Down Syndrome
By: Riley Lewis
Other names for Down Syndrome
- Trisomy 21
- Down's Syndrome
- 47,XX,+21
- 47,XY,+21.
Facts about Down Syndrome
The cause of down syndrome is when cell division grows abnormally early in the embryo(WebMD 1). Normally, a human is born with 46 chromosomes, 23 for each parent. When a child has down syndrome, they are born with an extra or abnormal chromosome(WebMD 2). Chromosome 21 is the one that is affected by this disorder. It can be on either the X or Y gene. Down syndrome is scanned before birth and the fetus is still in the mothers stomach(Patient 1). The symptoms are basically all when the baby is still inside the mother. Some of the symptoms could be determined by body size and shape, face shape and features, and also health problems(WebMD 1-3).
Down Syndrome
There is over 400,000 people in the United States that suffer from down syndrome(Global 15). As of 2011, 38% of people in the United States knows someone with down syndrome(Global 12). Anyone can be a candidate to have down syndrome. Most of the time, down syndrome is not inherited; it is otherwise randomly selected when something go wrong in the sex chromosomes(Genetics 6).
Affected by Down Syndrome
The person who is affected by down syndrome needs a lot of assistance to get through. You will need regular medical care to help the affected and you will also need special medication to help with the disorder. As the child gets older, treatments are more focused on recording the young adult's mental, physical, and emotional status(WebMD 2). The long-term future for the child is not good. Unfortunately, the person who is affected by down syndrome will not be able to get ride of it. It will stay with you for the rest of your life(WebMD 4). There is not cures to get ride of down syndrome.
Prevention, cures
You can not prevent down syndrome, it is randomly selected but some children have a higher chance if their other sibling has down syndrome(WebMD 2). Mothers with down syndrome are able to have kids, but their kids have a 35 - 50% chance of having it too(ndss 12). The children born to a person who has down syndrome have a high chance to get down syndrome also. Scientists are researching to find a way to prevent or lower the chance of a child getting down syndrome. A cure for down syndrome is far away and being able to rid the extra chromosome is much farther(Tech 1).