One in every 691 babies...
Down syndrome is the most common genetic conditiion, with one in every 691 babies each year. In the United States approximately 400,000 Americans have down syndrome and about 6,000 babies are born with it every year. Other studies suggest that every 1 in 800 to 1000 babies are affected.
When Was Down Syndrome Discovered?
For a long time, people were alluded to what this condition really was. It was not until John Langdon Down, a late nineteenth century English physician, published an accurate description on a person with Down Syndrome in 1866, earning him as the "father" of the condition. It wasn't until 1959 that Down syndrome was labled as a chromosomal condition by a French physician by the name of Jérôme Lejeune.
Here it shows what a trisomy in chromosome 21 looks like (circled red)
What Is Down Syndrome?
Down syndrome is both a genetic and chromosomal disorder. It occurs between when meiosis and mitosis is taking place and the chromosomes appears in the cell. Chromosomes are copied in pairs but in a child with down syndrome, instead of each chromosome having only two chromotids, one specific chromosome, chromosome 21 (circled on the above picture) has an extra one. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 chromosomes, half inherited from each parent. But in a person with Down syndrome they have either a full or partial extra copy of a chromotid in chromosome 21. This is called trisomy 21, the most common of down syndrome, accounting for 95% of down syndrome cases.
Physical and Mental Comparison
Normal Child
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Child with Down Syndrome
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Down Syndrome is both a genetic and chromosomal condition, with that being said, it has 3 forms. There is Trisomy 21 (nondisjunction), translocation, and mosaicism.
Trisomy 21
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Translocation
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Mosaicism
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What Is The Life Expectancy For Someone With Down Syndrome And The Possibilities Of Having An Offspring With Down Syndrome?
The life expectancy has grown drastically over the years. In 1910, children with down syndrome would expected to live to only 9 years old. With antibiotics, their life span grew to 19 or 20 years of age. Now with more advanced research and clinical treatment, they are expected to live up to 60 and some live even longer.
Down Syndrome can happen in anyone, all races and ethnicitys and economic levels, but recent studies suggest that the older the woman is, there is a higher risk of their offspring having Down syndrome. For example, a 35 year old woman has a likelihood of 1 in 350 chance of receiving a baby with Down syndrome. That estimate will gradually increase to 1 in 100 chance by the age of 40. It then becomes a 1 in 30 chance by the age of 45.
Down Syndrome can happen in anyone, all races and ethnicitys and economic levels, but recent studies suggest that the older the woman is, there is a higher risk of their offspring having Down syndrome. For example, a 35 year old woman has a likelihood of 1 in 350 chance of receiving a baby with Down syndrome. That estimate will gradually increase to 1 in 100 chance by the age of 40. It then becomes a 1 in 30 chance by the age of 45.
Since many couples aren't having children until later years, Down syndrome is expected to increase among children, and now genetic counseling is becoming very important for parents.
How Is Down Syndrome Diagnosed?
There are two ways to know if the baby has down syndrome before it is born: screening tests and diagnostic tests. Most screening tests involve blood tests and ultrasound or sonogram. Both the measure quantity of various substances in the blood of the mother, which can be found through blood tests or serum screening tests, combined with the woman's age are used to estimate the probability of having a child with Down syndrome. Yet, all these screens won't accurately diagnose Down syndrome.
The diagnostics tests are practically 100%. A diagnostics test consists of chronic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis. Though merely 100% accurate, these procedures carry up to 1% risk of causing a spontaneous termination or miscarriage.
The diagnostics tests are practically 100%. A diagnostics test consists of chronic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis. Though merely 100% accurate, these procedures carry up to 1% risk of causing a spontaneous termination or miscarriage.
How Can It Be Treated?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Down syndrome but there are many physical and speech therapies one can take to develop more normally with the disorder.
Society and Life of Someone With Down Syndrome.
Someone with Down syndrome is limited to many things, but the disorder has blended well with education and community organizations. People have opted gladly to help educate and just make life normal to those with Down syndrome. Those with Down syndrome have cognitive delays averaging from mild to severe, but they have integrated into their surroundings normally like any other child or person, such as schools, health care systems, work forces, and social and recreational activities.
About The Author
I am a high schooler living in North Carolina. I have an uncle and a cousin that have Down syndrome which is one out of many reasons why I decided to do this genetic condition as my biology project. They are both very close to me yet live in very distant lands all the way in Chile, South America, my home country. I get a very strong overwhelming sense of happiness when I'm around them both and love them dearly.
Citations:
Pictures From Header:
1.Charlie's Up To. 2011. Charlie's Up To, Humboldt County. Web. 23 Mar 2013. http://charlies47.blogspot.com/2011/04/blepharitis-and-down-syndrome-well.html.
2.10-Month Old With Down Syndrome Will Be New Model For Designer Swimwear. 2012. Daily Of The Day .Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://dailyoftheday.com/10-month-old-with-down-syndrome-will-be-new-model-for-designer-swimwear/>.
3.2012. windofchangetherapy, Casper. Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://www.windsofchangetherapy.com/pastors.htm>.
4.Smith, Rick. Dad gets play by 9 year old...again!. 2011. Noah's DadWeb. 22 Mar 2013. <http://noahsdad.com/smart-babies-down-syndrome/>.
Information from Websites and Pictures not numbered:
First picture: Genetic Science Learning Center. "Down Syndrome." Learn.Genetics 23 March 2013 <http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/down/>
Down Syndrome type pictures, Age of Down syndrome chart picture and slideshow pictures: "National Down Syndrome Society." NDSS. NDSS, n.d. Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/>.
1.Charlie's Up To. 2011. Charlie's Up To, Humboldt County. Web. 23 Mar 2013. http://charlies47.blogspot.com/2011/04/blepharitis-and-down-syndrome-well.html.
2.10-Month Old With Down Syndrome Will Be New Model For Designer Swimwear. 2012. Daily Of The Day .Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://dailyoftheday.com/10-month-old-with-down-syndrome-will-be-new-model-for-designer-swimwear/>.
3.2012. windofchangetherapy, Casper. Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://www.windsofchangetherapy.com/pastors.htm>.
4.Smith, Rick. Dad gets play by 9 year old...again!. 2011. Noah's DadWeb. 22 Mar 2013. <http://noahsdad.com/smart-babies-down-syndrome/>.
Information from Websites and Pictures not numbered:
First picture: Genetic Science Learning Center. "Down Syndrome." Learn.Genetics 23 March 2013 <http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/down/>
Down Syndrome type pictures, Age of Down syndrome chart picture and slideshow pictures: "National Down Syndrome Society." NDSS. NDSS, n.d. Web. 23 Mar 2013. <http://www.ndss.org/Down-Syndrome/What-Is-Down-Syndrome/>.