Down Syndrome
How it is caused and other information
how is down syndrome inherited/caused
When the condition is caused by trisomy 21, the chromosomal abnormality occurs as a random event during the formation of reproductive cells in a parent. The abnormality usually occurs in egg cells, but it occasionally occurs in sperm cells. An error in cell division called nondisjunction results in a reproductive cell with an abnormal number of chromosomes. For example, an egg or sperm cell may gain an extra copy of chromosome 21. If one of these atypical reproductive cells contributes to the genetic makeup of a child, the child will have an extra chromosome 21 in each of the body's cells.
some symptoms may be
- Down syndrome causes a distinct facial appearance
- intellectual disability
- developmental delays
- may be associated with thyroid or heart disease
treatment/cure
the treatment consist of, Early intervention programs with a team of therapists and special educators who can treat each child's specific situation are helpful in managing Down syndrome.
no cure found.
facts
1. Down syndrome is named after the English doctor, John Langdon Down, who was the first to categorize the common features of people with the condition
.2. Dr. Jerome Lejeune discovered Down syndrome is a genetic disorder whereby a person has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two.
There are also very rare forms of Down syndrome (less than 6%) called Translocation Down Syndrome or Mosaic Down Syndrome in which not all of the chromosome is triplicated or not all cells of the body carry the extra chromosome.
3. Down syndrome is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder and the leading cause of intellectual and developmental delay in the U.S. and in the world.