Down Syndrome
Causes of Down Syndrome
Occurs when there is a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. It varies in severity, causes life long intellectual disability. Genetic disorder caused by abnormal cell division
Symptoms of Down Syndrome
- Flattened facial features
- Small head
- Short neck
- Protruding tongue
- Upward slanting eyes
- Unusually shaped or small ears
- Poor muscle tone
- Short height
Types of Down Syndrome
- Nondisjunction
- Translocation
- Mosaicism
Other Facts
- One in every 691 babies in the US ate born with Down Syndrome
- Down Syndrome became an official disorder in 1866 when John Langdon Down published his description of the condition
- Approximately 400,000 Americans have Down syndrome and about 6,000 are born with it in US
- It can be diagnosed prenatally, the doctors do screening tests and diagnostics
The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance
In the book, Bill one of the main characters, has down syndrome. Although his sister cares for him, he still doesn't receive the right kind of caring. He doesn't have a reliable person to count on since his sister and mother aren't good influences as well as care givers. His mother can't provide for her family and has to rely on men for their help. I would recommend this book as it is entertaining and somewhat informational.