Abigail Adams
Muse Science Magazine for Kids|September 2023
With her upbeat attitude and many accomplishments, Abigail Adams motivates people to respect those with intellectual disabilities.
By Melissa Hart
Abigail Adams

ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

When Abigail Adams was a baby, she began losing weight. Pediatricians diagnosed her with "failure to thrive," which means she wasn't growing like she should. It turned out Adams has Down syndrome. That's a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of one's 21st chromosome. It results in a variety of developmental issues including low muscle tone and intellectual disability. After Adams' diagnosis, her parents worked very hard to help her gain weight and grow-and it worked! When she was a child, it took Adams a little longer than her non-disabled peers to learn to walk and swim and ride a bike, as well as to read and write.

But there's no stopping her now. At 23, she's the first woman with Down syndrome to complete a sprint triathlon. This Team USA event includes a half-mile (800 m) swim, a 10.2-mile (16 km) bike ride, and a 3.1-mile (5 km) run.

Adams lives in Florida with her family. She has appeared in commercials for Disney World, Universal Studios, and Nike. She's modeled at New York Fashion Week. And she's given speeches to Google executives and in front of thousands of spectators at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. With her upbeat attitude, she motivates people around the world to change their perspectives about those with intellectual disabilities.

Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA MUSE SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR KIDSSe alt
Who's Your Cousin?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Who's Your Cousin?

The great apes are among the most popular animals in most zoos. Their actions, facial expressions, and family life remind us so much of ourselves. Have you ever wondered, though, how we might look to them?

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024
Is it possible to die of boredom?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Is it possible to die of boredom?

To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

time-read
1 min  |
April 2024
THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL

Palm oil is all around you. It’s in sugary snacks like cookies and candy bars. It’s in lipstick and shampoo and pet food.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2024
SERGE WICH
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

SERGE WICH

Serge Wich’s favorite days at work are spent out in the forest, studying orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo or chimpanzees in Tanzania.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
ELODIE FREYMANN
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

ELODIE FREYMANN

When you’re feeling sick, it probably doesn’t occur to you to try eating tree bark.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
Guardians of the Forest
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Guardians of the Forest

EARLY, MAKESHIFT WILDLIFE DRONES HELPED TO DETECT AND PROTECT ORANGUTANS.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
APE ANTICS
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

APE ANTICS

The Whirling World of primate play

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2024
Dr. Ape Will See You Now
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Dr. Ape Will See You Now

HUMANS AREN’T THE ONLY  PRIMATES THAT USE MEDICATION.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024
THE LEFT OVERS
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

THE LEFT OVERS

A lot has happened for modern humans to get to this point. We lost most of our hair, learned how to make tools, established civilizations, sent a person to the Moon, and invented artificial intelligence. Whew! With all of these changes, our bodies have changed, too. It’s only taken us about six million years.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2024
SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?

What do you have in common with the aye-aye, sifaka, siamang, and potto? If you said your collarbone, you re probably a primatologist—a person who studies primates. If you’re not, read on.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024