What is Down Syndrome?
Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common congenital syndromes. There are many thousands of different congenital syndromes and these are normally named after the first person who described them. DS was named after Dr. Langdon Down.
Why Does This Occur?
There are no known factors to explain the error in cell development which results in 47 chromosomes rather than the usual 46. A chromosomal accident, it is the addition of an extra copy of the chromosome 21 to all or some of the body cells which causes DS.
What are the Characteristics?
Being blueprints for the body's development, genes and chromosomes play a large part in determining a person's characteristics. As many as 120 features have been associated with DS, although many individuals have no more than 6 or 7 of these. There is no one feature that is present in all persons with DS.
The most common features are low muscle tone and certain facial characteristics.
Individuals with DS are at increased risk of certain medical problems, including congenital heart defects, eye problems, hearing loss, childhood leukemia and certain abnormalities of the intestinal tract. With improved medical care, most problems now can be treated.
How Does the Syndrome Affect Development?
All children with DS have some degree of intellectual disability, although this usually falls within the mild to moderate range. A delay in developing milestones is common and children with DS will have difficulty learning. Most importantly, however, they can and will learn.
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To read more technical information about Down syndrome, refer to the following websites:
Seperate the facts from the fiction
So what does all of this mean if you are a:
- new parent
- teacher in an inclusive classroom
- student, writing a report on Down syndrome
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