By : Brenda Williams
How much do you really know about Down Syndrome? This disorder was first described in the world of science in 1866 by the British doctor, John Langdon Down. The condition occurs when there is a 21st chromosome present in the body. That is why this disorder is also referred to as trisomy 21. Down syndrome is identified in during pregnancy or at the time of birth with amniocentesis. It causes impairments of cognitive ability and physical growth as well as facial appearances. People with down syndrome have lower than normal cognitive abilities that range from mild to moderate developmental disabilities. Down syndrome occurs anywhere from 1 per 800 to 1,000 births. The numbers presented are heavily influenced by the age of the mother at the time of the pregnancy and the birth. There is no known cure for Down Syndrome but education and proper care can and will most likely improve the quality of life for the patient.
The characteristics of Down Syndrome includes white spots on the iris, a short tongue, a single palmar fold, oblique eye fissures, poor muscle tone, a flat nose, a short neck and congenital heart defects. Down Syndrome can occur in every ethnic background and across all economic classes. There are close to 5,500 new cases of Down Syndrome each year with 95 percent of the cases being trisomy 21. As mentioned earlier, the age of the mother at the time of the pregnancy can determine whether or not the baby will have Down Syndrome. Women between the ages of 20 to 24, the chance of having a Down Syndrome baby is one in 1,562. Women between the ages of 35 to 39, the chance of having a Down Syndrome baby is one in 214. Above the age of 45 the chance is one in 19 of having a Down Syndrome baby. Studies have revealed that 80 percent of all babies with Down Syndrome are born to women under the age of 35.
There are a variety of different prenatal screenings that can be done during the pregnancy to determine if the child will be born with Down Syndrome. Those screenings are amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, and percutaneous umbilical cord blood sampling. Genetic screenings are performed on pregnant women between the ages of 30 and 35. The life expectancy of people with down syndrome as of 2002 is 49 years. The life expectancy used to be 25 years back in 1980. As the patient with Down Syndrome begins to age the cause of death is most commonly neurodegenerative diseases and most people with Down Syndrome begin to develop an Alzheimer’s-like dementia in their 40s and 50s.
Some famous cases of Down Syndrome include Johnny Stallings, the son of former University of Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings. Johnny is also the subject of the book Another Season: A Coach’s Story of Raising an Exceptional Son. Another famous case is Chris Burke, the actor that portrayed Corky Thatcher on the show “Life Goes On” as well as the character Taylor on “Touched by an Angel.”
Many people live with Down Syndrome every day.
Published At : http://www.isnare.com
About Brenda Williams
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