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Essay about Down Syndrome

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To all parents, a newborn child is a small miracle, perfect and beautiful in every way. However, in many situations the parents of these miracles learn that their children are “not normal.” Every year 6,000 parents across the country are informed that their child has a genetic disorder called Down Syndrome (“National Down Syndrome Society,” n.d.). Within a matter of minutes parents learn that children with Down Syndrome can also have a variety of other conditions and disorders, will not develop in the same way that other children do, and may even have a shorter life span. However, children with Down Syndrome are happy-go-lucky children with a kind disposition and a wonderful personality. Also known as Trisomy 21, Down Syndrome does not …show more content…

However, the easily spotted physical characteristics are not the only symptoms of Down Syndrome; the symptoms and medical conditions have the potential to go much deeper. Cognitive developmental delays are extremely common in those who have Down Syndrome. This means that these children are often slower to learn, be it educational knowledge from school or even learning to walk and talk. As children, those with Down Syndrome develop more slowly and will often hit major milestones after other children. In addition, many have shorter attention spans and will behave impulsively. (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/down/conditioninfo/Pages/symptoms.aspx) When listing all of the symptoms it is easy to believe that those with Down Syndrome are entirely different than those without the syndrome and cannot function within the normal society. However, this is not true at all. These individuals may appear slightly different, and many people expect that they have severe cognitive disabilities. However, Down Syndrome is usually only present with mild cognitive differences and those with the syndrome can live lives that are just as beneficial as those without. These people are human beings as well, capable of relationships, being educated, holding jobs, and acting as normal, playful, and happy children and adults. Down Syndrome is simply a difference in

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