Down Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment In Children

What Is Down Syndrome?

Many people recognize down syndrome directly: slightly slanting eyes and a solidly built body. Another important characteristic of down syndrome is the intellectual disabilities. The severity of this can vary from person to person. There is a wide variation in what a child with down syndrome can achieve. Construction and environment of the child play a major role in this.

How do you get down syndrome?
Down syndrome is caused by an error in the chromosomes. Instead of two chromosomes 21, people with down syndrome there are three in each body cell. That caused the particular look and the slower development. It also creates a vulnerability to infectious diseases and for deviations to some organs.

Down syndrome is the most common chromosome disorder. The older the mother, the more chances of having a child with down syndrome.
The doctor down syndrome immediately after birth. They look at the phenomena and allow chromosomes do research.

Doctors can not cure down syndrome. But with proper guidance can someone with down syndrome be less suffer from the syndrome.

Today, children with down syndrome grow more and more at home on. They go (with a backpack) to a regular school and play with children from the neighborhood.

What Are The Symptoms Of Down Syndrome?

Signs and symptoms of down syndrome are:

1. a typical face with slanting eyes, a small mouth and a thick, flabby tongue;
2. white spots on the edge of the iris (the colored part of eyes);
3. eye diseases such as cataracts and strabismus;a smaller than normal and a flat skull occipital;
4. asymmetrical ears;
5. wide short neck;
6. short arms and legs;
7. immunosuppression resulting often strep throat, and respiratory tract infections (usually painless) otitis media; an increased risk of hepatitis B;
8. congenital heart disease (in a third of the children is very serious heart condition);
9. low thyroid function;
10. learning disabilities;
11. overweight;
12. constipation;
13. skin problems (especially eczema);
14. food allergies (usually cow's milk protein allergy);
15. sometimes gluten intolerance;
16. sometimes sleep apnea;
17. sometimes hearing loss;
18. sometimes Hirschsprung's disease and anus atresia;
19. sometimes depressions.

Adults with Down syndrome often have dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. The complaints may also have other causes, such as a sluggish thyroid.

What Causes Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome is caused by an abnormality in the genetic material. Every cell in the body usually consists of 46 chromosomes. Due to an error during fertilization, people with Down syndrome 47 chromosomes in each cell.

It is certain that women who become pregnant at an older age (36+) are more likely to have a baby with Down's syndrome. That is probably because the egg of an older mother is less good. A second possible reason is that older mothers have fewer spontaneous abortions. In younger women, 80% of the embryos with Down syndrome are spontaneously aborted by the body.

Two percent of people with Down syndrome have inherited the syndrome from a parent. This parent is mentally and physically healthy, but he or she is a carrier of an abnormality in his chromosomes. The chance that this parent has a child with Down syndrome is between 2 and 15%. In exceptional cases, the recurrence rate is 100%.

What Is The Treatment For Down Syndrome?

Errors in chromosome can not be restored. This also applies to Down's syndrome. Some effects of the syndrome are, however, to be treated.

If your baby was born with a life-threatening abnormality of the heart or intestinal obstruction than is immediately needed surgery. If the difference is not serious then you come alone regularly with your child in control. For a proper medical supervision can be obtained from Down's syndrome team at the hospital. Addresses can be found on the website. For eye problems, hearing problems, respiratory problems, thyroid problems, skin problems, intestinal problems and behavioral difficulties, please contact the team.

For the treatment of common diseases, you can just go to the doctor. Children with Down syndrome have a standard vaccination against hepatitis B.

Children with Down syndrome often have eating disorders. Due to their weak oral muscles and thick tongue, they can not suck, which they ingest too little milk. A speech therapist can help your baby learn to drink better. Later, the speech therapist can help you learn to speak.
For motor development (roll over, crawl, sit) to stimulate your child can go to the physiotherapist.

With an early intervention program you can learn how to stimulate the intellectual development of your child. The method Small Steps can be used for example to teach your child various skills 'normal' children learn but with small steps.