Down Syndrome

1
Down Syndrome
By F.L.

• What is it and what does it do?

2
What is Down Syndrome?

• Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs
  when there is an extra 21st chromosome which
  leads to different birth defects and problems of
  growth and development.

3
The History

• John Langdon Down is the one who saw the same
  symptoms from a set of children at a school for
  children with mental retardation
• He referred to it as Mongoloid, but it was
  changed to Downs Syndrome, because it was found
  insulting to Asian researchers, which is now Down
  Syndrome which was revised in American scientific
  terms

4
How it is Diagnosed?

• Down Syndrome can be diagnosed when certain
  physical features or defects are present and a
  chromosome analysis confirms the diagnosis
• Another test is to screen for Down syndrome
  during pregnancy, which checks if the chemicals
  in a pregnant womans blood are out of balance,
  and if it is, there is a risk that the fetus has
  Down Syndrome

5
Is there a life expectancy and how many people
get it?

• The life expectancy for people with down syndrome
  is shorter than average, but Congenital heart
  disease is the leading cause of death in infants
  with Down Syndrome, otherwise 3 of 4 people with
  Down Syndrome reach 30 to 35 years of age.
• Down Syndrome occurs in about 1 in every 750
  births, but if the mother is young, it is less
  than 1 in 2500 births, while women who reached 35
  years of age, increase that amount to 1 in 350,
  then past 45, the risk is 1 in 25.

6
What are The Symptoms?

• Some of the symptoms of Down syndrome are
• small head
• broad flat face
• relatively small eyes
• oversized tongue in a small mouth
• simian crease
• short stature, with short arms and legs and
  stubby fingers.

7
Is there any cures for Down Syndrome?

• No, there is no treatment for the Down syndrome
  itself, but there are treatments for health
  problems for people with Down Syndrome
• like
• Heart and Gastrointestinal defect
• Infections
• Endocrine gland malfunctions
• and Dental Problems

8
What is Some of the Treatment?

• The heart and gastrointestinal defects can be
  repaired surgically
• infections can be controlled with antibiotics
• endocrine gland malfunction can be relieved with
  a special diet and drugs
• dental problems can be checked early for tooth
  decay

9
Links

• http//health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encycl
  opedia/609.html
• http//www.nas.com/downsyn/trumble.html
• http//www.ds-health.com/trisomy.htm