Is Down Syndrome A Genetic Disorder?

There is no regular treatment for Down syndrome, the treatment is different for everyone depending on the physical and mental barriers they have. Someone with Down syndrome will most likely seek help from specialists, speech therapists and other people to help with the mental and physical needs of the person. People with Down syndrome are more adept to illnesses or conditions so it is necessary for them to be checked on by a doctor, etc. more often.

Though not all children with Down syndrome have the same features, some of the more common features are small head , short neck , flattened facial features, protruding tongue, unusually small ears, poor muscle tone, relatively short fingers and small hands and feet and short height just to name a few.

A person with downs syndrome has extra chromosome. The defect usually involves the twenty first chromosome. With this chromosome defect you do not develop like the average human being. With Down syndrome you have a short body stature and your face has a very broad profile, the most noticeable way to tell if someone has Down syndrome is their ears and their eyes are aligned differently than someone who doesn’t have downs syndrome. When you are growing up with Down’s syndrome your speech develops much slower and it is much harder to annunciate your words. some over time can develop great speech and some

. Down syndrome is not a disease that someone catches and is not caused by difficulties during the pregnancy, it is a genetic condition. This condition is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome in the body’s cells and causes a redundant amount of proteins to be formed. All cells of the body derive from a single cell formed by the fusion of a father’s sperm and a mother’s egg. Each cell carries a nucleus full of genetic material known as genes. These genes are inherited from both the mother and father. Each cell normally contains 46 pairs of chromosomes. 23 chromosomes come from one parent and 23 from the other, hence the 46 pairs. When it comes to children with down syndrome, one of the chromosomes does not separate properly and so the

Prognosis is another term used in the medical field that explains the outcome or course of a condition. Fortunately, the prognosis of Down syndrome has increasingly been better today than in past years. “The life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased substantially” (United Cerebral Palsy, n.d.). In 1929, the average lifespan was nine years old and today it is more common for them to live well beyond the age of 50 years old (United Cerebral Palsy, n.d.). “Many are able to hold jobs, live independently with support and their social functioning often exceeds intellectual functioning” (Gene Facts, n.d.). Because their social functioning is well above the other skills in their lives, many individuals with Down syndrome are form

Down syndrome is not an illness but known as a genetic condition where there is an extra chromosome 21 (Chang & Johnson, 2014). People who are affected by this condition experience cognitive delays. The most common is the intellectual disability (ID), which involves difficulty in problem solving, intellectual reasoning, communicating to express themselves, talking to other people, and performing activities of daily living (Gluck, 2014). Based on the research, they are also at high risk of developing several medical conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes because they are more exposed to risk impacts such as absence of activity and poor dietary patterns and become overweight (Tracey, 2011).

If the case of Down syndrome being accompanied by a health complication which is a common happening since the CDC stated that “About 50% of all babies born with Down syndrome are also born with a congenital heart defect.” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) other medical procedures such as surgery and medication are needed. Additionally they also mentioned, that babies with Down syndrome have a far larger risk of experiencing different disabilities and added risks, thus it is important to maintain the health of a person experiencing Down

In the nineteenth century, 1886, John Langdon Down was the first to publish an accurate description of Down syndrome, so he was then deemed the “father” of this disorder. However, there were earlier drawings and descriptions of Down syndrome that began the awareness of the disorder. Down syndrome has become the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. Children who have Down syndrome can have moderate to severe delays in communication development. Because of the delayed development that comes with Down syndrome, the affected children will have more phonological difficulties than others do(book). There are quite a few common physical traits of Down syndrome. These traits are an upward slant to the eyes, low muscle tone, a single deep crease across the center of the palm, and a smaller stature. However, not each person with Down syndrome shows each of these characteristics to the same degree or they may not show them at all.

Comorbidity is described as the simultaneous presence of additional diseases, disorders, or conditions in the face of a greater underlying condition. Down Syndrome patients are severely at risk for several morbid health issues including but not limited to, congenital heart disease, thyroid disease, vision disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, polycythemia, and seborrheic dermatitis. Correspondingly these resilient patients endure other majorly common, yet severe intercurrent issues including obesity, hearing impairment/deafness, and vision disorders. It is important to realize that while these conditions and diseases are commonly found in patients with Down Syndrome, all patients do not wrestle with the same exact battles.

Down syndrome “is one of the most common genetic conditions”, which is caused when there is a “sporadic mutation that results in an extra chromosome 21” (Hobson-Rohrer, Samson-Fang, 2013). Each person is born with 46 chromosomes, one set of 23 from each parent, but a person with down syndrome has a total of 47 chromosomes because they have an extra chromosome 21. “The extra chromosome disrupts the normal course of development and results in the physical features and intellectual and developmental disabilities associated with the syndrome” (Down Syndrome). “The extra 21st chromosome cause biochemical changes that redirect brain development” (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013). Although Down Syndrome is one of the more common genetic conditions, the chance of a child being born with this disease is 1 in 691. This statistic decreases the older a woman is when she becomes pregnant. For women between the ages of 35-39 years’ old, the chance of having a child with Down syndrome is 1 in 270 (Hobson-Rohrer, Samson-Fang, 2013). This essay will discuss how Down syndrome affects children’s cognitive, physical, and social development as well as how research recommends accommodating a child with down syndrome in a classroom.

Down Syndrome is a condition where people are born with an extra chromosome. It is a mental and physical trait that is usually caused by a gene issue. It is common in one out of 800 births and can affect all races and genders (My Child Without Limits.org). This disease is life long and there is no cure for it. The only way to help is by loving and supporting the person who is affected. Generally, a person is born with 46 chromosomes but people affected with this disease have 47 chromosomes. People with more than the standard number of chromosomes tend to have brain development issues. There are more than 400,000 people living in the United States with this disease. Life span for Down syndrome patients have increased over the years. Back in the day, people with this were not expected to live past childhood years. Now, Down syndrome patients can live to sixty and numerous live way beyond that age.

Down syndrome is a very personal experience for me and my family. My mother currently cares for her younger brother who has Down syndrome. He is wheel chair bound, in and out of the hospital and primarily under the care of his siblings. I have witnessed the challenges that my family faces daily while attempting to understand a love one’s limited abilities, and difficulties functioning in a normal life capacity. This paper will focus on the symptoms of Down syndrome, the impact it has on an individual with the disorder, the family members, and caregivers. I have researched the topic with the hopes of explaining the concerns, treatment, and coping strategies

There are no single treatment for Down’s syndrome. The treatments must be based on each individual disabilities such as behavioral, physical or intellectual needs. The medical support for Down syndrome requires multidisciplinary team plans; this is needed to support the child’s potential for development interruptions. The multidisciplinary team consist of physicians, nurses, special educators, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, family and social workers. Everyone should provide simultaneous and reassurance to the child. At physical therapist includes “activities and exercises that help build motor skills, increase muscle strength, and improve posture and balance. A physical therapist also can help a child with

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder in which a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21. There are three genetic variations that cause Down syndrome: Trisomy 21, Mosaic Trisomy 21 or Translocation Trisomy 21. There are many ways in which theses disorders affect the body.  Trisomy 21 occurs when an egg or sperm comes in with an extra copy of chromosome 21, then, once an embryo is formed and starts to develop, the chromosome is replicated in every single cell of the embryo. Trisomy 21 is the most common type of Down syndrome. About 92% of Down syndrome patients have this type. People with Trisomy usually have physical problems.

Many people think that a person who has Down syndrome doesn’t live a normal life. Although they do have to work harder at some things, they can do most things that everyone else can do. Some have more issues than others. People with Down syndrome face obstacles such as physical and behavioral abnormalities, health issues, working, and social development skills, but there are different ways we can help.