Photo exhibition Wishchild: A look at Berlin's family life!

Photo exhibition Wishchild: A look at Berlin's family life!

On June 16, 2025, the photo exhibition "Wündkind" by Klaus Heymach will open in the Neukölln town hall. The exhibition will deal with the decision of parents to get a child with special needs, including Down syndrome, trisomy 18 or Spina Bifida. This large -scale portrait series comprises eleven Berlin families, which were shown between 2019 and 2020 and five years later. Accompanying text protocols give visitors an insight into everyday life and the challenges of these families. Youth City Councilor Sarah Nagel emphasizes the importance of visibility for families with impairments.

The photo exhibition takes place in the foyer of the town hall, Karl-Marx-Str. 83, 12043 Berlin, and will be shown by July 18, 2025. Admission is free of charge, and the exhibition is funded by Aktion Mensch and the association parents advise parents of children with and without disability e. V. supported. The opening times are from Wednesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The role of prenatal diagnostics

The topic of prenatal diagnostics is particularly relevant in view of the exhibition. In order to obtain information about possible chromosomal anomalies like trisomy 21 at an early stage, many expectant parents use non-invasive tests (nip). These tests to predict trisomies, especially trisomy 21, show an accuracy of up to 99%, which is often misleading. A positive result does not necessarily mean that the child is actually affected. For women under the age of 35, however, the likelihood of a false-positive result is higher. As an example, a 20-year-old pregnant woman with a positive test result has only a 48%chance that the result is correct, despite the high sensitivity of the test.

The discussion about prenatal diagnostics is also taken up by the German health insurance companies, which are considering financing blood tests for the detection of trisomy 21. These tests that have been available since 2012 are considered simple and reliable, but there are also many critical voices. While the supporters argue that parents want to be informed, critics fear a possible stigmatization of children with Down syndrome.

social aspects and effects

trisomy 21, the most common chromosomal anomaly, affects about 1 out of 800 newborns and can cause physical features and health problems. However, mental impairments are not necessarily. There are various methods of prenatal diagnostics, including the first trimester screening and invasive options such as amniocentesis that are more reliable, but also risky. Critics fear that the availability of such tests and the possible increase in diagnoses could lead to more abortions.

In Denmark, for example, after the introduction of free tests, a decline in newborns with Down syndrome was observed. These trends raise important questions about ethics and the social effects of prenatal diagnostics. Frank Ulrich Montgomery, President of the Federal Medical Association, mentions the need for information and open dialogue about these topics.

The photo exhibition "Wishchild" could not only serve as a platform to present the life realities of affected families, but also as an impetus for a broader discussion about the challenges that the prenatal diagnosis brings.