Down Syndrome
By:Cameron Edmonson
What is Down Syndrome
Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a disorder where the 21st chromosome makes a 3rd copy of itself.
Are there tests to determine if someone has Down Syndrome?
There is a test done before a child is born to see if the developing baby inside the mother's stomach has down syndrome. Echocardiogram is done to check the heart. If the heart is weak then that could be a clue if they developing child has down syndrome.
Symptoms of Down Syndrome
Down syndrome causes flattened facial features, small head, short neck, protruding tongue, upward slanting eyes, unusually shaped ears, poor muscle tone, Broad and short hands, Short fingers, short hands, small hands, flexability, white spots on the iris, and short height.
Who is affected?
Roughly 400,000 people in the US today have Down Syndrom.
What kind of Medical assitance does a child with Down Syndrome need.
Some may need surgeries and many have therapists. People with Down syndrome are also at higher risk for other diseases so they have a medical assistant that helps them when they are sick and monitors their health when necessary.
Can anyone have Down Syndrome and how is it inherited?
Anyone can develop down syndrome before being born. Also, Down Syndrome cannot be inherited. It is a chromosomal disorder which is not genetics, but an error in development.
When someone with Down Syndrome gets older, do they need extra assistance?
Yes they will be assigned a group of medical assistants to monitor them. They are already vulnerable to disease and as they grow older they become more vulnerable. Every 6-12 months they will need to do a hearing check, Dental exams every 12 months, pelvic exams during puberty, and Thyroid testing every 12 months.
What is the long term outlook for the child?
Down syndrome children have difficulty doing some things, bu they can grow and develop and live on their own possibly. Many have heart problems, so exercise and lots of fast or physical activity is not healthy for kids with down syndrome. They have to be closely monitored as a child.
Are there any cures or treatments?
There are no cures for Down Syndrome. Although, surgeries can be done that will help with their physical disabilities. Also, the disorder is non preventable. It is a completely random disorder.
Can people with Down Syndrome have children?
Yes about 50% of women with down syndrome are capable of supporting a baby before birth. The downside is that it is highly likely that the offspring will have down syndrome or some other disorder.
What is the current status of research on Down Syndrome.
As of right now we know how down syndrome is caused and all of its effects. Now scientists are looking for a cure and they are not sure if they will be able to find one. A chromosomal disorder is very hard to cure, but the effects of down syndrome can be treated and lessened.
Are scientists closing in on a cure?
There is no cure, but many scientists and surgeons are trying to come up with ways to make life easier for people with down syndrome.
Works Cited
Clinic Staff, Mayo. "Down Syndrome." Symptoms. Mayo Clinic, 19 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2016.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/down-syndrome/basics/symptoms/con-20020948
Edgin, Jamie, and Fabian Fernandez. "The Truth About Down Syndrome."The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 May 2016.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/29/opinion/the-truth-about-down-syndrome.html?_r=0
Bruni, Bathesda M. "Occupational Therapy & Down Syndrome." - National Down Syndrome Society. NDSS, 2006. Web. 05 May 2016.
http://www.ndss.org/Resources/Therapies-Development/Occupational-Therapy-Down-Syndrome/
National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 Apr. 2016. Web. 05 May 2016.