-year-old case of Down syndrome in Neolithic Iberia. Journal of Archaeological Science, 42, 15–20. DOI link
• Moriarty, C. E. (1992). Representations of Down Syndrome in Olmec Art. Clinical Genetics, 41(3), 117–120. DOI link