Down Syndrome
Aiden, Breanna, Henry & Madison
How is down syndrome inherited?
In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.
What is the exact name of down syndrome?
The exact name of down syndrome is Trisomy 21.
What causes down syndrome?
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. However, due to higher birth rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.
Can anyone inherit down syndrome?
Most of the time, Down syndrome isn't inherited. It's caused by a mistake in cell division during the development of the egg, sperm or embryo. Translocation Down syndrome is the only form of the disorder that can be passed from parent to child. However, only about 4 percent of children with Down syndrome have translocation. And only about one-third of these children inherited it from one of their parents.
What population is affected by down syndrome?
About 6,000 children in the United States are born with down syndrome each year. It is most commonly for a woman above the age of 35 to have to children with down syndrome.
Are there treatments for down syndrome?
Down syndrome cannot be cured, but there are treatments for it. Physical therapy, support groups, glasses and speech therapy are used to treat down syndrome. Treatments are based on the individual person's limitations and strengths, mentally and physically. Some people with Down syndrome also take amino acid supplements or drugs that affect their brain activity. However, many of the recent clinical trials of these treatments were poorly controlled and revealed adverse effects from these treatments.
Can down syndrome be prevented?
Down syndrome cannot be prevented. It is a genetic abnormality that happens spontaneously.A mother's lifestyle has no impact on the outcomes of a child with or without down syndrome. Scientist have possibly found a link between the age of the mother and the probability of down syndrome. Women over the age of 35 are at greater risk of having a child with down syndrome.