While people will take this as a sign of progress, I think realistically people with downs or other significant handicaps were a much greater burden on society

While people will take this as a sign of progress, I think realistically people with downs or other significant handicaps were a much greater burden on society in the past, and I think our current attitude of acceptance has more to do with our increased ability to care for such people. As cruel as it seems to us now, if you're struggling to survive and there's no social safety net, infanticide or child abandonment start to become much more attractive options in comparison with being burdened by taking care of a dysfunctional human for the rest of your life.