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Down syndrome is caused when the 21st pair of chromosomes is duplicated. Typically, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes, but with Down syndrome, there are three copies for chromosome 21 instead of only two.
Women are more likely to have children with Down syndrome as they age due to having eggs that have abnormalities. At 25, you only have 0.0125 percent chance of having a child with Down syndrome, but at age 40, your chances increase to 1 percent.
Down syndrome can be very severe in its symptoms or fairly mild and varies from case to case. Down syndrome may bring about delayed language skills as well and slower motor development. Those with Down syndrome are physically distinct including have a short neck, distinctive facial features, a deep crease found in the palm of the hand, and white dots found in the iris.
Other health conditions are often found with those who have Down syndrome which may lead to a shortened life span. These include Celiac disease (which causes an inability to digest gluten), problems with eyes and skeleton, congenital heart disease and more.
The key to helping those with Down syndrome is early intervention. Treatments that include occupational therapy, speech therapy, and exercises that work on fine motor skills can help those with this developmental disability to lead productive lives in adulthood. Some communities have programs for parents who have children with this disability, as well as others, that include classes on how to parent children with Down syndrome, what activities you can do at home to help them, and networking with other parents who children with the same disability.
Make sure to look into resources in your area if you have a child with Down syndrome and are wanting to find out more about how to teach this child so he or she is more likely to have a productive life and be able to live independently or semi-independently as an adult. All public schools provide services for students with development disabilities so talk with your local school district as well.