However, some people with Down syndrome might have one or more major birth defects or other medical problems. Some of the more common health problems among children with Down syndrome are listed below.
Down syndrome is a lifelong condition. Services early in life will often help babies and children with Down syndrome to improve their physical and intellectual abilities. Most of these services focus on helping children with Down syndrome develop to their full potential. These services include speech, occupational, and physical therapy, and they are typically offered through early intervention programs in each state. Children with Down syndrome may also need extra help or attention in school, although many children are included in regular classes.
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Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Facts about Down Syndrome. Some high school graduates with Down syndrome participate in post-secondary education. Many adults with Down syndrome are capable of working in the community, but some require a more structured environment.
Many children with Down syndrome have health complications beyond the usual childhood illnesses. It is very important that an echocardiogram be performed on all newborns with Down syndrome in order to identify any serious cardiac problems that might be present. Some of the heart conditions require surgery while others only require careful monitoring. Children with Down syndrome have a higher incidence of infection, respiratory, vision and hearing problems as well as thyroid and other medical conditions.
However, with appropriate medical care most children and adults with Down syndrome can lead healthy lives. The average life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome is 60 years, with many living into their sixties and seventies.
Two types of procedures are available to pregnant women: screening tests and diagnostic tests. The screening tests estimate the risk of the baby having Down syndrome. Diagnostic tests tell whether or not the baby actually has Down syndrome. Facts About Down Syndrome. Diagnosis Down syndrome is usually identified at birth or shortly thereafter. Cause Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called nondisjunction.
Types of Down Syndrome There are three chromosomal patterns that result in Down syndrome: Trisomy 21 nondisjunction is caused by a faulty cell division that results in the baby having three 21 chromosomes instead of two.
Prior to or at conception, a pair of 21 chromosomes in either the egg or the sperm fails to separate properly. The extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. Ninety-five percent of all people with Down syndrome have Trisomy In translocation a part of chromosome 21 breaks off during cell division and attaches to another chromosome. The presence of an extra piece of the 21st chromosome causes the characteristics of Down syndrome.
Unlike Trisomy 21, which is the result of random error in the early cell division, translocation may indicate that one of the parents is carrying chromosomal material that is arranged in an unusual manner.
Genetic counseling can be sought to ascertain more information when these circumstances occur. The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations and become valued members of welcoming communities.
Your support today helps make this vision a reality. Thank you! Prior to or at conception, a pair of 21st chromosomes in either the sperm or the egg fails to separate. As the embryo develops, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the body. Mosaicism or mosaic Down syndrome is diagnosed when there is a mixture of two types of cells, some containing the usual 46 chromosomes and some containing Those cells with 47 chromosomes contain an extra chromosome Research has indicated that individuals with mosaic Down syndrome may have fewer characteristics of Down syndrome than those with other types of Down syndrome.
However, broad generalizations are not possible due to the wide range of abilities people with Down syndrome possess. The presence of the extra full or partial chromosome 21 causes the characteristics of Down syndrome. Regardless of the type of Down syndrome a person may have, all people with Down syndrome have an extra, critical portion of chromosome 21 present in all or some of their cells.
The cause of the extra full or partial chromosome is still unknown. Maternal age is the only factor that has been linked to an increased chance of having a baby with Down syndrome resulting from nondisjunction or mosaicism. The additional partial or full copy of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome can originate from either the father or the mother. Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels, though older women have an increased chance of having a child with Down syndrome.
A 35 year old woman has about a one in chance of conceiving a child with Down syndrome, and this chance increases gradually to 1 in by age At age 45 the incidence becomes approximately 1 in The age of the mother does not seem to be linked to the risk of translocation. Since many couples are postponing parenting until later in life, the incidence of Down syndrome conceptions is expected to increase.
Therefore, genetic counseling for parents is becoming increasingly important. Still, many physicians are not fully informed about advising their patients about the incidences of Down syndrome, advancements in diagnosis, and the protocols for care and treatment of babies born with Down syndrome.
Heredity is not a factor in trisomy 21 nondisjunction and mosaicism. Most cases are sporadic — chance — events. However, in about one-third of cases, one parent is a carrier of a translocated chromosome. Once a woman has given birth to a baby with trisomy 21 nondisjunction or translocation, it is estimated that her chances of having another baby with trisomy 21 is 1 in up until age Genetic counseling can determine the origin of translocation.
There are two categories of tests for Down syndrome that can be performed before a baby is born: screening tests and diagnostic tests. Prenatal screens estimate the chance of the fetus having Down syndrome. These tests do not tell you for sure whether your fetus has Down syndrome; they only provide a probability. There is an extensive menu of prenatal screening tests now available for pregnant women. Most screening tests involve a blood test and an ultrasound sonogram.
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